What Is This Hose Contraption?

[x635 4,066]

For some reason and I never asked what this contraption is for. I could only imagine it assists loading hose, does anyone know anything more about it or use it?

[xfirefighter484x 234]

Used to help re-rack LDH. It appears to have rollers, some I have seen use a conveyor type mechanism. It can be moved from side to side along the bar it sits on.

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

if that is indeed what it is then my only questions are 1. Who makes it? 2. Where can I get one? 3. Why did I not have this thing before seeing it here?

Edited June 24, 2010 by bvfdjc316

[wraftery 1,275]

OK...got it...it works like

1.a washing machine wringer to get water out (which people under 55 have never seen)

and 2.goes back and forth to keep the bedded hose level.

That would make it a cross between a self leveling fishing reel and a proby

[TCD0415 26]

Just saw this at NYS Fire Chiefs Show in Syracuse,

Its called "The Hose Mule"

http://www.thehosemule.com/

[M' Ave 1,466]

if it leaves the hose bed looking like the one in the photo....I'll pass...

Seriously though....this is another contraption, along with the hose bed that lowers to the ground, to make a job easier when it isn't that hard to begin with. No one likes loading hose, but many hands make light work. There's no reason you can't do this without a "device".

Edited June 26, 2010 by M' Ave

[Bnechis 3,961]

if it leaves the hose bed looking like the one in the photo....I'll pass...

Seriously though....this is another contraption, along with the hose bed that lowers to the ground, to make a job easier when it isn't that hard to begin with. No one likes loading hose, but many hands make light work. There's no reason you can't do this without a "device".

For an engine I agree. I did get to see it used on a hose wagon that a 3 man crew used it to pack 6,000 feet of 6 inch hose and they made it look easy. They had it mounted in the front over the left side of the cab and the driver just drove forward while the 2 members just made the folds inside a closed box that made up the hose bed.

[64FFMJK 21]

after watching the video in the link it looks like more trouble then its worth for an enging but might be good for a hose wagon since you still have to manualy pull each coupling past the rollers. Whats next disposable LDH?

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Whats wrong with that hosebed? Other then needing a little more elbow grease that hose will play out.

Only benefit I can see is that it gets rid of the air as you pack it which occasionally newer LDH stays fluffed up a bit more till it settles.

[NWFDMedic 58]

There's only what, 700-800 foot of LDH on that engine? If you have to manually work around the couplings, this contraption may actually add time to the job. Nothing a manual hose roller can't take care of with just as much effort. I have to agree, if your department has a hose truck, then maybe this might be a good product to look into.

As for that hosebed alsff, that is surely not parade ready. I generally laugh at how perfectly packed some of the engines are (even not at parades) while the real working engines look something like we see in the picture. The only reason my department packs the hose so tightly (between parades) is that we have to to make it fit and keep it from flying off the back while going down 9W or I-87 (long story).

[M' Ave 1,466]

Whats wrong with that hosebed? Other then needing a little more elbow grease that hose will play out.

Only benefit I can see is that it gets rid of the air as you pack it which occasionally newer LDH stays fluffed up a bit more till it settles.

It's condition shows a lack of company pride. How about a few night tight folds and straight columns. Trucks don't go to work with rust tools and an engine should have a nice tight bed.

As for the Capts comment, I certainly agree that this would help 3 guys do a job that would take forever, but I would hope that there would always be more than three people to pack a bed. Other companies, ect. ect.