Unconnected fire hose
Identifies an unconnected fire hose.
Understanding this sign
Red square or rectangular signs identify fire equipment and manual alarm points.
Finding equipment does not mean it is suitable or safe to use. Follow your training and the site emergency procedure.
A Hose Without a Water Supply Attached
F019 marks the storage location of a fire hose that is not permanently connected to a water supply. The equipment behind this sign is typically lay-flat hose stored rolled or folded in a cabinet, rack, or box, with couplings ready to be attached to a hydrant, standpipe outlet, or landing valve before any water can flow. The pictogram makes the condition explicit: a coiled hose shown detached, in contrast to the connected reel of F002.
That one missing connection changes everything about how the equipment is used. A hose reel delivers water within seconds of opening the valve; an unconnected hose demands that someone find the supply point, couple the hose correctly, connect a branch or nozzle, and charge the line. The sign therefore communicates a warning as much as a location: what is stored here is not an instant firefighting appliance, and expecting it to behave like one squanders the early minutes when a growing fire can still be contained.
F019 Versus F002
ISO 7010 separates the two hose signs precisely so that a person under pressure knows what they are running toward. F002 denotes a fire hose reel: permanently plumbed, usually a rigid hose on a swinging drum, operable by one person with minimal training. F019 denotes stored hose that must be connected first — the equipment found beside hydrants in yards and industrial estates, at dry and wet riser landing valves in stairwells, and in the hydrant cabinets that ships carry adjacent to each fire main outlet.
The distinction also maps onto who should use each. Hose reels are commonly considered first-aid firefighting for occupants. Coupled hose lines produce substantial reaction force when charged and require technique to advance safely, so unconnected hose provision generally presumes trained users — a works fire team, ship's crew assigned to fire stations, or the public fire service using site equipment. Facilities should match the sign, the equipment, and the training plan rather than assuming any employee will improvise a hose lay.
Keeping Stored Hose Ready
Stored hose fails through neglect more than use. Rubber linings crack with age, couplings corrode or lose gaskets, and a hose that has sat folded on the same creases for years can burst when first charged. Periodic inspection should unroll each length, check couplings and washers, and pressure-test on a schedule appropriate to the hose type, re-rolling with the folds moved. The cabinet or box marked by F019 needs the same attention as its contents: hinges seize outdoors, and painted-shut doors have embarrassed more than one fire drill.
Position the sign on the storage cabinet and, where hose serves a specific hydrant or riser outlet, within sight of that supply point so the pairing is obvious. If the intended connection point is not adjacent, supplementary text or a site plan reference should say where it is; a hose whose hydrant is around the corner and unmarked is a puzzle, not provision. When hose is removed for service, the empty signed cabinet should be flagged, since an F019 sign over a bare shelf is a promise the site is no longer keeping.
Where you will see F019
Look for it on hydrant cabinets in yards and industrial estates, at dry and wet riser landing valves in stairwells, and on the hose boxes ships carry beside each fire main outlet. The sign goes on the storage cabinet, ideally within sight of the supply point the hose serves, and its presence generally presumes trained users such as a works fire team or ship's crew rather than untrained building occupants.
Common questions about F019
What does the unconnected fire hose sign mean?
ISO 7010 F019 marks stored fire hose that has no permanent connection to a water supply. Before use, the hose must be coupled to a hydrant, standpipe, or riser landing valve and charged. The sign identifies the storage location while warning that this is not an instant-use appliance like a hose reel.
What is the difference between the F002 and F019 hose signs?
F002 marks a fire hose reel that is permanently plumbed into the water supply and usable by one person almost immediately. F019 marks detached hose in storage that must first be connected to a supply point. The two signs prevent someone from sprinting to a hose cabinet expecting immediate water.
Who is supposed to use an unconnected fire hose?
Generally trained users: site fire teams, ship crews at their assigned fire stations, or the responding fire service using premises equipment such as riser outlets and yard hydrants. A charged hose line exerts significant force and requires coupling and handling technique, so most fire strategies do not expect untrained occupants to deploy one.
How should stored fire hose be maintained?
Inspect it periodically by unrolling each length, checking the lining, couplings, and gaskets, and pressure-testing on a schedule suited to the hose type and any applicable standard. Re-roll with the fold positions changed to avoid permanent creasing, and verify the cabinet opens freely and still contains its full complement of hose and branch.
Reference details
| Symbol code | F019 |
|---|---|
| Sign family | ISO Fire Equipment Signs |
| Standard reference | ISO 7010:2019 / ISO 3864-1 ISO Online Browsing Platform: F019 |
| Screen color reference | #FF0000. Screen colors are not a production color specification. |
| Download formats | SVG reference artwork; a 1024 × 1024 pixel PNG conversion on a white canvas. |
| Record date | · How to interpret our dates |
| Page updated |
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Sources and artwork credits
- Artwork source
- Wikimedia Commons file page
- Creator credited by source
- Xjomo
- License
- CC0
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