The 1¾-inch preconnect is the mainstay of the modern fire service. For most jurisdictions around the country, it is the initial attack line pulled for up to 80 to 90 percent of our fires. There are a multitude of hoselay configurations, such as preconnected lengths of 200, 150, and 100 feet, which can be combined with a large variety of accessories and nozzle styles. This allows the engine company more flexibility than ever before to fine-tune, customize, and make its 1¾-inch preconnects work harder and more efficiently.
At the Coeur d’Alene (ID) Fire Department, we use crosslay preconnects and have two 200-foot 1¾-inch crosslays and one 100-foot 1¾-inch line (configured as a crosslay on some engines, as a front bumper line on others). The 100-foot line is also called a “trashline”; it is used for nuisance fires, grass fires, and occasionally vehicle fires.
Our primary interior attack line is the 200-foot 1¾-inch line. We once had three 1¾-inch preconnects: 200, 150, and 100 feet. We changed this when we realized that a backup team using the 150-foot line could come up short when protecting the initial attack team using the 200-foot linenot a good plan when you are protecting your fellow firefighters.
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