Editing Fire hose (section)

==Modern usage==
[[File:Vaughan Fire.jpg|thumb|Fire hoses connected to a fire engine in [[Vaughan|Vaughan, Ontario]]]]
[[File:TokyoMetropolitanFireDepartment-FireHoseDrill.ogv|thumb|thumbtime=3|[[Tokyo Fire Department]] conducting a fire hose drill]]
Modern fire hoses use a variety of natural and [[Synthetic fiber|synthetic fabrics]] and [[elastomer]]s in their construction. These materials allow the hoses to be stored wet without rotting and to resist the damaging effects of exposure to sunlight and chemicals. Modern hoses are lighter weight than older designs, which has reduced the physical strain on firefighters.<ref>"Fire Hose." How Products are Made. Ed. Stacey L. Blachford. Gale Cengage, 2002. [[eNotes|eNotes.com]]. 2006. 22 November 2009 [http://www.enotes.com/how-products-encyclopedia/ Fire-hose] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111028075438/http://www.enotes.com/how-products-encyclopedia |date=28 October 2011 }}</ref> Various devices are becoming more prevalent to remove air from the interior of fire hose, commonly referred to as [[fire hose vacuum]]s.  This makes hoses smaller and somewhat rigid, allowing more hose to be packed into the same compartment on a fire-fighting apparatus.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Greycheck|first=Ronald|title=The Evolution of the Hosepack|journal=Wildland Fire Magazine|date=December 2010}}</ref>

'''Suction Hose'''

Suction hose is laid down on the suction side of pump (inlet) where the water passing through it is at a pressure either below or above that of the atmosphere. It is designed to resist internal and external pressure. It should have sufficient strength to withstand the pressure of external air when a vacuum has formed inside. It should also be strong enough to resist hydrant pressure. Usually an appliance has to carry about 10 m of suction hose in either 3 m or 2.5 m length. The diameter of the hose depends on the capacity of the pump, and three standard sizes such as 75mm, 100mm, and 140mm are generally used.
 
'''Partially Embedded suction hose'''

Partially Embedded suction hose is usually made of a tough rubber lining embedded fully as a spiral, with tempered, galvanized steel wire. This embedding is arranged so that it provides a full waterway and a relatively smooth internal surface. The wall of the hose is prepared from several layers of canvas and rubber lining so that turns of each one lie midway between turns of the other. The complete wall is consolidated by vulcanizing.

'''Fully embedded (smooth bore) suction hose'''
 
Fully embedded (smooth bore) suction hose has a thick, internal rubber lining embedded fully with a spiral of wire. Suction hose should be constructed to withstand a pressure of 10.5 bar.

'''Delivery Hose'''
 
Delivery hose is laid down from the delivery side of the pump (outlet), and the water passing through it is always at a pressure greater than that of the atmosphere. Delivery hose is divided into two categories: percolating hose, and non-percolating hose.

'''Percolating hose''' 
Percolating hose is used mainly to fight forest fires. The seepage of water through the hose protects the hose against damage by glowing embers falling onto it or the hose being laid on hot ground.

'''Non-percolating hose''' 
In fire services, non-percolating hoses are generally used for delivering water. Non-percolating hose consists of a reinforced jacket made from polyester or nylon yarns. This type of hose has an inner lining of vulcanized rubber fixed to the jacket by an adhesive. The use of non-percolating hose is recommended in certain applications, as friction losses will be much less than that of percolating hoses.   
 
Lined hose are divided into 3 types:

Type 1: Lined hose without external jacket treatment:
Such hose absorbs liquid into reinforcement jacket and requires drying after use.

Type 2: Coated lined hose:
This has a thin, elastic outer coating that reduces liquid absorption into the jacket and may slightly improve abrasion resistance.

Type 3: Covered lined hose:
Covered lined hose has a thicker elastic cover that prevents liquid absorption but also adds substantial improvements to abrasion and heat resistance.

===Types===
There are several types of hose designed specifically for the fire service. Those designed to operate under positive pressure are called discharge hoses; they include: attack hose, supply hose, relay hose, forestry hose, and booster hose. Those designed to operate under negative pressure are called suction hoses.

{| class="wikitable"
!Name
!Definition
|-
| Attack
| Attack hose is a fabric-covered, flexible hose used to bring water from the fire pumper to the nozzle. This hose ranges in nominal inside diameter from {{convert|1.5|to|3|in|mm|abbr=on}} and is designed to operate at pressures up to about {{convert|400|psi|kPa|sigfig=3|abbr=on}}. The standard length is {{convert|50|ft|m|2|abbr=on}}.<ref name=NFPA1961>NFPA 1961: Fire Hose. National Fire Protection Association, 1997.</ref>
|-
| Supply and relay hoses
| Supply and relay hoses are large-diameter, fabric-covered, flexible hoses used to bring water from a distant hydrant to the fire pumper, or to relay water from one pumper to another over a long distance. These hoses range in nominal inside diameter from {{convert|3.5|to|5.0|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}. They are designed to operate at pressures up to about {{convert|300|psi|kPa|sigfig=3|abbr=on}} for the smaller diameters and up to {{convert|200|psi|kPa|sigfig=3|abbr=on}} for the larger diameters. The standard length is {{convert|100|ft|m|2|abbr=on}}.<ref name=NFPA1961/>
|-
| Forestry hose
| Forestry hose is a fabric-covered, flexible hose used to fight fires in grass, brush, and trees where a lightweight hose is needed to maneuver it over steep or rough terrain. Forestry hose comes in {{convert|1.0|and|1.5|in|mm|abbr=on}} nominal inside diameters and is designed to operate at pressures up to about {{convert|450|psi|kPa|sigfig=3|abbr=on}}. The standard length is {{convert|100|ft|m|2|abbr=on}}.
|-
| Booster hose
| Booster hose is a rubber-covered, thick-walled, flexible hose used to fight small fires. It retains its round cross-section when it is not under pressure and is usually carried on a reel on the fire pumper, rather than being stored flat. Booster hose comes in {{convert|0.75|and|1.0|in|mm|abbr=on}} nominal inside diameters and is designed to operate at pressures up to {{convert|800|psi|kPa|sigfig=3|abbr=on}}. The standard length is {{convert|100|ft|m|2|abbr=on}}.<ref name=NFPA1963>NFPA 1963: Fire Hose Connections. National Fire Protection Association, 1993.</ref>
|-
| [[Hard suction hose|Suction hose]]
| Suction hose, sometimes called hard-suction hose, is usually a rubber-covered, semi-rigid hose with internal, metal reinforcements. It is used to suck water out of unpressurized sources such as ponds, rivers, or swimming pools for home wildfire protection purposes. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jjsfiresupply.com/productlistcategory.asp?urll=Home_Wildfire_Protection_Systems&category=21 |title=Home Wildfire Protection Systems|access-date=2021-08-30}}</ref> Hard-suction hose comprises multiple layers of rubber and woven fabric encapsulating an internal helix of steel wire. Some very flexible hard-suction hoses use a thin, polyvinyl chloride cover with a polyvinyl chloride plastic helix. Suction hose ranges in nominal inside diameter from {{convert|2.5|to|6.0|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}. The standard length is {{convert|10|ft|m|2|abbr=on}}.
|}

Another suction hose, called a soft-suction hose, is actually a short length of fabric-covered, flexible discharge hose used to connect the fire pumper suction inlet with a pressurized hydrant. It is not a true suction hose, since it cannot withstand negative pressure.<ref name=NFPA1963/>

===Raw materials===
In the past, cotton was the most common fiber used in fire hoses, but most modern hoses use synthetic fiber like polyester or nylon filament. The synthetic fibers provide additional strength and better resistance to abrasion. The fiber yarns may be dyed various colors, or may be left natural.<ref name=Goldwater>Goldwater, Sam and Robert F. Nelson. "Large-Diameter Super Aquaduct Flexible Pipeline Applications in the Fire Service." Fire Engineering (April 1997): 147-149.</ref>

Coatings and liners use synthetic rubbers, which provide varying degrees of resistance to chemicals, temperature, ozone, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, mold, mildew, and abrasion. Different coatings and liners are chosen for specific applications.<ref>National Fire Protection Association Report. Submitted by Jaqueline Wilmot. Tue 3 May 2016 [http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/AboutTheCodes/1962/1962_F2017_FHS_AAA_FD_CIStatements.pdf]</ref>