RE: [californiadisasters] Forest Fire Kern Canyon Kern County "second alarm"

Every thread above 1” is now required (well NFPA not law unless adopted, most do) to follow the National Standard Thread (NST) design *OR* to provide adapters to NST.  Since adapters tend to grow feet (and disappear) most agencies will simply require NST.  The only real problem with steamer outlets (that’s the BIG hose connection folks) is that there are a couple sizes (4/4” and 6”) so you still have to have adapters but it’s less of an issue.  The old standard of 1000 GPM (4.5”) has been replaced with even more water, when available, so the newer size is really handy (no more steamer AND 2.5” ports to maximize the hydrant flow).

I used to have to carry a long string of adapters from garden hose 3/4" through 3” National Pipe.  All it ever did was take up space in the engineer’s compartment.

Here on the left coast, 1” ‘Forestry’ thread is used on 1” by most agencies for wildland hose.  It used to get pretty ugly with Forestry, NPS and NST threads.

I never liked the snap connectors (or quick connect) because they were more subject to failure than a thread.  Threaded hose can leak from not being tight, but they still delivered water.  Failures in snap connectors tend to be more dramatic (all or nothing).  As such, I don’t rate them highly because they put firefighters at risk (there’s never a failure when they’re OUTside the structure and safe).

Ordering by alarm for a wildland fire is silly.  The IC should order what they need now, expect to need soon and project to need tomorrow (if needed) rather than use a cookie cutter approach because no two fires (even in the same location) are ever the same.  Order early, order big is common and shows good planning.  It takes time to move the pieces around and you have to get ahead of the curve or lose your butt (our playing board is larger than some east coast states and not all covered by highways).  You can always cancel an order if things go your way (and NO ONE complains they only got started to a fire compared to not being sent at all).

Rick

www.HappyMoosePhoto.com

Wildlife and scenic images

 

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From: Louis N. Molino, Sr.
Actually I know of one very small town in NJ that has Jones Snap on their hydrants. 2 2 1/2" outlets with a threaded Steamer connection. Every one around them has Snap thread adapters.

The Steamers are the real issue since everyone seems to have thief own thread cuts and no standards.

Louis N. Molino, Sr. CET
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