Dennis LeGear
Lead Consultant
LeGear Engineering Fire Department Consulting
Thursday, April 11, 2019: 10:30 AM – 12:15 PM
This class covers the four largest areas of concern in handline attack package design: (1) nozzle design and implications: nozzle pressure, weight, stream type, reaction force, stream velocity, selecting target flow; (2) hose construction and implications: materials, weaving, construction type, inspection delivery (annual and after every use); (3) hose size and implication: target flows and tube velocity (the two things you need to know before buying hose hydraulically), adequate friction loss is not the handline’s enemy; and (4) pump panel outlet implications: design, errors, plumbing, pickup placement, foam-loop complications, and flow meters.
Through video, power point slides and interaction with the audience. The audience will be shown two large forces that are causing negative outcomes, (buyer’s remorse) in Handline Attack Package Systems.
First Information failure, which is a significant, market failure and can occur in two basic situations. “Information failure exists when some, or all, of the participants in an economic exchange do not have perfect knowledge (Fire Department or Vendor/Manufacture). Secondly, information failure exists when one participant in an economic exchange knows more than the other, a situation referred to as the problem of asymmetric, or unbalanced, information.” (http://www.economicsonline.co.uk) this can and does lead to improper selection of handline fire hose.
Secondly Confirmation bias, also called confirmatory bias or myside bias, is the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms one’s preexisting beliefs or hypotheses.
Using my experience as a subject matter expert in fire hose. I will show the class the many departments and a few manufactures that I have help through these issues and the positive outcomes that come with it. This will be clearly illustrated with graphs, slides and and concrete examples in which fire departments increased their abilities to develop good handline fire streams. This many times lead to real world property conservation improvements and reduction in 2nd alarms in agencies. Along with better relationships with vendors and manufacturers.
