Firefighting Valve Assemblies, Hose Lays, Hose Packs, and Methods of Using Same

Abstract

Various implementations of a firefighting valve assembly are disclosed. The firefighting valve assembly is especially suitable for fighting wildland fires. In some implementation, the firefighting valve assembly has a spatial profile that makes it easy to pack with long bundles of firefighting hose and easy to connect segments of firefighting hose as part of a hose lay. In some implementations, the firefighting valve assembly has a spatial profile that prevents it from inadvertently opening or closing when the hose is moved or pulled along the ground.

1 . A method for deploying a wildland firefighting hose lay comprising:
 (A) extending a first firefighting hose along an edge of a fire;   (B) coupling the first firefighting hose to a fluid inlet of a first valve assembly having a first valve in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and having a first control knob, a first fluid outlet in fluid communication with the first valve, a second valve in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and having a second control knob; and a second fluid outlet in fluid communication with the second valve;   (C) coupling a proximal end of a second firefighting hose to the first fluid outlet;   (D) coupling a distal end of the second firefighting hose to a fluid inlet of a second valve assembly having a first valve in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and having a first control knob, a first fluid outlet in fluid communication with the first valve, a second valve in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and having a second control knob; and a second fluid outlet in fluid communication with the second valve;   (E) operating the first control knob of the first valve assembly to an “open” position; and   (F) extending the second firefighting hose along the edge of the fire.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  and further comprising operating the first control knob of the second valve assembly to an “open” position. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  and further comprising coupling a third firefighting hose to the second fluid outlet of the first valve assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  and further comprising operating the second control knob of the first valve assembly to an “open” position. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  and further comprising coupling a fourth firefighting hose to the second fluid outlet of the second valve assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  and further comprising operating the second control knob of the second valve assembly to an “open” position. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein coupling the first firefighting hose to the fluid inlet of the first valve assembly comprises coupling the first firefighting hose to a swivel hose coupler connected to the fluid inlet of the first valve assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein coupling the distal end of the second firefighting hose to the fluid inlet of the second valve assembly comprises coupling said distal end to a swivel hose coupler connected to the fluid inlet of the second valve assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: (i) moving the first control knob of the first valve assembly between an “open” position and a “closed” position does not appreciably change a spatial profile of the first valve assembly; and (ii) moving the second control knob of the first valve assembly between an “open” position and a “closed” position does not appreciably change a spatial profile of the first valve assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  and further comprising unpacking the first firefighting hose and the first valve assembly from a hose pack. 
     
     
         11 . A method for deploying a wildland firefighting hose lay comprising:
 (A) unpacking from a hose pack a first firefighting hose and a first valve assembly, the first valve assembly having:
 a first valve in fluid communication with the first firefighting hose, the first valve including a first control knob, 
 a first fluid outlet in fluid communication with the first valve, 
 a second valve in fluid communication with the first firefighting hose the second valve including a second control knob, and 
 a second fluid outlet in fluid communication with the second valve; 
   (B) coupling the first firefighting hose to a fire suppressant source;   (C) extending the first firefighting hose along an edge of a fire;   (D) coupling a proximal end of a second firefighting hose to the first fluid outlet; and   (E) extending the second firefighting hose along an edge of the fire.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  and further comprising unpacking the second firefighting hose from the hose pack. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  and further comprising:
 (F) coupling a third firefighting hose to the second fluid outlet; 
 (G) extending the third firefighting hose along an edge of the fire; and 
 (H) operating the first control knob of the first valve to an “open” position; and 
 (I) operating the second control knob of the second valve to an “open” position. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the first valve is in fluid communication with the first firefighting hose through a swivel hose coupler connected to the first valve assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  wherein: (i) moving the first control knob of the first valve assembly between an “open” position and a “closed” position does not appreciably change a spatial profile of the first valve assembly; and (ii) moving the second control knob of the first valve assembly between an “open” position and a “closed” position does not appreciably change a spatial profile of the first valve assembly. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  and further comprising:
 (F) coupling a distal end of the second firefighting hose to a fluid inlet of a second valve assembly, the second valve assembly having:
 a third valve in fluid communication with the second firefighting hose, the third valve including a third control knob, 
 a third fluid outlet in fluid communication with the third valve, 
 a fourth valve in fluid communication with the second firefighting hose, the fourth valve including a fourth control knob, and 
 a fourth fluid outlet in fluid communication with the fourth valve; 
 
 (G) operating the first control knob of the first valve to an “open” position; 
 (H) operating the third control knob of the third valve to an “open” position. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  and further comprising:
 (I) coupling a third firefighting hose to the second fluid outlet; 
 (J) coupling a fourth firefighting hose to the fourth fluid outlet; 
 (K) extending the third firefighting hose along an edge of the fire; 
 (L) extending the fourth firefighting hose along an edge of the fire; and 
 (M) operating the third control knob of the third valve and the fourth control knob of the fourth valve to “open” positions. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein coupling the distal end of the second firefighting hose to the fluid inlet of the second valve assembly comprises coupling said distal end to a swivel hose coupler connected to the fluid inlet of the second valve assembly. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein: (i) moving the first control knob of the first valve assembly between an “open” position and a “closed” position does not appreciably change a spatial profile of the first valve assembly; and (ii) moving the second control knob of the first valve assembly between an “open” position and a “closed” position does not appreciably change a spatial profile of the first valve assembly. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein: (i) moving the third control knob of the second valve assembly between an “open” position and a “closed” position does not appreciably change a spatial profile of the second valve assembly; and (ii) moving the fourth control knob of the second valve assembly between an “open” position and a “closed” position does not appreciably change a spatial profile of the second valve assembly.