[HFDlist] "Close Call" from Deputy Bergstrom....

[Jack Chandler]

All,

Last night we had a close call during Aux. FF training worth bringing up 
to everyone. Training was hydrant operations using E1. On the first 
evolution, the 4” supply line was hand pulled from the truck and 
properly wrapped around the hydrant. E1 was slowly pulling away and the 
Aux. FF began dressing the hydrant. As E1 reached the end of the first 
100’, the hose locked up in the hose bed and forcefully pulled the 4” 
from around the hydrant, whipping the coupling around and snapping the 
length back toward the truck. E1 had tried to stop when they noticed the 
hose becoming tight, but could not stop in time. The Aux. FF did get a 
good hit on the ankle from the coupling, luckily any injury appears to 
be minor at this time.

In looking at why this happened, it was found that the coupling in the 
bed from the first length of 4” being pulled off, had become stuck on 
another coupling in the hose bed. Both couplings then flipped up and 
became lodged between a rib on bed cover and the hose bed. The force 
actually dented the aluminum. It appears that when the hose was packed, 
the coupling for the first piece off had been packed far back behind 
another coupling. The path the first coupling had to take was up and 
over the other coupling. This resulted in the two couplings becoming 
jammed together.

E1, as we know, has a tight hose bed with a solid aluminum cover. The 
lesson we can take away from this is that attention needs to be paid to 
how the couplings are packed to come off the truck. Couplings near the 
top of the pack need a clear and unobstructed path to slide out. The 
couplings should not be packed so they have to go up and over another 
coupling when they are near the top aluminum cover. The aluminum cover 
is not forgiving like a canvas cover. Members dressing a hydrant for a 
line being laid by any truck, need to keep an awareness on the line 
coming off the truck. This could happen on any truck laying a line.

Luckily no one was seriously hurt. Let’s learn from this and be aware to 
reduce the chance of this happening again.

Thanks,

DC Bergstrom

-- 


Jack Chandler, Chief
Holden Fire Department
1370 Main Street
Holden, Massachusetts 01520
Ph: 508-210-5650
Fx: 508-210-5667
JChandler at Holdenma.gov


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