page_title: Hard suction hose
section_title: Strainers
hierarchical_section_title: Hard suction hose / Strainers
caption_attribution_description: Medium diameter (2 1/2") hard suction fire hose, with attached strainer.
context_page_description: Flexible suction hose, not to be confused with hard suction hose in U.S., is a specific type of fire hose used in drafting operations, when a fire engine uses a vacuum to draw water from a portable water tank, pool, or other static water source. It is built to withstand vacuum, rather than pressure, abrasion, and heat. Conversely, hard suction is capable of withstanding up to 200 PSIG, as well as vacuum. In the United States, it is standard equipment according to the National Fire Protection Association standards for fire engines. It is used in both structural and wildland firefighting throughout the world, and is made in various diameters and connection types.
context_section_description: When being used in a drafting operation from a pool, portable water tank, or other uncovered water source, the length of suction hose farthest from the pump is usually attached to a strainer, to keep foreign objects in the water from being pulled into and damaging the pump.  If used in a pond, stream, or other body of water, an appropriate flotation device must be used to keep the strainer below the surface and above the bottom, so that neither mud nor air are sucked into the fire engine's pump.  Industry accepted standard is to maintain two feet of distance from the water's surface, bottom, or any other obstruction.
  The United Kingdom official guidance is to:
  use ropes to take to the weight of the hose and the strainer, in order to avoid putting sideways loadings on the couplings;
  ensure that the strainer is a minimum of three strainer-diameters below the water surface to prevent air cavitation;
  to support the hose with packing, where necessary, when it crosses a wall or other obstruction  to prevent an air pocket being formed.
caption: Strainer on a 2.5-inch (6.4 cm) diameter hard suction hose
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