Topic: Three on Three Hose Hockey (Advancing Hoses)
Reference #: DG 17-03
Level of Instruction: In service personnel
Time Required: 3 hours
Instructor Preparation:
This drill is an easy, fun way to teach hose advancement and teamwork. Safety is a must, and
an area free of traffic such as a FD parking lot is a great place to conduct this drill. Minimal
equipment is needed, and this is a quick set up.
Goals:
The goals of this drill are:




Practice hose advancement
Practice fire streams
Work as a hose crew to maneuver a handline
Practice Air Management
Materials:

Your Department’s pumper and water supply

Two 1 ¾” handlines with combination nozzles

Four traffic cones

Either a five gallon water jug, five gallon pail with lid, or empty foam pail filled about onethird with water
References:

Jones & Bartlett Fundamentals of Fire Fighter Skills 3rd edition, Chapter 17

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH7ZvmHInFs
Instructor Set-up:
The practical portion of this drill is easy to set up. Find an area free of traffic, and where water
runoff will not interfere with traffic or cause your department any grief. Gather four traffic
cones, and set two of them approximately 8 feet apart, approximately 50 feet away set the
other two, simulating a field with goals. Place the 1/3rd full of water pail midway between the
goals. Crews should be in full PPE including SCBA, and under no circumstances should the
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crews intentionally spray the other crews in a harmful or playful gesture. The stream in the eyes
or mouth can seriously harm a person, and personal property like cell phones can be damaged.
Student Motivation:
Working on a handline, advancing hose as a team is critical in our profession. Proper stream
selection is also very important. Learning how to do work and conserve air at the same time
takes practice, and this exercise combines all of these skills into a competitive, fun drill.
Drill:
Gather the crews on the
drill ground, explain that
the object of this drill is
to work as a team, on
air, to use the hose
stream to push the pail
into the goal of the other
crew. The rules are as
follows: once opened,
the nozzle cannot be
turned off, the crews must change the pattern to a wide fog, or anywhere in between a straight
stream to move the pail into the goal. If a crew shuts nozzle off, they lose, and have to re-start.
If the pail goes out of bounds, the crew must use the stream to push it back in bounds. Take
turns with different members on the nozzle, and make it a competition to see which crew
makes the most goals. Stress the fact to work as a team, manage air consumption, and how
important a back-up person on a hand line is to the nozzle man.
***DO NOT ALLOW CREWS TO SPRAY EACH OTHER IN THE
FACE. IT IS DANGEROUS***
Other hose and nozzle handling drills include moving something
through a course (one crew only) and hanging a “hippity hop”
ball from a cable and have a hoseline crew push the ball along
the cord from the ground. Like you are advancing down a
hallway. Do corners, crouching, even crawling. Again, one crew
at a time. Video of FETI Recruit Academy at
https://www.facebook.com/lsufeti/videos/850440398357974/ (or click on URL)
Review:
This drill is a fun way to practice air management, nozzle use, and hose advancements. Discuss
what worked well, and just as important, what did not. Mention that the moving of the pail
could simulate moving spilled product from an undesirable area such as a fuel spill at the scene
of a motor vehicle crash.
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ATTENDANCE ROSTER FOR FETI DRILL GUIDE
Topic: Three on Three Hose Hockey (Advancing Hoses)
Reference #: DG 17-03
Level of Instruction: In service personnel Time Required: 3 hours
Fire Department: ___________________________________ FDID _______
Parish: _________________ Instructor: _______________________________
Number of Students: _______
Attendance Roster (Identify personnel from other fire depts.)
Printed name
Signature
Maintain this record for your department
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