High-tech f ire hose blasts water through solid walls
POWERFUL new hoses that funnel water with such force it cuts through walls are about to revolutionise Scottish firefighting.
The Cold Cut equipment – developed in the oil industry and adopted by fire services in Sweden – is now undergoing trials in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
The hoses are attached to water guns, which a firefighter presses against the outside wall of a burning building.
The water is fired at 400 bars of pressure – ten times the usual force and so powerful it blasts through stone or brick walls. But, once through, it immediately disperses and douses the flames.
This means firefighters would not ordinarily have to go into buildings, while anyone trapped inside could be rescued more quickly – hopefully saving more lives.
The traditional fire engine could also become a rarer sight.
Vehicles with Cold Cut technology need 50 to 100 gallons of water, compared to 400 gallons on conventional engines. That makes them smaller, more fuel-efficient and also means the service should not have to buy as many £250,000 fullsize engines in future.
Alasdair Hay, Chief Officer of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said: ‘Cold Cut is very highpressured water injected through a wall – even solid granite walls. As soon as it comes through the wall, the pressure drops, so it won’t hurt anyone on the other side.
‘It puts the fire out twice as quickly as traditional techniques.’
He added: ‘Firefighters don’t need to commit internally to the building, so it’s safer for them, and because we’re driving the smoke away when we do go in, we can search the building more quickly.’
If the pilot is successful, crews across Scotland will be equipped with Cold Cut – part of major changes in the fire service. The Scottish Mail on Sunday revealed last week how Mr Hay is planning an overhaul which could even see the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s name change.
This is being driven by fire call-outs falling, while other types of incidents, such as flooding, increase.
Mr Hay plans to consult with the public and Scottish Government ministers on the service’s future later this year.