A firefighting nozzle comprising: an elongated barrel having an inlet opening at one end for engaging a source of fluid under pressure and a discharge opening at an opposite end for engaging a discharge element for dispensing the fluid under pressure; a valve arrangement disposed within said barrel between said inlet opening and said discharge opening, said valve arrangement configured to adjust the flow of fluid through the barrel and including a slide valve element slidably mounted within the barrel for reciprocating movement along the length of the barrel, and a trigger assembly mounted on the barrel and including: a trigger housing coupled to said barrel and defining a pistol grip for manual grasping during operation of the firefighting nozzle; a segment gear pivotably mounted within said trigger housing and including at least one tooth; a trigger pivotably mounted to said trigger housing for manual pivoting toward said pistol grip while manually grasping the pistol grip; and a lever arm fastened to said trigger for pivoting therewith; characterized in that the slide valve element includes a toothed surface; said segment gear includes the at least one tooth for engaging the toothed surface of said slide valve element so that rotation of said segment gear causes the at least one tooth to drive the toothed surface to reciprocate the slide valve element; and said trigger assembly mounted on the barrel further includes an elongated link pivotably connected at one end to said lever arm and at an opposite end to said segment gear to transmit pivoting of said lever arm to pivoting of said segment gear. an elongated barrel having an inlet opening at one end for engaging a source of fluid under pressure and a discharge opening at an opposite end for engaging a discharge element for dispensing the fluid under pressure; a valve arrangement disposed within said barrel between said inlet opening and said discharge opening, said valve arrangement configured to adjust the flow of fluid through the barrel and including a slide valve element slidably mounted within the barrel for reciprocating movement along the length of the barrel, and a trigger assembly mounted on the barrel and including: a trigger housing coupled to said barrel and defining a pistol grip for manual grasping during operation of the firefighting nozzle; a segment gear pivotably mounted within said trigger housing and including at least one tooth; a trigger pivotably mounted to said trigger housing for manual pivoting toward said pistol grip while manually grasping the pistol grip; and a lever arm fastened to said trigger for pivoting therewith; a trigger housing coupled to said barrel and defining a pistol grip for manual grasping during operation of the firefighting nozzle; a segment gear pivotably mounted within said trigger housing and including at least one tooth; a trigger pivotably mounted to said trigger housing for manual pivoting toward said pistol grip while manually grasping the pistol grip; and a lever arm fastened to said trigger for pivoting therewith; characterized in that the slide valve element includes a toothed surface; said segment gear includes the at least one tooth for engaging the toothed surface of said slide valve element so that rotation of said segment gear causes the at least one tooth to drive the toothed surface to reciprocate the slide valve element; and said trigger assembly mounted on the barrel further includes an elongated link pivotably connected at one end to said lever arm and at an opposite end to said segment gear to transmit pivoting of said lever arm to pivoting of said segment gear.