Fire fighting nozzle are one of the most important tools on the fire service apparatus. Whether it is the backbone tool of your hose or your primary weapon to suppress a fire, it requires proper care and understanding to keep you and your team safe.
The nozzle is a key component to providing water flow and firefighting capabilities in all situations. Nozzles control the amount of water that is delivered by controlling the size of the orifice and limiting the flow to a rated pressure and setting. Nozzles also create the shape of the water stream and can change from a straight stream for penetration to fog spray for radiant heat protection.
Nozzles are designed to be compatible with different types of hose and engines for the best fire suppression results. When selecting the nozzle for your apparatus, be sure to consider flow ranges and personnel availability as well as patterns that may be needed. The level of maintenance and cost of upkeep should also be taken into consideration.
A fire needs three elements to ignite: fuel, heat and oxygen. The heat causes vibrations to the atoms inside the fuel, which break stable bonds and vaporizes the fuel. When this vapor comes into contact with nearby oxygen, the chemical reaction that creates a fire begins. In order to stop this chemical reaction, the fuel must be removed from contact with oxygen. A firefighting nozzle is the primary method used by firefighters to remove the fuel and extinguish the fire.