Fire Hose

Credit LineTransferred from the collection of Fanshawe Pioneer Village, London, Ontario, 2004

Object number2004.021.019

Label TextUntil the end of the 18th century, fire engines could only pump water directly onto a blaze and often needed to bring in the bucket brigade to supply the engine with water. The invention of the fire hose changed this system and firefighters could enter the burning structure with a hose line and go directly to the flames while the engine operated on the street. The London Fire Department obtained its first 1,000 feet of leather hose in 1852. Today, fire hoses typically consist of nitrile rubber tubes covered with woven polyester fabric.

NameHose, Fire