For more than a century, the Storz fire department connection has been an important part of the firefighting industry. It’s one of the simplest yet most effective ways to connect a wide range of fire hose components. Why is this fitting so valuable, and what kind of choices do you have? Let’s take a closer look and see.
How Does It Work?
The Storz fire department connection is designed to work as a “quick-connect” fitting. Firefighters work with large diameter hoses. This is the best way to deliver a great deal of water to a fire in short amount of time. It can be very difficult to connect large hoses together and to fire hydrants. In fact, it might take a long time to connect standard threaded connections.
The Value of Time
One of the most important features of the quick-connect is the time-saving element. When a fire breaks out, seconds are precious because human lives could be at stake. These connections only require about one-fourth of a turn to connect. They use flanges and hooks that mate perfectly together, and when twisted, they connect in place. To connect, you only need to push and turn. To disconnect, a simple push and turn release the hooks from the flanges and the components easily separate.
Leaking Issues
The higher the water pressure, the greater chances you have for leaks. In the firefighting business, you can’t afford leaks. Many threaded connections leak if they are not tight and this can take time to connect them. The Storz fire department connection is not only fast; it doesn’t leak even under very high pressure.
Selections
Storz connections are available in several types to simplify firefighting. For example, you can buy:
Straight connections
Angle connections
Caps
Converters
Y-connections