Under Pressure: Why Routine Fire Hose Testing is Vital & How a Third-Party Provider Can Help

Along with calm heads and courageous hearts, firefighters depend on their equipment to perform in a crisis. Routing fire hose testing can make the difference between a bad day and a tragedy.

As a proud partner to the firefighting community, Industrial Inspection & Analysis (IIA) offers premier Fire Hose Testing Services to ensure that fire hoses handle the pressure as well as the firefighters who use them.

Fire Hose Testing Standards

In the United States, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1962, “Standard for the Care, Use, Inspection, Service Testing, and Replacement of Fire Hose, Couplings, Nozzles, and Fire Hose Appliances,” is the main standard governing fire hose testing. The standard requires annual testing for hose (including hard suction hose), apparatus, appliances, and nozzles. (Previously a stand-alone standard, NFPA 1962 is now part of the NFPA 1930 standard, which combines NFPA 1801, NFPA 1802, NFPA 1932, NFPA 1937, and NFPA 1962 standards.)  

The NFPA 1930/1962 fire hose standard covers:

• Inspection Requirements & Frequency
• Service Testing Procedures
• Fire Hose Care & Maintenance
• Criteria for Removal or Replacement
• Documentation

Whether your department chooses to perform its own fire hose testing or outsource it to a third-party, compliance requires these key elements:

• Proper Equipment & Calibration
• Trained Personnel
• Strict Adherence to NFPA 1962 Procedures
• Strong Documentation Practices

With careful attention to these components, fire departments can successfully perform their own testing. However, there are a number of compelling reasons to outsource testing to an inspection company that specializes in fire hose testing. 

Benefits of a Third-Party Provider

While NFPA 1930/1962 does not require use of a third-party hose testing provider, many fire departments choose to do so because it reduces risk, improves reliability, adds credibility, and frees up internal resources. Here’s why outsourcing fire hose testing is often considered the better option:

• Specialized Equipment & Expertise: Testing companies that specialize in fire hose testing offer a level of expertise that cannot be matched by personnel who only occasionally perform hose testing. In addition, reputable testing companies employ technicians who are certified in non-destructive testing (NDT) and trained specifically to spot hose failure indicators. They also use calibrated test pumps and gauges and follow standardized procedures aligned with NFPA 1962 — all of which translates to more reliable identification of failing hose.
• Faster Turnarounds: Fire hose testing is rigorous, labor-intensive work that can be completed more quickly by experienced personnel familiar with the work and NFPA standards. If done in-house, fire hose testing can take firefighters and equipment out or service for days. A dedicated fire hose testing provider can offer faster turnaround times that minimize downtime of department personnel and equipment.
• Unbiased Results: An independent provider has no stake in the outcome, and will apply the NFPA standard strictly and consistently — removed from internal department dynamics and time pressures. In addition, if a hose-related error or accident occurs, reports from an objective, third-party provider will likely carry more weight and credibility in investigations or legal proceedings.
• Detailed Documentation: Meticulous records of hose testing are critical for NFPA compliance, insurance purposes, and post-incident investigations. Experienced testing companies deliver detailed documentation that meets applicable standards and includes test results (pass/fail, pressures, defects); asset tracking (hose ID, age, history); and complete digital records for audits and inspections.
• Reduced Risk of Damage & Liability: Improper pressure testing can damage hose or leave defects undetected. If in-house testing is done incorrectly or incompletely by personnel, the department must take full responsibility for any resulting failure or compliance gaps. Reputable third-party vendors apply uniform, standards-based criteria that reduces risk of damage and liability exposure.

For fire departments looking for convenient, consistent, and credible fire hose testing, third-party testing is a good investment.

IIA’s Fire Hose Testing Process

As a premier provider of Fire Hose Testing, IIA has built proprietary testing equipment that allows us to test more feet of hose, under varying levels of pressure, faster and more accurately, than any other company. We adhere to a strict process to maintain the safety and reliability of fire hoses and ensure compliance with NFPA standards. Our process includes:

• Preparation: Using a custom-built support structure for reloading inspected hoses, we remove hoses from one apparatus or rack at a time. This allows other trucks to stay in service and available for emergencies. We assign a unique identification number to each section of hose and every piece of equipment being tested, and label each accordingly. In the final report, those identification numbers correlate to the test results for that specific piece of equipment. Our custom inventory tagging system means no failed hoses will recirculate.
• Testing: Each hose length is both pressure tested and visually inspected in accordance with NFPA standards and manufacturer guidelines. Any hose that fails is tagged and removed from service immediately. As an optional add-on service, IIA also tests hard suction hose using a dry vacuum (versus the typical hydrostatic test) to check for air leaks, physical damage, and inner lining issues that can cause collapse of the hose walls. Any hose that fails is removed from service immediately. IIA also provides nozzle testing documenting PSI/GPM through a hydrostatic test and flow test and appliance testing via a Hydrostatic test, relief valve test, shut off test, and check valve test.
• Documentation: Our detailed recording includes test results for each length of hose and piece of equipment, as well as hose diameter, length, manufacturer, year of manufacture, and location.
• Repacking: After testing, we drain, roll, and repack hose on the proper apparatus or rack.
• Reporting: Upon completion of testing, We provide a comprehensive compliance report (print and/or digital), including inventory of all apparatus that was tested. Results are uploaded into a customer-accessible 24/7 web portal, and detailed records are maintained for compliance with NFPA standards. We also maintain a computerized history of your fire company’s hose for every year we service them.
• Inspection Tracking: We track your department’s inspection needs and inform you when equipment is due for inspections, helping avoid potential compliance issues or lapsed inspections.

 

Why Choose IIA?  

IIA’s Fire Services division was founded in 1988 by a team of firefighters to serve firefighters. Today, we test more fire hose than any other testing service in the United States — nearly 14 million feet per year!

Our Fire Hose Testing Services use trained technicians and proprietary testing equipment to accurately test fire hose in accordance with NFPA standards. With our customized methodology, we can test up to 20,000 feet of hose in a single day — and that means less downtime for your emergency vehicles.

Beyond fire hose testing, IIA provides a full menu of Fire Equipment Testing Services, including aerial and ground ladders and fire pumps.  

Failure to follow NFPA standards, or errors made in testing, mean that equipment is more likely to fail right when firefighters need it most. Expert testing from IIA offers peace of mind that fire hoses will be ready when the call comes in.

Learn more about our IIA’s Fire Hose Testing Services

and why we’ve been a testing leader for 35 years and counting.

 

WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS ARE SAYING:

“We used to do the hose testing ourselves, and we would spend all summer doing it. Now, it’s all done in a day…. When IIA crews put the hose back on the truck, it’s what I call ‘parade-ready.’”

— Chief Dennis Yates, Norway Fire Department