During reverse lay procedure, what is the first action performed by the driver?

• A. Lays the supply hose directly to hydrant
• B. Driver stops just beyond intake valve
• C. Opens hydrant before positioning the supply line
• D. Connects hydrant gate before stopping

Answer: (B)

In a reverse lay, the goal is to bring the water supply to the engine from a hydrant while keeping the engine properly positioned to receive and feed the line. The driver’s first action is to stop the apparatus just beyond the intake valve. This placement ensures the pump intake remains accessible, provides space to feed the supply hose from the hydrant toward the pump without the vehicle getting in the way, and sets up a smooth sequence for connecting the line and activating the hydrant.

From this position, the crew can quickly connect the supply hose to the pump intake and then proceed with opening the hydrant and laying the hose back to the hydrant as needed. Laying the hose directly to the hydrant first, opening the hydrant before the line is connected, or attempting to connect the hydrant gate before stopping would complicate the setup and slow the deployment.