BY MARK GREGORY
Today’s fireground has changed considerably over the past 25 years. Building construction, the use of synthetics over natural materials, and the improvement in personal protective equipment (PPE) have contributed to an increase in the number of firefighters getting into trouble. It seems as if the word “Mayday” is being put to use more and more. What does this mean for rapid intervention team (RIT) members?
As I see it, the job of the RIT is not only to be there when the problem occurs but also to try to prevent the problem. Proactive fireground tactics should always be stressed to our personnel. The proper placement of hoselines, positive water supply sources, and the use of multiple ground ladders can and will prevent some of the Maydays we are experiencing.
The officer is the core member of the firefighting team. His actions dictate the effectiveness of the unit. This article discusses the role of the RIT officer from the roll call through the incident critique.
ROLL CALL
It is the start of a new tour. The members assemble in front of the rig as they do every tour. Riding positions are assigned, department directives are passed along, and the crew advises you that the rig is checked and ready for service. There have been several jobs in the area where little mistakes have added up to cause some fireground mishaps. As the officer, you need to ensure that the members understand their assignments. Do the members comprehend the role they are to fill when responding as the RIT and the tools required for that position? Are you riding with a member detailed from another company who is unfamiliar with your company operation? Discuss these items at the beginning of the tour, not on the way to the call. Make all members aware of the initial game plan to set the base for a successful operation.
TRAINING
It is now drill time in the firehouse. Today’s topic is rapid intervention. The lists of drills you can perform that relate to firefighter removal are endless. The following are just some ideas.
Air Management Issues
• Are all members familiar with the equipment used to supply breathing air to a distressed firefighter and the various techniques that can be applied? Is there a difference in the application of breathing air for a conscious and an unconscious firefighter?
The RIT Pak or a spare self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) carried by the RIT can provide air to a down firefighter in several forms. The RIT Pak can quick-fill the firefighter’s SCBA through use of the universal air connections (UACs) in less than one minute (photo 1). The RIT Pak will equalize the breathing air between the RIT Pak and the firefighter’s SCBA. This process can be applied multiple times until the RIT Pak is depleted. Although this method is an excellent choice for supplying air to a conscious member, it should not be the primary method for a member who is unconscious.
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| (1) (1) Photos by author except photo 7, which is by Scott LaPrade. |
When preparing to supply air to a distressed unconscious firefighter, ask yourself, “Why is this firefighter in this state?” He may have run out of air, been struck by an object, or suffered a medical condition, but what if there is a problem with the firefighter’s SCBA that caused the situation? Supply unconscious members with breathing air through either the regulator or by replacing the entire face piece.
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Photo 2 shows how modifications to the face piece, such as two-inch key rings that can be used as pull tabs and webbing on the back of the head net, will greatly aid the RIT in applying a face piece to a down firefighter. Replacing the regulator would be the quickest option. Today’s firefighter is geared with his face piece covered under a hood and helmet, which is fastened by a chin strap. Removing this equipment will take longer than simply replacing the RIT team’s regulator. Once the transition has been completed, remember that the unconscious member cannot activate the positive pressure regulator.
The firefighter providing air management will need to use the purge valve to provide air. Remember to crack the purge valve just enough to sustain life. Operation of the purge valve in the fully open position will rapidly deplete the air source. Although a spare SCBA carried by the RIT will activate the face piece vibrating low-air alert when the supply breathing air is low, the RIT Pak will not. RIT Paks operate at a pressure lower than what is required to activate a vibrating alert. The RIT Pak does not have a remote gauge to monitor the cylinder capacity. The only gauge afforded to the air management firefighter is the cylinder gauge, which will be hard to read, but it is critical that it is monitored to prevent cylinder depletion that would lead to the distressed firefighter’s suffocating (photo 3).
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Latest versions of the RIT Pak are being released to address these issues. Remote gauges have been applied to the RIT Pak that will show the air capacity through flashing colored lights. They have also been mounted on the outside of the bag for ease of operation.
Firefighter Removal Methods
When was the last time you drilled on the different types of firefighter removal methods? There are more than a dozen types of drags and carries for removing a firefighter.
• Drag rescue devices (DRD) are required in our turnout coats (photo 4). What are their advantages? From drilling with them, we have learned that they work great for horizontal removals, but the manufacturers advise that they not be used for vertical removals. In several training instances, the DRD became snagged on items such as a nail head, making the firefighter virtually helpless. The more the firefighter moves in an attempt to become free, the tighter the device becomes, restricting the member’s movement. How can RIT members free this member if he is caught?
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• Does your company carry a firefighter retrieval bag? My company has a bag that consists of 150 feet of ½-inch kernmantle rope, a single pulley, several extra-large carabiners, a pair of trauma shears, and a 20-foot piece of tubular webbing (photo 5). The bag is designed to be used horizontally and vertically to remove a down firefighter.
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We can horizontally remove a down firefighter by anchoring one end of the bag to a substantial object while deploying the remainder of the bag to the down firefighter.
Once the member is connected to the single pulley by a carabiner, a 2:1 mechanical advantage is created. If additional equipment is required to extricate the firefighter, it can be brought to the operation, or rescuers can be relieved in an expeditious manner by using the 2:1 as a guideline to the point of operation.
A firefighter can be vertically removed from the interior by using the 2:1 for a stairwell lift or a ladder high-point anchor on the exterior of the fire building. The webbing can be used as an anchor for the system or as a harness system. The retrieval bag is a valuable tool that requires only a few parts to make it work, yet it provides multiple methods in a simplistic package.
THE RIT RUN COMES IN
The tone alert goes off in quarters to fill out the balance of the alarm assignment as the RIT for a working fire. Some officers get in the rig and become “the front seat maestros.” The more noise they can create with the siren and air horn, the better. Whether paid or volunteer, we must remember we are professionals. This is the early stage of our operation, and we need to get our minds in motion. What is the size-up of the building? How are radio transmissions going? As you are responding, listen to reports over the dispatch and operations channel. You can determine whether this is a job that is going well or is a train wreck waiting to happen.
ARRIVAL ON SCENE
As you arrive on scene, announce to the incident commander (IC) the arrival of your company—e.g., “Ladder 111 to Command, be advised we are on scene and we are your RIT.” This transmission allows everyone on the fireground to know who the RIT is and that the team is there if needed. Even if in the eyesight of the IC, this radio transmission is pertinent to notifying all members on the fireground that rapid intervention has been addressed.
While the members of your company are assembling their tools, the officer should approach the IC. A “face-to-face” is necessary to gain further particulars about the job. Knowledge of fire conditions, the units operating, and any difficulties that have occurred (loss of water, window bars) will help the RIT formulate its tactics. As the members approach the scene, the RIT should position where the IC can see its members. The officer should relay to the RIT members the size-up information he received and have one member remain remote from the team (10 to 15 feet) to monitor radio transmissions. This member can be crucial; he may hear faint transmissions missed by others since he is least likely to be distracted.
While standing by the IC, the officer should review several areas: Are the members dressed to respond to a down firefighter situation? Once a Mayday is given, the RIT needs to be ready to react. All PPE must be donned and ready to go with the face piece at standby mode. Are there any special tools that may be needed at this particular incident? The forcible entry saw is a must at commercial buildings and private dwellings with window bars. The reciprocating saw is an asset over the circular saw, yet it is overlooked by many. Remember that in a zero-visibility environment, the reciprocating saw with a spare battery and blades will operate. Circular saws may not. The reciprocating saw can also be used to provide cuts that are close to an entrapped member in a more controlled manner than a circular saw. Consider the use of an eyeglass case or the rubber shroud of the saw for spare blade storage.
BEING PROACTIVE
When deployed, a RIT tends to operate in a reactive mode rather than a proactive one. While standing ready, a proactive RIT may prevent a rapid intervention scenario from developing. Take a good overall look of the fireground. Have the basic functions of fireground operations been adhered to? Water loss has been a major factor at numerous Mayday incidents. Properly stretched hoselines that have a positive water source are a must. The presence of kinks and the lack of backup hoselines need to be addressed. If a water loss does occur, you must ensure that companies operating within the structure are aware of it so they may react correctly.
BAILOUTS OR BASICS
Today, everyone wants to run out and buy bailout systems. These systems have their time and place as a tool of last resort. If you search YouTube, numerous videos appear showing firefighters bailing out on ropes. Are firefighters waiting too long to evacuate the structure when conditions are rapidly deteriorating? The bailout system concept is to provide firefighters with a last-resort method of removal. It should not be considered a tool that buys us additional time to stay in a hostile environment.
Properly positioned portable ladders are probably one of the largest deficiencies on today’s fireground. Window bars and other obstructions, such as air-conditioners and child gates, can severely hinder our rapid egress in deteriorating conditions (photo 6).
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As the RIT, we need to address these conditions with the IC so they can be rectified. Depending on your operational policies, the IC may have the RIT or an additional company resolve these issues. If addressed by the RIT, remember to continue unit cohesiveness. As the RIT officer, if you dispatch a team to handle such issues, make sure the members are in constant contact (radio or voice) with you while keeping the rest of the unit in ready mode near the command post. These members must remember that they are not to get involved in the fire suppression operation. They are only to rectify a potential problem and then must report back to the RIT. Freelancing by members of the RIT must not be tolerated.
FIREFIGHTER CALLS A MAYDAY
The sound of a fellow firefighter giving a Mayday transmission over the portable radio will send chills down your spine. As the RIT, this is the unfortunate moment for which you have spent hundreds of hours training. You must be ready and step up to the plate to mitigate this situation. As an officer, advise your team that you have a “potential Mayday situation.” Ascertain from the IC the “Four Ws”: Who, What, Where, and When. This information can be obtained through the member’s Mayday message or by the IC in a radio interview with the member. Let’s decipher the following Mayday message:
“Mayday, Mayday, Mayday! Truck 2 Vent to Command with a Mayday. I am lost on the second floor on the B/C side. Running low on air.”
This simple message contains a great deal of information for the RIT officer and the IC: Who—Ladder 2 Vent (Outside Vent) is in need of assistance; What—the member is lost and running low on air; Where—the second floor on the B/C side (that’s where you will dispatch your RIT members to attempt to locate the member). The When of this equation may be provided by members who last saw the member in trouble or the scene accountability system that will tell you when the missing member was last heard from.
As you leave the command post with your initial rescue plan in mind, advise the IC (if these issues have not already been addressed) that an additional RIT company is needed (to replace the one responding to the Mayday), a roll call must be taken, and an advanced life support (ALS) unit must be called to the scene if one is not already there. Knowing that one of your firefighters is in trouble while managing an active fire scene can be overwhelming. As the RIT officer, you can greatly aid the IC by ensuring through a roll call that all other members are accounted for and that if another issue arises, a fresh RIT is on scene to handle it. The ALS unit ensures that your members will receive the highest level of medical care if it is required.
Putting the RIT Plan into Action
The RIT goes to work. As the officer, you decide to divide your team into two groups, an interior and exterior team. The interior team will attempt to gain access to locate the member in trouble. Its biggest obstacle is not the fire or the building conditions but your own fellow firefighters. Everyone wants to help the member in trouble. Remember this: The show must go on! If the interior suppression forces and the exterior teams perform their basic functions, fires get extinguished, roofs are ventilated, and ladders are in position for assistance. By remaining assigned to your task, you will provide the member in trouble and the RIT with the support needed for successful rescue intervention.
Ensure a clear path for the RIT to gain access to the member; make sure that the path remains clear for the removal. An officer (especially a chief) would be a great asset in performing this task. Additional tools may also need to be brought in through this route to aid the RIT members with the firefighter’s removal.
The exterior team may have a more decisive way to locate the firefighter in trouble. Remember, the firefighter in trouble was the Outside Vent. The exterior team can trace back the steps of the lost member and usually does not have to work through the same crowds and obstructions as the interior team. Communication between both teams is critical.
In our scenario, the outside team ends up locating the lost firefighter. It must ensure that Command is notified forthwith. Address any safety issues affecting the member, such as low air or extrication/disentanglement. By this time, Command, hopefully, will have completed the roll call. The member has been removed from the building and is being assessed by emergency medical services, and the IC has notified all members on the fireground that the Mayday situation has been resolved and that all members are accounted for. The fire is now under control, and the chief releases the RIT to return to quarters. On return to the firehouse, rehab and critique now must take place (photo 7).
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REHAB AND CRITIQUE
Once the RIT is back in quarters, it is time to assess the team. If equipment was used at an incident, make sure it is rePaked or refueled. If the members operated, do they need time to rehab? Remember that once you go back into service, you must be on your “A” game. Handling a Mayday can be physically and mentally exhausting for the team. A critique of the incident should be mandatory. All members should assemble for an informal session. Review the operation of the RIT as a whole and of the interior and exterior companies. The purpose of the critique is to review the positives and negatives of the operation and amend tactics as needed. Were proactive procedures such as additional laddering or removal of barriers key to a successful fireground operation? If possible, obtain a copy of the radio transmissions. Determine how quickly the RIT reacted to the Mayday and whether all of the functions of the team were addressed.
On completion of the critique, the RIT officer should forward to the IC any recommendations from the RIT that would enhance further operations. A critique should never bash or embarrass members.
The fire service is not a perfect profession. Just like professional athletes, firefighters should be constantly striving to improve their “on field performance.” Details reviewed at the critique should be included in drills involving the other shifts in the company. All members should be up to par with a unified company operational plan.
Rapid intervention is a valuable asset on the fireground. The key to a successful operation is a unified company performance. Most rapid intervention calls are routine and uneventful. We hope for a positive outcome but know that a positive outcome is not always in the hand dealt to us. Do not let complacency get the best of your team. Constant training, preparedness, and proactive decisions will keep the RIT “on its game.”
MARK GREGORY has more than 25 years of firefighting experience and has been a lieutenant in the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), assigned to Tower Ladder 111, for the past nine years. Previously, he was a firefighter on Rescue 2 and Ladder 132. He is an Annual Education Day and extrication instructor for the FDNY Academy, an instructor at the Suffolk County Fire Academy, and an instructor at FDIC. A member of the East Quogue (NY) Fire Department, Gregory served three years as chief and is now fire commissioner. He writes for WNYF, Urban Firefighter, and Fire Engineering.
