Historical information
After the 1939 bushfires the Forests Commission placed orders for 130,000 feet (nearly 40 km) of 1½ inch canvas hose in Britain to accompany over 200 new pumps of various types.
The Altona workshop became a major centre for fabrication, repair and storage of hose.
But lack of standardisation of hose couplings plagued Australian firefighters for decades
Physical description
Wicker basket used on the end of suction hose to stop debris entering the pump
