The National Fire Protection Association has issued a Tentative Interim Amendment to NFPA 1901, Automotive Fire Apparatus (2003). The TIA affects all hose storage areas on apparatus, and it went into effect with apparatus delivered on or after Nov. 18, 2005.

In section 15.10.7 of the NFPA 1901 standard, the text now reads:

"Any hose storage area shall be equipped with a positive means to prevent unintentional deployment of the hose from the top, sides, front, and rear of the hose storage area while the apparatus is underway in normal operations."

In section A15.10.7 of Annex A to the NFPA 1901 standard, the text now reads:

"Many fire departments have experienced fire hose inadvertently coming off fire apparatus while traveling to and from incidents. Several incidents have resulted in personal injury and damage to property. At least one death is directly attributable to an unintentional deployment of fire hose during a response. It is imperative that the fire apparatus manufacturer provide and the fire department use a means to assure this does not occur.

"Fire departments and manufacturers have developed various methods of preventing inadvertent deployment of fire hose including: fully enclosed hose beds covers, buckled straps, hook and loop straps, fabric covers, webbing mesh, wind deflectors, and other material restraints or combination of restraints. It is also important that fire departments develop methods of storing hose connected nozzles and appliances in a manner that does not promote the inadvertent deployment of the hose, nozzle or appliance."

The new requirement applies to all hose storage areas, including the main hose beds, preconnected crosslay hosebeds, front bumper hose trays, soft suction hose pans, preconnected "blitz lines" and other areas where hose is carried on pumpers, aerials, quints, tankers, quick attacks and other apparatus built to comply with the NFPA 1901 standard. It does not apply to wildland apparatus built to comply with the NFPA 1906 standard.

Fire departments that currently have new apparatus on order should contact their apparatus manufacturers to determine how to best meet the TIA.