BY BOB SHOVALD
A while ago, I was trying to come up with a subject for engine company training. I wanted something we had not addressed for a while and that was specifically for engine companies, as well as something that would be used more than a half dozen times in a career. I decided on the topic of backup lines. First, I did some research on the subject, since I could not remember the last time I had trained in or discussed the use and application of backup lines. I found very little written on the subject. Listed below is some information I did find, along with things I have learned over the years from fireground operations, classes, and trainings.
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1410, Standard onTraining for Initial Emergency Scene Operations, 2010 edition, defines the backup line as follows: “an additional hoseline used to reinforce and protect personnel in the event the initial attack proves inadequate.” NFPA 1410-10 describes some training evolutions that use a backup line. Chapter 6 states that the total required flow shall be 300 gallons per minute (gpm)—100 gpm from the initial attack line and 200 gpm from the backup line.
If you are a current subscriber,login hereto access this content.
If you would like to become a subscriber, please visit ushere.
