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By Mark van der Feyst
The hose lines packed on a fire apparatus will usually have a nozzle attached for quick deployment. These nozzles are exposed to weather, dirt, dust, sunlight, cold, snow and so on. Nozzles need to be maintained on a regular basis to ensure that they will work when needed.
Every manufacturer has recommendations for how to maintain their nozzle; follow those recommendations. Light maintenance will include checking the nozzle for any visible defects such as cracks, missing parts or damaged parts. It will also require cleaning the nozzle of the dirt it has been exposed to.
Lubricating the moving parts will improve the nozzle’s ease of operation. Checking the gasket and lubricating it will also help. This simple maintenance will extend the life of the nozzle and will make sure that it will work when needed.