Fire Department to Receive New High-Power Nozzles to Better Fight Blazes

The Mill Valley Fire Department has been awarded a grant for new firefighting nozzles that will increase water power while decreasing water pressure  - making it easier to control hoses and bringing the department up to National Fire Protection Association standards.

The new nozzles are part of a $12,580 grant from the Assistant to Firefighters Grant program, which includes a five percent, $629 match from the city. Established by FEMA in 2001, the program is designed to help firefighters and first responders obtain critical equipment, gear, vehicles, training and other resources.

Mill Valley’s current nozzles are between 20 to 25-years-old, said Battalion Chief Michael St. John. And certain materials now commonly used in items like furniture and plastics generate a lot more heat-measuring British Thermal Units than in the past.

“Fires are actually hotter and accelerate more quickly today than they did in the 1960’s and 1970’s,” St. John said.

The new low-pressure, constant-flow nozzles, which should be delivered within the next two months, will increase water power to 150 gallons-per-minute. Mill Valley had been using nozzles that produced only 95 gallons of water per minute, and is now up to 125 gallons-per-minute, St. John said.

With the new nozzles, the fire department will be able to use two hoses to meet the National Fire Protection Association’s guidelines of 300 gallons-per-minute.

The water flow will also operate at a constant rate, unlike the current nozzles that are adjustable, St. John said.

Although it may seem like a good idea to be able to change the water power while fighting a fire, that also changes the water pressure and can make the hoses difficult to manage. When surrounded by flames and smoke, it can also lead to errors when switching the dial.

“In the chaos of a fire situation, the gallonage often got put on a wrong setting and with the low visibility you didn’t even know,” St. John said.

With the new nozzles set at 150 gallons-per-minute, it will simplify the process, he said. The water will flow faster and also produce less pressure, which means firefighters will have an easier time maneuvering the hoses – reducing strain and lowering the potential for injuries.

“We feel,” St. John said, “that it’s going to be simply more effective.”