WAYNE – Each year the Wayne Volunteer Fire Department is required to test their hoses through the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) as a professional hose testing company out of Wisconsin was back at the Fire Hall Wednesday to provide this service.
The tests of the hoses along with the ladders also helps keep the insurance costs down through the Insurance Services Office (ISO).
Fire Chief Phil Monahan said FireCatt put 300 pounds of pressure through each hose of 300’ length and then ran it for 10 minutes.
“Then they test the hose to see if there’s any leaks or at the couplings or the o-rings,” said Monahan. “If there is, if we can fix them we do, otherwise we have to put it aside; either send it away or get new hose.”
Around 13,600 feet of hose was tested Wednesday from 7 a.m. until after 5 p.m. by the Wisconsin company.
FireCatt has seven crews with five members on each traveling across the United States. The company has been providing precision service testing to fire departments, industrial customers and governmental agencies for a decade.
Jeremiah (JJ) Frantz has visited 42 states and is in his third year as Team Leader of the Purple Team. He added what he’s seen during his time traveling.
“Sometimes there’s catastrophe like a hose will explode,” Frantz added. “That’s why, pretty much, we come out here to make sure everything is safe for the fire departments to use.”
The group first documents each truck, then pulls everything off the truck and makes sure each length of hose is 300’ per NFPA standards.
After visiting Battle Creek earlier this week, they’ll next be in David City before heading to the Omaha/Lincoln area.
Monahan mentioned how important it is to get their hoses tested especially when there are firefighters in a structure.
“You don’t want something to happen to a hose or a coupling blowing a part and then somebody getting burnt,” Monahan mentioned. “Or God forbid get killed in something like. So yeah, it’s very critical you test the host every year.”
