National Wildfire Coordinating Group

Fire Equipment Working Team (FEWT)
   

Contents of Survey
Click on Text below

Results in Graphs

What are your reasons for not supporting ......

Table 1
Cost of Converting to Quarter Turn Couplings

Table 2
National Cache Inventory

Table 3
Threaded Fittings Obsolete with Quarter Turn Technology

Table 4
New Cost Comparison Threaded, QT

 

 

Quarter Turn Quick Connect Coupling Survey

Background - The decision was made at the spring 1999 FEWT meeting to analyze the feasibility of conversion from threaded coupling components to quarter turn quick connect coupling. A survey was conducted in November 1999 through the agency directors at NIFC.

Survey and Summary of Results

A total of 225 responses were received with the majority coming from the U.S. Forest Service.

  1. What type of hose fittings are you using now? 93% Threaded
  2. If you are using both, are you in the process of converting to quarter turn? 18% yes
  3. If Federal Wildland Firefighting Agencies consider a conversion to quarter turn hose fittings, would you support this effort? Yes - 113  No - 95
  4. How much hose do you normally stock on an annual basis? Responses were used to factor into field and local cache inventory amounts.

Why change to quarter turn quick connect?

  • Superior System
    • Short term cost, long term gain
  • Efficiency and Performance
    • 20% increase in efficiency
    • Easier to deploy
    • Reduces training time (its foolproof)
    • No leaks in hoselay
    • Reduced weight in hose packs and on vehicles
  • Hardware Reduction
    • Fewer fittings; 1" & 1½" are interchangeable
    • No male / female fittings
    • 12 fittings become obsolete (adapters, couplings, reducers, increasers) saving $128,821 yr
  • Interchangeability with Canada

How much will it cost?

  • 2.46 M - Hardware costs to purchase adapters & coupling sets to retrofit existing inventory

Recommendation

Convert to quarter turn quick connect couplings. Purchase adapters for existing inventory in national caches and field. Consider re-coupling hose vs adding adapters, recycling scrap metal to help offset cost.