Wow, now this can be a big subject! Luckily we are not relying on the above equipment anymore. Let's look at a basic overview:
Pumps:
There are so many different options for pumps on the market! Let's have a look at Petrol V Diesel:
Is diesel better that petrol? Is petrol better than diesel? There are pro's and con's for both which you need to weigh up for your own circumstances. These may take into account the space you have and where the pump needs to be located.
Overall, as a general rule, diesel is better, as long as you go into the purchase decision and set up well educated and it suits your situation. Let explore further:
- Diesel Pro's:
- Doesn’t have fuel vaporisation issue
- Engines generally have longer life
- Performs better in really hot conditions
- Fuel not as susceptible to “going off”
- Diesel Con's:
- Heavier
- More expensive
- Requires more skills to maintain
- Engine RPM is slower so more expensive pump required to produce higher pressures
- Much harder to start if start system fails (many small diesel motors don’t have a pull start option)
- Petrol Pro's:
- Value for money
- Proven reliability with recognised brands
- Easy to service / maintain – parts available for recognised brands
- Light weight
- Can be pull started if start system fails
- Widely and readily available to purchase
- Petrol Con's:
- Generally noisier
- Susceptible to fuel vaporisation in extreme conditions
- Fuel requires changing if it has been left sitting for some time or fuel stabiliser can be added.
- Easy to maintain – for those who are handy there is so much good information out there on how to look after these engines. For those who aren’t as handy, every small engine shop anywhere can service, maintain and repair these engines.
- Availability – if for some reason the engine or pump become broken or damaged, replacements are readily available.
- Weight – as our units are designed to be portable around the home / shed, keeping weight to a minimum was high on the design criteria.
- It has a back-up pull start that most people can use if they really had to.
Hoses:
We cannot stress this enough - garden hoses are not suitable to be used for fire protection!
There are 2 main types of hose you can use:
- Hard line
- A hard line hose is like a heavy duty version of a garden hose
- Should be fire rated
- Available in different sizes (length and width). The size you chose is determined by how long the hose needs to be and how much water you want to be able to go down it.
- Pro's / con's
- Pro's – is very robust, unlikely to be damaged by dragging over rocks etc
- Con's – is quite heavy to move around, even when it has no water in it.
- Layflat
- A layflat hose is a more traditional style canvas hose.
- This technology has come a long way from the old canvas hose.
- Used extensively by fire authorities everywhere.
- Pro's / Con's
- Pro's – very light and easy to move around, especially when empty, takes up a lot less room to store and generally much cheaper to purchase compared to hard line
- Con's – can be more easily damaged by rocks and/or sharps
- Click here to purchase your own layflat hoses from our shop
It is important to use good quality fittings on your hoses. When you need to use your hoses they need to be quick and easy to connect without leaks or the risk of coming apart. We recommend using the national standard fittings for rural fire authorities. Click here see our blog on this.
Sprinklers:
- Sprinklers are a great way to wet down an area. Whether they are fixed or portable, one thing you generally lack in a fire situation is time. The ability to turn a sprinkler on and have it wet down the area while you’re doing something else is a really big bonus. Sprinklers vary a lot in terms of shape, size and water usage. It is important that you have planned out all aspects of your protection plan so you have enough pump power and water to run the system for enough time.
- Click here to purchase your own portable sprinklers that are compatible with our portable bushfire sprinkler system
Branches / Nozzles:
- These come in many shapes and sizes and again, I would recommend against using a standard garden hose nozzle for this purpose. The ones the rural fire authorities use are quite expensive – with good reason. However for personal and property protection there is no reason to spend the often thousands of dollars those branches are worth. When choosing a branch there are a few important things to look out for:
- Pattern control – this means you can shape the water that is sprayed out. Generally from pencil to fog (tight concentrated to very wide)
- Flow control – a lot of the time you don’t need heaps of water flowing out, this could be a waste of water or may in fact damage whatever you are hosing down i.e. a window.
- Ergonomic – comfortable to use. It's likely that you may spend quite a lot of time hosing things down, especially after a fire front has passed. It is important that it is comfortable to use, both in how you hold it and how the opposite pressure of the water coming out (recoil) is directed.
- Click here to purchase your own branch from our store
Summary:
Your fire fighting equipment is vital to your survival in a bushfire situation. There are many options available and you need to work out what is best suited for your requirements. Above all else it is imperative that your equipment suits your needs, is well maintained, in working order and you know how to use it.
