Which type of hose is specifically designed for connecting the pumper to a water source?

The correct choice is soft sleeve hose, which is specifically designed for connecting the pumper to a water source, such as a hydrant or a static water supply. This type of hose is flexible and can easily expand or contract, allowing it to accommodate the various configurations required when laying out from a source to a pumper. Soft sleeve hoses are generally lighter and made of materials that can withstand the stress of being filled with water at high pressure.

Other types of hoses, such as hard suction hoses, are also important in the firefighting context, but they are primarily designed for use with water sources that require a vacuum to draw water, such as drafting from a static source. Attack hoses are intended for firefighters to use when directly applying water to a fire, and booster hoses are more compact and used for quick response in smaller situations. However, neither of these fulfills the specific function of connecting the pumper to a water source in the same way that soft sleeve hose does.