Fire Engines Photos

That's a 'Schlauchhaspel', a hose reel (in this case, in the form of a hand-cart), very typical of German fire brigades, but its significance is decreasing. It is used to lay a line of 'B-Schlauch', or 75mm hose, as it is being pulled. It carries 8 lenghts of these. The modern 'Schlauchhaspel' is fitted with a brake and can easily be operated by a single firefighter ('Einmannhaspel'). In the 'old days', they were much broader and had no breaks, so 2 men were needed. An example of the old type ('Zweimannhaspel': www.feuerwehr-weichs.de/images/Geraete/Schlauchhaspel_gross.jpg) If you watch carefully, you'll see that the first appliance also has one of these. At least one, because engines often carry two.

Added by Konrad Nowak on 14 December 2008.

It is a hose cart. The firefighters will pulled it either from the appliance pump or hydrant (when the nozzle are connected to pump or hydrant). The system is quite famous in some European countries.

Added by Bomba Boy on 15 December 2008.

These one man hose carts are also standard equipment on pumpers in France and former French colonies, and are to be found in Chile, Austria, Switzerland and some Dutch and Belgian fire brigades.

Some of these include two 15 meter 45mm attack hoses, as well as up to 200 meters of 65/70/75mm, and carry a Y as well as branches. Others often have a standpipe to facilitate rapid hydrant hook-up.

They are almost universal in Japan, where some are four wheel carts - and include quite large battery powered "ride on" versions with lights and even rearview mirrors.

Although there is a pumper in this photo, the nearer truck (with all the lights)is a dedicated rescue unit - hence no hose carts!

It does however have a towing hitch, so it can pull a specialized trailer if needed. This is a very common feature on German fire appliances, since trailers are very popular with their fire services - Berlin city brigade for example has more than eighty of them...

Added by Rob Johnson on 25 March 2019.

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