3.3 Water Supply

Question 1

What is a forward lay?

Answer 1

laying a supply line where the line starts at the water source and ends at the attack engine

Question 2

What is a reverse lay?

Answer 2

laying a supply line where the line starts at the attack engine and ends at the water supply

Question 3

What is a split lay?

Answer 3

a scenario in which the attack engine forward lays a supply line from an intersection to the fire, and the supply engine reverse lays a supply line from the hose left by the attack engine to the water source.

Question 4

What are the components of a fire hydrant?

Answer 4

1. Bonnet - conical cap for the hydrant holds the operating stem nut in place and protects the hydrant from mechanical damage
2. flange - at the base of the hydrant is the point of connection for the hydrant to the rest of the barrel.
3. operating stem
4. outlets - A traditional dry barrel fire hydrant contains three outlets: two 2 1/2-inch (65 mm) side outlets and a single 4 1/2-inch (115 mm) or 6-inch (150 mm) “pumper” outlet. The latter outlet gets its name as it is often the preferred choice for the fire department to connect and feed pumper trucks.
5. stem nut - key to operating the valve within the hydrant. Typically shaped as a pentagon, the stem nut will turn the operating stem of the hydrant and raise the valve to an ‘open’ position when turned with a hydrant wrench.
6. valve -

When in the ‘open’ position, the valve at the bottom of a dry barrel hydrant rises to plug drain holes and simultaneously permit water to fill the barrel of the hydrant.

When in the ‘closed’ position, the valve lowers to block water passage and re-open drain holes at the bottom of the hydrant. These drain holes act as weeps which slowly drain the hydrant barrel and help prevent freezing.

Question 5

What are hydrant tools and how are they used?

Answer 5

Spanner wrenches - used to tighten or loosen hose couplings

Hydrant wrenches - used to operate the valves on a hydrant; may also be used as a spanner wrench.

Couplings - one set or a pair of connection devices attached to a fire hose that allow the hose to be interconnected to additional lengths of hose or adapters and other fire-fighting appliances.

Adapters - a device that joins hose couplings of the same type such as male or female

Question 6

Hose is unloaded at the scene and the engine proceeds to the water source. This is an example of a ____________ lay.

Answer 6

Reverse

Question 7

Spanner Wrenches

Answer 7

Small tool used to tighten or loosen hose couplings; can also be used as a prying tool or a gas key

Question 8

Hydrant wrenches

Answer 8

used to operate the valves on a hydrant; may also be used as a spanner wrench.

Question 9

Couplings

Answer 9

one set or a pair of connection devices attached to a fire hose that allow the hose to be interconnected to additional lengths of hose or adapters and other fire-fighting appliances.

Question 10

Adapters

Answer 10

Fitting for connecting hose couplings with dissimilar threads but with the same inside diameter, such as male or female