By Alan M. Petrillo

Nozzles and monitors are considered the forward tip of most fire suppression systems, whether they are handlines, deck guns, portable monitors, bumper monitors, blitz lines, or at the tips of aerial ladders and platforms.

Monitor and nozzle manufacturers continue to make improvements to those products, enhancing their roles for both offensive and defensive fire attack.

Nozzles

Andrea Russell, global product manager for Akron Brass Company, says late this year Akron Brass expects to come out with its new UltraJet nozzle, with production beginning sometime in 2017. “UltraJet is an all-in-one nozzle that has the ability to flow a smooth bore stream and also change to a narrow or wide fog stream,” Russell says. “It’s easy to operate because the operation is intuitive: Open and close the bail to start or stop the stream, and use the full grip bumper to change the stream pattern from smooth bore to narrow fog to wide fog to flush pattern.”

Russell points out that the UltraJet nozzle works essentially like a fixed-orifice nozzle in that there is no need for the pump operator to intervene when changing stream patterns. “It provides matching flows in all types of streams,” she says. “You’ll get the same flow out of the smooth bore and fog settings without any pump pressure changes.” The smooth bore is available in a choice of four tip sizes: ¾ inch, 7⁄8 inch, 15⁄16 inch, and one inch. Tips can be changed through use of an Akron Brass tip kit.

1 Task Force Tips will introduce its new Vortex model nozzle in 2017 that allows a smooth bore stream to be changed to a 15-degree disbursed pattern with the twist of a wrist. (Photo courtesy of Task Force Tips.)

Rod Carringer, chief marketing officer for Task Force Tips (TFT), says TFT plans on introducing its new Vortex model nozzle at FDIC International 2017. “We’ve had it in field trials since this year’s FDIC,” Carringer points out. “It’s a nozzle for smooth bore lovers that allows a smooth bore stream with a twist of the wrist to go to a 15-degree dispersed pattern.”

Carringer says that the nozzle has an unusual fin structure inside that, once the ¼-turn twist is activated, takes the smooth bore stream to a 15- to 20-degree spiraling dispersed pattern. “It doesn’t restrict the flow at all,” he adds. “The flow stays the same but gives you a little bit of a pattern because it moves a tremendous amount of air within the pattern.”

2 S&H Products Inc. makes the VSB Tornado, a variable smooth bore nozzle that allows a firefighter to use up to five different settings, from 5⁄8 inch to one inch, by twisting the barrel to a preset detent. (Photo courtesy of S&H Products Inc.)

Steve Larson, owner of S&H Products Inc., says his company has introduced the VSB Tornado nozzle, a variable smooth bore nozzle designed specifically for 1Â

By Robert Tutterow

Technology? What do you mean technology?

We don’t need no stinkin’ technology! Yes, technology and the fire service are often like trying to mix oil and water. On the surface, firefighting is not exactly a high-tech job. Forcing entry, ventilating, deploying hoselines, and laddering buildings are not exactly high forms of technology. We have been doing it from the beginning, and we’re doing it now.

Nonetheless, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) held a Technology Symposium this past summer in Oakland, California. The two-day event consisted of 75 invited personnel from a cross section of the United States fire service. The summit addressed where we are with technology, where we might be headed, and how we might get there. It focused on five general topic areas: command and control; emergency operations; health, wellness, and occupational diseases; tools and equipment; and training.

Technology Resistance

The group at the summit acknowledged that many within the fire service are not enthused about technology. As alluded to in the opening paragraph, technology is not on the radar screen of most firefighters. Parallel to the perceived lack of need is the concern about technology’s cost along with the ability for it to be user-friendly and robust. As expected, the summit gravitated toward the electronics that encompass our lives on a minute-by-minute basis. The fire service has had its share of electronics failures when it comes to apparatus and equipment. Anyone remember the attempts at an electronic pump panel a generation ago? The concept is still not accepted, but I project it will be-some day. Outside of portable radios and hand lights, one of the first pieces of electronic equipment for firefighters was the PASS device. Though there have been bumps along the road, PASS devices are standard, reliable, and affordable for the most part. Another good example is the thermal imaging camera. Does anyone remember what they cost when they were first introduced? Today, you can buy a dozen or more for that original price. Almost all consumer electronic products have come down in price.

What’s Coming

One of the obstacles in reducing the price of electronics specific to the fire service is the simple lack of numbers for a profitable venture. Fire and emergency services are such a small market that it is hard to drive research and development. That is one of the primary reasons that Assistance to Firefighters Grants and research and development grants are so crucial. With that said, what might be next for the fire service in electronics? It appears it might lie in the vast world of sensors. Sensors are appearing everywhere and getting cheaper. They are in infrastructure, warfare, manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, and structures. The technology is available for firefighter physiological and health monitoring. It is also available for firefighter location and tracking while on the scene. The value of knowing where a firefighter is located is immeasurable. And, the ability to monitor the physiological status a firefighter could be a tremendous tool in reducing cardiac events.

Data

Another huge topic at the summit was the subject of data. It was stated that data is the new oil. Those who have it will be better off than those without. This is a huge issue for the fire service. More data has been accumulated in the past two years than all previous years combined. The manner in which the fire service uses data will determine, in large part, its sustainability. Data can be cherry-picked and used against the fire service. However, having thorough, accurate, and compelling data will typically put the fire service on the prevailing side of budget requests.

By Robert Tutterow

Technology? What do you mean technology?

We don’t need no stinkin’ technology! Yes, technology and the fire service are often like trying to mix oil and water. On the surface, firefighting is not exactly a high-tech job. Forcing entry, ventilating, deploying hoselines, and laddering buildings are not exactly high forms of technology. We have been doing it from the beginning, and we’re doing it now.

Nonetheless, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) held a Technology Symposium this past summer in Oakland, California. The two-day event consisted of 75 invited personnel from a cross section of the United States fire service. The summit addressed where we are with technology, where we might be headed, and how we might get there. It focused on five general topic areas: command and control; emergency operations; health, wellness, and occupational diseases; tools and equipment; and training.

Technology Resistance

The group at the summit acknowledged that many within the fire service are not enthused about technology. As alluded to in the opening paragraph, technology is not on the radar screen of most firefighters. Parallel to the perceived lack of need is the concern about technology’s cost along with the ability for it to be user-friendly and robust. As expected, the summit gravitated toward the electronics that encompass our lives on a minute-by-minute basis. The fire service has had its share of electronics failures when it comes to apparatus and equipment. Anyone remember the attempts at an electronic pump panel a generation ago? The concept is still not accepted, but I project it will be-some day. Outside of portable radios and hand lights, one of the first pieces of electronic equipment for firefighters was the PASS device. Though there have been bumps along the road, PASS devices are standard, reliable, and affordable for the most part. Another good example is the thermal imaging camera. Does anyone remember what they cost when they were first introduced? Today, you can buy a dozen or more for that original price. Almost all consumer electronic products have come down in price.

What’s Coming

One of the obstacles in reducing the price of electronics specific to the fire service is the simple lack of numbers for a profitable venture. Fire and emergency services are such a small market that it is hard to drive research and development. That is one of the primary reasons that Assistance to Firefighters Grants and research and development grants are so crucial. With that said, what might be next for the fire service in electronics? It appears it might lie in the vast world of sensors. Sensors are appearing everywhere and getting cheaper. They are in infrastructure, warfare, manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, and structures. The technology is available for firefighter physiological and health monitoring. It is also available for firefighter location and tracking while on the scene. The value of knowing where a firefighter is located is immeasurable. And, the ability to monitor the physiological status a firefighter could be a tremendous tool in reducing cardiac events.

Data

Another huge topic at the summit was the subject of data. It was stated that data is the new oil. Those who have it will be better off than those without. This is a huge issue for the fire service. More data has been accumulated in the past two years than all previous years combined. The manner in which the fire service uses data will determine, in large part, its sustainability. Data can be cherry-picked and used against the fire service. However, having thorough, accurate, and compelling data will typically put the fire service on the prevailing side of budget requests.

By Robert Tutterow

Technology? What do you mean technology?

We don’t need no stinkin’ technology! Yes, technology and the fire service are often like trying to mix oil and water. On the surface, firefighting is not exactly a high-tech job. Forcing entry, ventilating, deploying hoselines, and laddering buildings are not exactly high forms of technology. We have been doing it from the beginning, and we’re doing it now.

Nonetheless, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) held a Technology Symposium this past summer in Oakland, California. The two-day event consisted of 75 invited personnel from a cross section of the United States fire service. The summit addressed where we are with technology, where we might be headed, and how we might get there. It focused on five general topic areas: command and control; emergency operations; health, wellness, and occupational diseases; tools and equipment; and training.

Technology Resistance

The group at the summit acknowledged that many within the fire service are not enthused about technology. As alluded to in the opening paragraph, technology is not on the radar screen of most firefighters. Parallel to the perceived lack of need is the concern about technology’s cost along with the ability for it to be user-friendly and robust. As expected, the summit gravitated toward the electronics that encompass our lives on a minute-by-minute basis. The fire service has had its share of electronics failures when it comes to apparatus and equipment. Anyone remember the attempts at an electronic pump panel a generation ago? The concept is still not accepted, but I project it will be-some day. Outside of portable radios and hand lights, one of the first pieces of electronic equipment for firefighters was the PASS device. Though there have been bumps along the road, PASS devices are standard, reliable, and affordable for the most part. Another good example is the thermal imaging camera. Does anyone remember what they cost when they were first introduced? Today, you can buy a dozen or more for that original price. Almost all consumer electronic products have come down in price.

What’s Coming

One of the obstacles in reducing the price of electronics specific to the fire service is the simple lack of numbers for a profitable venture. Fire and emergency services are such a small market that it is hard to drive research and development. That is one of the primary reasons that Assistance to Firefighters Grants and research and development grants are so crucial. With that said, what might be next for the fire service in electronics? It appears it might lie in the vast world of sensors. Sensors are appearing everywhere and getting cheaper. They are in infrastructure, warfare, manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, and structures. The technology is available for firefighter physiological and health monitoring. It is also available for firefighter location and tracking while on the scene. The value of knowing where a firefighter is located is immeasurable. And, the ability to monitor the physiological status a firefighter could be a tremendous tool in reducing cardiac events.

Data

Another huge topic at the summit was the subject of data. It was stated that data is the new oil. Those who have it will be better off than those without. This is a huge issue for the fire service. More data has been accumulated in the past two years than all previous years combined. The manner in which the fire service uses data will determine, in large part, its sustainability. Data can be cherry-picked and used against the fire service. However, having thorough, accurate, and compelling data will typically put the fire service on the prevailing side of budget requests.