“Taking a plug” or “catching a hydrant”, whatever you call it, it is a skill every firefighter must learn and master. Once you do it is like riding a bike. This is the process of connecting the fire engine to a water source thus creating a continuous and uninterrupted water supply for a firefight. The hose is typically 4 or 5 inches in diameter and it connects to the hydrant with a humat valve. Some of our Fire districts do not have working hydrants so you will see our crews arriving with a wate