--- title: "When the Front Door’s on Fire: Handline or Monitor?" description: Deciding between a handline and a BlitzFire monitor can be crucial when facing a front door fire. Learn the advantages of each tool for effective firefighting. image: https://blog.tft.com/hubfs/Sequence%2055.00_01_18_17.Still004.jpg --- [![Task Force Tips - Fire Fighting Equipment - Logo](https://blog.tft.com/hs-fs/hubfs/lettermark-HUBSPOT-LARGE.png?width=150&height=56&name=lettermark-HUBSPOT-LARGE.png "Task Force Tips - Fire Fighting Equipment - Logo")](https://tft.com/) Search toggle - [Home](https://tft.com/) - [Blog](https://blog.tft.com/posts) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC147gP-lbmbVCmfKdg6VaEQ) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/125437127512874) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/taskforcetips) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.linkedin.com/company/1414962) [![Task Force Tips - Fire Fighting Equipment - Logo](https://blog.tft.com/hs-fs/hubfs/lettermark-HUBSPOT-LARGE.png?width=150&height=56&name=lettermark-HUBSPOT-LARGE.png "Task Force Tips - Fire Fighting Equipment - Logo")](https://tft.com/) - [Home](https://tft.com/) - [Blog](https://blog.tft.com/posts) Search toggle [![Task Force Tips - Fire Fighting Equipment - Logo](https://blog.tft.com/hs-fs/hubfs/lettermark-HUBSPOT-LARGE.png?width=150&height=56&name=lettermark-HUBSPOT-LARGE.png "Task Force Tips - Fire Fighting Equipment - Logo")](https://tft.com/) - [Home](https://tft.com/) - [Blog](https://blog.tft.com/posts) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC147gP-lbmbVCmfKdg6VaEQ) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/125437127512874) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/taskforcetips) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.linkedin.com/company/1414962) Search toggle What are you looking for? Search # When the Front Door’s on Fire: Handline or Monitor? 29 Jul 2025 ![Picture of Task Force Tips](https://blog.tft.com/hs-fs/hubfs/TFT%20Logo%20-%20Blue%20Square%20No%20Bottom%20Text.png?width=40&name=TFT%20Logo%20-%20Blue%20Square%20No%20Bottom%20Text.png) [Task Force Tips](https://blog.tft.com/posts/author/tft) ![](https://blog.tft.com/hubfs/Sequence%2055.00_01_18_17.Still004.jpg) **Summary:** When fire is pushing at the front door, the first-in crew has to make a fast, tactical decision: go with a handline or drop a portable ground monitor like the BlitzFire. Each tool has its moment, but in high-heat, low-manpower scenarios, the BlitzFire can give you a serious knockdown advantage. With up to 500 GPM, stacked smooth bore tips, and stable low-angle flow, it might just be the right first move — especially when the front room’s lighting up and you need reach and impact from the threshold. [![Shop Nozzles and Monitors](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/46942026/interactive-193602502576.png)](https://blog.tft.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLKDiO%2Bntt3jUrU82WlQh9oXUSOmx2pK3eB9mEieBc4%2FUdpMZZyalMIYtkWNLyugkOwhX%2BNrHyfePhT8WZkJHs3EvFayrY8GEG0%2BOv4kyE1Asnkoxp0FpTklyuCrK9SF516ZNwFUPNI9qx%2FJ2WUFbDgr6q4l1L8%3D&webInteractiveContentId=193602502576&portalId=46942026) [Leave a Comment](https://blog.tft.com/posts/when-the-front-doors-on-fire-handline-or-monitor#comments) ## When the Front Door’s on Fire: Handline or Monitor? You’re first on scene. The front door’s glowing, smoke pushing hard. You’ve got options — but they come with trade-offs. Do you stretch a handline, or do you drop a portable monitor right at the threshold? In a recent reel, a BlitzFire ground monitor with stacked smooth bore tips — down to 1" — gets deployed at the front door. It’s not the most common move, but in the right conditions, it’s a smart one. ### Why the BlitzFire Can Work at the Front Door When things are cooking and the room’s flashing, you don’t always have the luxury of a full crew. That’s where a ground monitor like the BlitzFire pulls weight. **1. High GPM With Low Manpower** The BlitzFire delivers up to 500 GPM — and it doesn’t need three bodies to do it. That makes it a solid pick when staffing is light or you’re waiting on backup. **2. Stable and Low-Angle for Tight Spaces** Some BlitzFire models flow at a 10° angle, keeping your stream low and hitting deep into the structure without taking up precious entry space. It stays planted even under heavy flow, so you can set it and focus on the next move. **3. Smooth Bore Consistency** Those stacked tips aren’t just for show. Smooth bore delivers solid reach and penetration, even through the front room turbulence. When you need water deep into the seat of the fire — and fast — it performs. ### But It’s Not Always the Best Call A handline still gives you mobility and control, especially when conditions inside are changing fast. Smooth bore or fog? That depends on your department’s preferences, but either way, the key is owning the doorway. [![Shop Nozzles and Monitors](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/46942026/interactive-193602502576.png)](https://blog.tft.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLKDiO%2Bntt3jUrU82WlQh9oXUSOmx2pK3eB9mEieBc4%2FUdpMZZyalMIYtkWNLyugkOwhX%2BNrHyfePhT8WZkJHs3EvFayrY8GEG0%2BOv4kyE1Asnkoxp0FpTklyuCrK9SF516ZNwFUPNI9qx%2FJ2WUFbDgr6q4l1L8%3D&webInteractiveContentId=193602502576&portalId=46942026) ### Share: [Share on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.tft.com/posts/when-the-front-doors-on-fire-handline-or-monitor&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook) [Share on LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.tft.com/posts/when-the-front-doors-on-fire-handline-or-monitor&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin) [Share on X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https://blog.tft.com/posts/when-the-front-doors-on-fire-handline-or-monitor&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&url=https://blog.tft.com/posts/when-the-front-doors-on-fire-handline-or-monitor&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&source=tweetbutton&text=When%20the%20Front%20Door’s%20on%20Fire:%20Handline%20or%20Monitor) [Portable Monitors](https://blog.tft.com/posts/tag/portable-monitors), [Handline Nozzles](https://blog.tft.com/posts/tag/handline-nozzles) ## Task Force Tips [Follow me on my website](https://tft.com/) [Follow me on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/TaskForceTips/) [Follow me on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/1414962) ## Comments ## Related posts Search [Which TFT Pressure Relief Valve Kit Do You Need?](https://blog.tft.com/posts/which-tft-pressure-relief-valve-kit-do-you-need) [Should You Be Using Foam More Often?](https://blog.tft.com/posts/should-you-be-using-foam-more-often) Search ![trending-report-logo](https://blog.tft.com/hubfs/trending-report-logo.png "trending-report-logo") ## Stay Ahead of the Heat! #### Delivering the Latest Gear, Tactics, & Videos ### © 2025 Task Force Tips ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Task Force Tips", "url" : "https://blog.tft.com/posts/author/tft" }, "dateModified" : "2025-07-29T18:52:27.096Z", "datePublished" : "2025-07-29T17:40:29.000Z", "headline" : "When the Front Door’s on Fire: Handline or Monitor?", "image" : [ "https://blog.tft.com/hubfs/Sequence%2055.00_01_18_17.Still004.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.tft.com/posts/when-the-front-doors-on-fire-handline-or-monitor", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.tft.com/hubfs/lettermark-HUBSPOT-LARGE.png" }, "name" : "Task Force Tips" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "VideoObject", "caption" : { "@type" : "MediaObject", "contentUrl" : "https://blog.tft.com/media-transcripts/193545316398/en.vtt", "inLanguage" : "en", "name" : "en Captions" }, "contentUrl" : "https://stream.mux.com/01olyBFAWwSWfc4lvMWUx3zHGIrvUcVeTZ5NUPNPyLVY/capped-1080p.mp4", "dateModified" : "2025-07-28T19:03:19.691Z", "duration" : "PT14S", "height" : 1920, "name" : "Probie Question - Front Door_2", "thumbnailUrl" : "https://46942026.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/46942026/Probie%20Question%20-%20Front%20Door_2.mp4/medium.jpg?t=1753729399691", "uploadDate" : "2025-07-28T19:03:13.704Z", "width" : 1080 } ```