Common Firefighting Nozzles

As mentioned there are four widely used firefighting nozzles: automatic, selectable gallonage, constant gallonage, and low pressure/specialty nozzles. Let's examine how these nozzles are similar, how they differ, and exactly what each one does.

Automatic Nozzles

Automatic nozzles allow a constant amount of gallons out of the nozzle per minute and can be changed to suit like adjusting a faucet from hot to cold. There is no real standard for how many gallons per minute (GPM) that the nozzles put out. There are a large number of companies that offer nozzles for firefighting and each one has a couple of different models, depending on the uses it will have. This is one of the most common forms of nozzles because it allows the firefighter to adjust the strength of the flow to the fire and the strength of the firefighter. This makes it a more safe nozzle as well, adding to its popularity.

Selectable Gallonage

A selectable gallonage nozzle is quite a bit like the automatic, except that it has different settings and is not able to output GPMs between those settings. This is similar to the nozzle on your hose that has Cone, Jet, Shower, etc. You can change from cone to jet, but you can't adjust it to halfway between the two. The advantage of a selectable gallonage nozzle is that there is a quick transfer between high and low pressure, making it easy to conserve water, turn around in tight spots, and keep from drenching your partners with high pressure water.

Constant Gallonage

The constant gallonage nozzle is a lot like a switch, you either have on or off. Each nozzle is designed for one speed of GPM, so when you pull the lever to let the water flow, you know exactly how many gallons are going to be flowing. This is good for keeping track of how much water you have left if you have a limited supply like in an arid location in the boonies.

Low Pressure/Specialty

Low pressure nozzles are good for the women firefighters that have a little less weight and strength to put against the hose, or for firefighters wanting to maximize the water flow without making it hard to control. A low pressure nozzle is also great while indoors because you won't have to fight the nozzle or the splash from close proximity water collision. The downfall is that if you have a low pressure water nozzle, then it may not be able to reach all of the areas in larger buildings and structures. It won't have enough strength.