Firefighters face immense pressure every day.
Being awakened in the middle of the night, rushing to trucks, suiting up, riding to the scene of a crash or fire, and then battling a blaze or helping get victims out of harm's way takes a lot of physical and mental strength. There's also a lot riding on the equipment they use to work right every time.
The most important tool for many departments are hoses.
Extreme heat, sharp objects and other conditions of use factor into the durability of the hose, Ken Willett, division manager of public fire protection for the National Fire Prevention Association, said.
The NFPA, formed in 1896, is a global, nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss from fire, electrical and related hazards. The association delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy.
New standards, not considered mandates by the NFPA, ask fire departments to stop using fire hoses manufactured before 1987. But many departments facing tight budgets have had difficulty replacing older hoses.