thebreeze

The engine was there prior to the trucks arrival, since the preferable method for stretching is straight off the back towards the fire building the engine chauffeur should pull past the building, someone once said "hydrants before the building don't exist", meaning the chauffeur should notice them but only consider them as a last option, often times the chauffeur sees the fire, gets tunnel vision and thinks he has to take the first hydrant he sees. It's always preferable to pull up to the building with the back step even with the door to the building, then once the men begin the stretch the chauffeur can fly to the next hydrant.

SOP is for the engine to stop with the back of the rig parallel to the entrance to the fire building, the men then stretch 1 3/4" or 2 1/2" into the building depending on the size and nature of the fire. The chauffeur then drives to the hydrant and connects or if this is not possible (because a truck blocked him out) he can be supplied or stretch 3 1/2" back to a previous hydrant. FDNY uses dead lays, nothing is preconnected, it is up to the control man to determine how much hose is needed, pull it, break the line, give it to the chauffeur and provide the chauffeur with the details of the stretch. The high rise packs are for use in high rise buildings with standpipe systems. These standpipe systems are supplied by either a gravity tank on the roof or a main fed pump, all of these systems can also be supplemented by an engine streching 3 1/2" hose to the siamese connection.

This is not text book, the engine is facing the wrong way, forcing the men to stretch around the rig, the truck and engine are nosed into one another, if the engine chauffeur had a bad hydrant he is now screwed and either has to back stretch 3 1/2" by hand to another hydrant or be supplied, and as far as the few guys you see RUNNING, slow down, act like you've done this before, can't help anyone if you break your back slipping on ice. Aside from that, good aerial placement, and this really isn't a long stretch at all, 5 lengths maybe 6 for good luck. Every stretch is harder without that fifth man though, 2nd due engine comes into play huge here, especially with the hassle of stretching around the rig.