What is the most common size of the hose pulled for a structure known as the "cross lay"?

The most common size of the hose pulled for a structure known as the "cross lay" is indeed 1.75 inches. This size is favored because it strikes a balance between manageable weight and effective water flow for firefighting operations, particularly in urban settings where quick deployment is necessary.

The 1.75-inch hose provides sufficient pressure and volume to combat structure fires, making it ideal for first-hand attack lines. Firefighters can effectively maneuver this size of hose while still ensuring adequate water supply to extinguish fires in residential and commercial buildings.

In contrast, larger hoses, such as the 2.5-inch option, while offering higher flow rates, are heavier and more cumbersome to deploy quickly, especially in tight spaces or during emergencies where time is crucial. The other options, such as the 1.5-inch and 2.0-inch hoses, are less commonly used for cross lays, as they do not provide the same optimal combination of performance and ease of use in a typical firefighting scenario.