Water Handling Equipment Guide - National Wildfire Coordinating ...

APPENDIXES
D—Service Test for Fire Hose
and dust cannot be removed thoroughly by
brushing, or if the hose has come in contact
with harmful chemicals, it should be washed. If
detergent is used, use a mild solution and
rinse thoroughly with clean water.
Wet hose should be drained and completely
dried before being placed in service or
storage. Hose should not be dried on hot
pavements or under intense sunlight. Wet
hose, even the lightweight all-synthetic,
should be thoroughly dried. Cotton-synthetic
hose has been treated for mildew protection
but will mildew under prolonged wet
conditions. In addition, linen hose must be
thoroughly dried immediately after testing to
avoid mildew.
Allow the jacket to dry completely by hanging a
50-foot length of hose from the middle. Hang a
100-foot length of hose from the middle and
allow to drain for a minimum of 4 hours. After 4
hours, double the hose and continue to dry for
2 to 3 days or longer as required. The
couplings should be off the ground at all times.
Salvaging bad hose
All hose failing the visual exam and the
pressure test should be tagged, repaired, or
disposed of as per your agencies guidelines.
In the field, tie a knot in failed hose to avoid
reuse. If a 100-foot length of hose fails, it
should be shortened to 50 feet. If a 50-foot
length of hose fails, it should be shortened to
no less than 45 feet. Good couplings should be
salvaged from discarded hose.
Hose that has been repaired or recoupled
should be retested at a test pressure of at least
50 percent greater than the service test
pressure.
Place a readily visible, distinguishing mark
noting the location of the hose defect, before
sending it in. Good couplings should be
salvaged from any hose not repairable. For
defective couplings, the couplings should be
cut from the hose and the hose sent in for recoupling.
When a length of hose is recoupled,
the tailpiece gasket should be replaced. For
additional information, consult the “Fire
Equipment Storage and Refurbishing
Standards,” National Wildfire Coordinating
Group, NFES Number 2249, November 1994.
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