To prevent injury should the hose fail, which device should be used when testing fire hose?

• A. dedicated pumper
• B. special in-line gate valve
• C. hose strap
• D. special type of supply hose

Answer: (B)

When testing a hose, the safety goal is to control the energy in the line and be able to stop flow quickly if the hose shows signs of distress. An in-line gate valve provides a simple, reliable shutoff directly in the test line, so you can isolate the hose and relieve pressure the moment you detect a problem. Placed between the pump/test rig and the hose, it gives immediate control of the test pressure and reduces the force that could drive a rupture, helping to prevent injury. Other items may be part of the setup, but they don’t offer this rapid isolation capability: a dedicated pumper mainly supplies water without a built-in shutdown in the test line; a hose strap secures equipment but doesn’t control pressure; a special type of supply hose is just a hose option, not a safety device.