By ADAM IVERSON
No matter where you live, the size of your department, its staffing levels, or how your standard operating procedures/guidelines are written, one task that all fire departments are expected to perform at every fire is deploying and operating handlines. To facilitate getting the handlines in place and in operation, departments will often use a preconnected hose load. The methods of packing preconnected hose loads are numerous and range in complexity. One of the most commonly used and often misunderstood preconnected hose loads is the flat load.
One of the largest benefits of a properly loaded flat load is the number of deployment options it offers. The flat load is a drag load designed to be stretched from either side of the apparatus by the crosslay. By properly placing two sets of pulling loops on each side of the apparatus with the nozzle in the middle, you have the option of which side of the apparatus from which to pull the hose, depending on the situation. Also, by having two sets of pulling loops on each side, one or two firefighters can easily deploy this hose load, depending on the situation. You can straighten out the flat load for long stretches or easily pull it for short stretches by dropping loops prior to the line pulling tight.
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