Another Happy Customer: Angelina Is Trained and Ready to Defend Her Home From Incoming Embers
Angelina went from never touching a fire hydrant to putting a full stream of water on target in minutes. Here's her install and training, on video.
When a wildfire comes over the ridge, the fire department can't be at every house at once. That's the hard lesson so many of us learned in the Woolsey and Palisades fires. It's why at Ace Fire Defense we don't just ship you gear. We install it at your home and train you to use it.
This week I finished an install in the hills of Los Angeles for my customers Mark and Angelina. Then came the best part: Angelina's hands-on training on the fire hydrant in front of their home. She went from never having touched a hydrant to putting a full stream of water exactly where she wanted it. Watch her in action:
What Went Into Their Setup
- Two 75' x 1.5" fire hoses, rated for real hydrant pressure, so they can reach every side of the property.
- A Gated WYE Valve on the hydrant, so two lines can run at once, each with its own shutoff.
- The Ace Fire Defense Pistol Grip nozzle, which goes from a wide fog to a straight stream. That's what you see Angelina switching between in the video.
- A hydrant wrench to open and close the hydrant.
- A Honda WH20 gas pump with suction hose, filter and brass adapter, so they have water even if hydrant pressure drops or the power goes out.
Why the Training Matters as Much as the Gear
The best equipment in the world doesn't help if you're figuring it out for the first time with smoke in the air. Most homes lost in a wildfire are lit by embers landing in gutters, vents, decks and dry brush, not by a wall of flame. When those embers start falling, you need to know how to open the hydrant, charge the line and get water on target without thinking about it.
That's why every install includes training at your home. Angelina practiced the whole sequence until it was second nature. Now she and Mark know exactly what to do, and they're sleeping better at night because of it.
What You Need to Know
- Call 911 first. Your setup is a backup for the first minutes, not a replacement for the fire department.
- If you're told to evacuate, you go. Equipment is for the time before an order, never a reason to stay.
- Practice a few times a year on a calm day, so your hands remember the motions.
- Check with your local fire department about your plan and hydrant use in your area.
Want the same peace of mind? I'll come out for a free fire safety walkthrough of your property and show you how to protect your home with your nearest hydrant or your swimming pool. Call me at 213/884-8448.
Sherwin Ross is the founder of Ace Fire Defense, based in West Hills, CA. After the 2018 Woolsey Fire, he became CERT-trained and started building wildfire defense equipment for homeowners.