"jk" wrote in message
...
"AndrewV" wrote:

our instructor told us fire boots will not protect from shock any better
then a wet pair of sneakers and that electricity will only travel a few
feet
up a hose stream. I have been zapped but not often and I could always id
the
source.. like burned wires. About 2 months ago my ladder truck became


I don't know about the boots,
but the hose bit is bs

Well it could be, I don't know of any legit testing, but it was 15 yrs ago
and at that point in my career I felt it unwise to argue with the Deputy
Chief. I don't work with hoselines too often since I'm assigned to a truck
company so I haven't given it much thought. I don't know anybody that's
gotten zapped from a electrified hose line so in practice the stream must
not make a good ground. About the boots I've seen rubber fireboots tested
during a utility demo and if your the ground path its time for the dirtnap.

IF you have a continuous stream and a complete path (such as a
connection to a hydrant. It will travel the whole loop.
If you have a discontinuous stream (as in broken up with air)
It won't travel at all [Until you get to medium voltage]

jk

the path would likely be something like this: electrical source---water
stream how solid it is depends on the type of nozzle and how far away it
is---some amount of cotton jacket hose w/metal fittings every 50'-100' wet
and laying on the ground ---fire pump on the engine prob have several other
hoselines off and on the ground---body of the pump---5' rubber jacket feeder
line--- hydrant. so it's not straight forward, if it made a good path I
would think the pump operator would get a tingle from time to time.

I just try to avoid the electrons if possible

Andrew