lfdfirementraining

LFDFiremanTraining · Site Admin Joined: 24 Sep 2007 Posts: 20

After recent studies or reports have come down, I feel that this may be a good topic to cover. Unfortunately, a large portion of our dept will tell you they will use a fog because that is all they know!!! I want for us to discuss the pro's and con's of both. We can include "penciling" in on this if we would like????? Believe it or not many people think this is the way to fight fire!!!! I have seen it myself, with large heavy fire and the nozzleman was wondering why he wasn't making progress.
_________________
Ryan C. Hogsten
"Firefighting: Still the best JOB in the world!!!"

(All Comments made by me are mine and not affiliated with anyone else. If you have a problem call me 859-494-2504, or get thick skin)

wellsjg · Joined: 31 Oct 2007 Posts: 8

Hoggy,
I think you know where I stand on this issue. A couple of points...first I feel very qualified to speak on this issue because I regularly use both. Not every engine is equipped with the option of the smoothbore, so we often times end up using a fog if we are working off someone elses engine, and the smoothbore if that option is available. There is NO comparison. The smoothbore offers a MUCH quicker knockdown with less thermal layer inversion. I'm not saying that you can not put out a fire with a fog nozzle; we do it all the time. What I am saying is that you can put out MORE fire QUICKER with the smoothbore. My crew and I are believers! Most of the people that are quick to criticize the smoothbore have little or no experience with it. Which brings me to my second point here...sorry if I step on some toes. If you are an officer, and you are not teaching your crew how to use EVERY tool on your truck (that includes smoothbores if you have them), then you are failing them. Imagine a ladder company officer who REFUSES to teach his crew how to safely and effectively use a chainsaw because "he always had good luck with an axe". It is pure and simple BS. If you don't know much about the smoothbore then FIND OUT! Ask me, ask other guys who use them, there is a ton of info on line and in fire journals...just make the effort!! Then get out there and teach your crew IT IS YOUR JOB!! OK sorry about that, I've rambled enough. Hoggy, you must have known this was coming when you posted this topic!! (SOAPBOX ALERT!) Be safe, Jason

aburns · Joined: 08 Jan 2008 Posts: 9

There is absolutely no comparison. I can not think of a single reason to have a fog nozzle in a residential structure fire, if anyone has one please share it. I believe so strongly in the smoothbore that I carry my own (people make quite a bit of sport of me for it) w/no pistol grip, 1 3/8" waterway, a stream shaper and a 15/16" tip. And its all about half as big as the SM20 and weighs half as much. It also makes a lot better stream than the new break aparts unless you have a stream shaper on them, the problem there is still the issue of clogging w/ the stream shaper behind the shutoff. Lets start a list of pros and cons for each.
_________________
Angus Burns