Deluge gun

Deluge gun‏‎, also known as a master stream, is a high-capacity, high-pressure water projecting appliance used primarily in firefighting to deliver water to a fire from a distance. It can be fixed or portable and is capable of delivering a larger volume of water over a greater distance than other types of firefighting appliances.

History

The deluge gun was first developed in the late 19th century to combat industrial fires that could not be effectively dealt with using the standard hand-held hose systems of the time. The first deluge guns were fixed installations, but portable versions were soon developed.

Design and Operation

A deluge gun is typically designed to be used either from a fixed position or mounted on a fire engine. When used on a fire engine, the deluge gun can be controlled remotely, allowing firefighters to operate it from a safe distance. The gun is connected to a water source, such as a fire hydrant or water tender, and can project water at pressures of up to 1,000 psi.

The water is typically delivered in a straight stream, but some deluge guns also have a fog pattern capability, which can be used to create a water curtain for exposure protection or to disperse gases.

Applications

Deluge guns are used in a variety of firefighting applications. They are particularly useful in fighting large-scale industrial and chemical fires, where large volumes of water are required to cool and control the fire. They are also used in wildfire control, where they can be used to create firebreaks.

In addition to firefighting, deluge guns are also used in hazardous materials (HazMat) incidents, where they can be used to disperse or dilute hazardous gases.

See Also

• Firefighting
• Fire engine
• Fire hydrant
• Water tender
• Hazardous materials