Fire Hose Inspection in NYC

Fire Hose Inspection

Fire hose systems require annual inspection of the fire hose to assure reliability during the event of an emergency. The inspection can be performed by the owner or by an outside firm familiar with the requirements and visible conditions outlined in NFPA 25 and NFPA 1962. A check list of all the inspection items should be recorded and kept for comparison with future inspections.

The visual inspection of the hose is to confirm that the hose has not been damaged or exposed to conditions that would cause failure of the hose during use. The inspection is not limited to just the flexible fabric, but also to the connectors at the end of each hose (couplings). The coupling’s threads are visually examined to confirm ease of disconnect and reconnect as well as the integrity of the coupling’s gasket. During the thread examination the size and type are confirmed to match the threads used by the local fire department. Each village, town, city, and county has specific threads they use, and these are not always the same from town to town, even within the same county. This is one additional reason why a trained technician is required to perform this service.

During the manufacturing process the fire hose is dated. This date is used as a start date for when the hose entered into service. To assure the integrity of the hose, every five years it is required that it receive a hydrostatic test--a pressure test validating its ability to hold a specific water pressure without bursting or leaking. Upon completion of the test the hose is dried, redated and returned to service. Some types of hose are not economically worth hydrostatically testing after five years due to the extensive amount of labor required to perform the work; in such cases replacement is recommended.

If you are in need of fire hose inspections, call Lund Fire Products at (718) 423-1900.