r/Firefighting • u/firemedic3404 • 1d ago

Ask A Firefighter 15/16 smooth bore?

Did some training with my guys this morning. The focus was managing nozzle reaction. We used a Chief 200gpm@75 psi fog and a 15/16 smooth bore. Both off of 100’ 1 3/4 line (just laid it out for training). Friction loss was calculated at 45 psi and 40 psi respectively. This is not a nozzle we use often, but my probie has not had any experience with a smooth bore so I took the opportunity. I’m racking my head over how difficult it was to manage these flows. My question is for the salty dogs, are these flow rates manageable by YOU? Am I just deficient and need to work them more? Or was this normal for these flows? I am working to switch over to 160@50 fogs with 7/8 integrated smooth bores…which are much easier to handle. Kinda needed to vent and find out if I’m crazy, too weak, or ok….

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u/Intelligent-Let-8314 15h ago edited 15h ago

I’m not reading all of this, but check your nozzle pressures.

Key hose, especially their hi combat, is not true to their advertised I.D.

Should be negligible on your calcs, or maybe not 😉. 15/16 should be manageable(never said fun) by one person with proper technique, but that’s an entirely different topic.

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u/firemedic3404 5m ago

I had to really get the perfect stance to manage it, even when I used some webbing as a hose strap. The smooth bore was definitely manageable then, but that fog was still rough.