Nozzles are one of the most fundamental firefighting tools. They’re the keys to delivering water or firefighting foam to where it’s needed in a fire. Yet, for many firefighters, they get little more attention than a quick glance when checking their placement. Despite this, the nozzle is an important piece of firefighting equipment that has its own unique set of characteristics and capabilities. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the major nozzle types and how they work in different situations.
No matter how well a firefighter is trained, they can’t do their job without the proper equipment. That’s why it’s critical to have the right hose and fire fighting water nozzle for each situation. The variety of options for nozzles in today’s firefighting industry is staggering. Some have been around for decades while others have come on the market in recent years. No matter how long they’ve been in use, these nozzles all have their own specific advantages and disadvantages for the firefighter.
The National Fire Protection Association created a set of standards in 1964 for spray nozzles. The NFPA standards define how nozzles must be constructed and what their maximum performance should be. They also determine how narrow or wide the nozzle’s spray pattern must be and what rated discharge it must have at a designated nozzle pressure and setting. The rated discharge is what controls how much water is delivered to the fire at a given time and what the spray pattern is.
Smooth-bore nozzles produce a solid stream that doesn’t break up. Their stream allows a significant amount of water to reach the seat of the fire and penetrate deeply into it. These nozzles are often used when maximum reach and penetration are primary concerns.
Automatic nozzles, on the other hand, have variable flow rates. They can be adjusted by a firefighter using a valve located under the nozzle or by turning a swivel at the end of the hose. This type of nozzle is typically used for putting down water in large areas, such as warehouses and office buildings.
Constant gallonage and constant/select gallonage nozzles have a fixed orifice that guarantees a consistent flow rate regardless of the spray pattern. This type of nozzle is usually used in conjunction with water meters to monitor and track fire flow rates.
Besides these common types of nozzles, other firefighting hose nozzles include ground monitors and ladder pipe nozzles. The former are commonly found in firefighting cabinets in building hallways and are intended for use by occupants during the early stages of a fire. They can be used to quickly deploy a fire suppression agent in hard-to-reach locations and help protect occupants from smoke, fumes and heat. The latter are designed to be used in tower ladders or other elevated positions. They can deliver a high volume of water, but they aren’t typically effective at stopping fires that have already spread. These nozzles require special training to use properly.