Summary: Whipping a handline around during interior attack may feel aggressive, but it often wastes water and misses the target area, Connecticut Fire Academy instructor Pete Morotto says. Instead, using a steady, controlled stream "map" the water (by banking it off walls, ceilings, or door frames) and put more water where it matters. This simple shift in nozzle technique boosts your effectiveness without needing to change your position.
Tactics from Instructor Pete Morotto:
A common mistake during fire attack is whipping the nozzle back and forth, thinking it’s pushing more water into the room. It’s not. Sure, you’re moving water, but not in a way that’s useful. Most of it is missing the target area or spraying everything but the seat of the fire.
Why Whipping the Nozzle Fails
You can stand at the threshold of a fire room and blast the nozzle side to side all day. But if the stream doesn’t get deflected properly, meaning bounced off a ceiling, a doorframe, or another surface, it’s likely not hitting the hot zone. In the video, the initial approach shows a lot of water being used with minimal effect on the room itself. It looks aggressive but it’s inefficient.
What Is “Mapping the Water”
Mapping the water means using the stream intentionally, guiding it to hit surfaces that redirect water into the fire room. By aiming the stream at the ceiling or using angles to bank it into the space, you’re creating better coverage without even stepping in. In the demo, when the nozzle operator simply changed the deflection point without moving position, the water started landing in the right spot. Same nozzle. Better result.
Tiny Adjustments, Big Results
What’s wild is how little movement it takes. Instead of big sweeping motions, a slight adjustment of the nozzle with a straight stream, barely nudged side to side, makes all the difference. That small change floods the affected area more effectively, which is what we’re after on every push.
Takeaway: Control Over Chaos
Aggressive doesn’t mean reckless. The goal is water on the fire, not just water in the room. Next time you're flowing from the hallway or just outside a room, ask yourself, “Am I hitting what needs to be hit” If not, stop whipping. Start mapping.
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