RAPID INTERVENTION TEAMS 2004

This presentation is a work in progress and has not yet been adopted as policy. It is meant as a training guide to better prepare our crews for the policy that will be adopted in the near future. Your Fire Training Division has been working with the Salt Lake Valley Fire Alliance to standardize operational policies in the valley.

PURPOSE A firefighter may become lost, trapped, run low on air, or have another type of emergency that requires immediate action. The objective and function of RIT is to locate and rescue these firefighters.

definitions RIT (Rapid Intervention Team) An on scene team consisting of at least four(4) members designated and equipped to perform an immediate search and rescue operation for firefighters.

RIT RESPONSIBILITIES EACH MEMBER OF RIT, STARTING WITH THE RIT OFFICER, SHALL DO THE FOLLOWING: SIZE UP STRUCTURE GATHER TOOLS NEEDED MONITOR INTERIOR TEAM(S) LOCATION AND FUNCTION BE READY FOR IMMEDIATE DEPLOYMENT

COMMUNICATION FIREFIGHTER’S RESPONSIBILITES: If a firefighter becomes, or has knowledge of another firefighter, that is lost, trapped, low on air, or any situation or event that you deem as life threatening it is your responsibility to declare a “mayday”. The firefighter will immediately declare on the fire ground frequency “mayday, mayday, mayday” and further information (as per mayday standard).

COMMUNICATION Incident Commander’s responsibilities: The I/C will transmit “Emergency Traffic”. The I/C will then announce, “We have a RIT activation. All fireground operations, with the exception of those involved in the Mayday (RIT and the team that activated the mayday), switch to the alternate fire channel, channel 16*. I/C will then conduct a PAR check for all other crews on the alternate channel.

COMMUNICATION Individual Companies (other than the mayday team and RIT) Responsibilities: Upon hearing the mayday and RIT activation announcement all units and personnel at the scene, except the RIT and those who activated the mayday, shall stand by to switch to the alternate channel (Channel 16*). After crews have moved to the alternate channel, the company officer shall prepare to give a Personnel Accountability Report (PAR) on Channel 16*.

STAFFING PROCEDURES The following shall be the minimum requirements for a Rapid Intervention Team:

STAFFING PROCEDURES 1)Minimum staffing will consist of one (1) Officer and three (3) Firefighters. 2)Incident Command will designate an additional officer (RIT Support Officer) to oversee the RIT operations at the command post.

STAFFING PROCEDURES 3) Through Incident Command, RIT can expand the team or add teams based on the incident size and complexity. 4) In the event the team cannot meet the minimum staffing, RIT shall notify Command. Command shall re- assign personnel to the RIT as they become available to meet the minimum staffing level.

STAFFING PROCEDURES 5) Each additional alarm on all working incidents shall require a minimum of one (1) additional engine/truck to be utilized for RIT needs.

STAFFING PROCEDURES 6) RIT may request additional resources to accomplish functional task(s) as necessary through Command. Additional units beyond the minimum standard such as Heavy Rescues and Haz Mat teams may be requested by the RIT Officer through Command.

STANDARD EXCEPTIONS TO THE RIT REQUIREMENT AT WORKING INCIDENTS: 1)When there is a report or suspected life hazard where immediate action could prevent loss of life. 2)When the fire is in an incipient stage (see definition).

EQUIPMENT STAGING Whenever RIT is established, a RIT specific staging area shall be established with an equipment cache designated using a yellow tarp. The following considerations should be used when establishing the RIT staging area: 1)The staging area should offer a view of two sides of the building. 2)The staging area should be near the command post. If this is not possible, the RIT Officer shall remain near the I/C. 3)All RIT members shall be in full PPE, SCBA and have a portable radio.

EQUIPMENT STAGING For High Rise fires, RIT shall be assigned to strategic staging positions. A secondary standby location may be in the lobby.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT Depending on the type of situation the equipment cache may vary. At a minimum the cache shall include: 1)SCBA / PPE 2)Yellow Tarp 3)RIT bag(s) * (see RIT bag explanation slide) 4)Rotary Saw (with selection of blades) 5)Chain saw 6)Light Irons and Heavy Irons 7)Rope bag 8)Thermal Imager Camera 9)Hand tools (wire cutters, bolt cutter, etc.) 10)Hand lights 11)Sked and Stokes 12)Ground ladders (24’ ext. & 12’ roof) 13)Portable radio for all RIT members 14)Hoseline (only taken in if needed and applicable)

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT Additional equipment may be needed to provide an adequate RIT response. The RIT Officer will work with the I/C (or RIT Support Officer) to make sure that the necessary tools, resources and expertise are assigned to the RIT to handle any situation that may arise. * If the crew assigned to RIT does not have the needed equipment on their apparatus, acquire it from another apparatus on scene and report what was acquired to the engineer of that apparatus.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT The RIT cache shall include a RIT bag from each department on scene. If RIT is deployed the team shall take the appropriate RIT bag that is compatible for the team(s) that are in need. *This will take place until a universal RIT bag is established for departments in the Salt Lake valley.

COMMAND / IMPLEMENTATION Upon declaration of a working incident the closest additional on duty Battalion Chief shall be dispatched to the incident and assist or become the RIT Support officer (at I/C’s discretion). Command may assign more than one company if necessary. Operations of a large or more complex nature may call for additional RIT units to be established at each operational entry point. After deployment of RIT, Command shall assign an additional RIT to standby.

COMMAND / IMPLEMENTATION The company assigned to RIT shall be a Branch / Group designated by I/C. I/C AT1RITAT2T/GW/S (EXAMPLE OF FIRST ALARM)

COMMAND / IMPLEMENTATION The company assigned to RIT shall be a Branch / Group designated by I/C. I/C OPS RIT S/O RIT suppression Attack team 1 Attack team 2 Attack team 3 ventilation Roof group Roof team 1 Roof team 2 Vent group Vent team 1 Vent team 2 Search/rescue Search team 1 Search team 2 medical LOGPLANFIN (example of second alarm or larger incident)

COMMAND STRUCTURE WITH RIT DEPLOYMENT RIT Support Officer works in conjunction with command/operations. I/C OPSRIT S/O RIT 1 RIT 2 SUPPRESSIONVENTSEARCH

RESPONSIBILITIES OF RIT 1)Monitor radio traffic 2)Assemble and assess tool cache 3)Assess situation (walk around) 4)Identify means of egress 5)Review preplan of building (if applicable) 6)Support egress – note exits, place ladders at appropriate locations, and monitor entrance points 7)Monitor progress of teams and situation

COMMAND AND DEPLOYMENT OF RIT 1)Move fire ground radio communications to Channel 16* 2)Call for an immediate PAR from all working units on Channel 16* 3)Designate Support Officer(s) for RIT(s) 4)Develop a medical division with ALS and helicopter on standby 5)Call for an additional alarm 6)Make sure NO ONE abandons firefighting positions already in place 7)Hold the fire in check while rescue efforts are being accomplished 8)Continue to support means of egress and ventilation

ALTERNATE FIRE GROUND CHANNEL Channel 16 has not been officially set up as of yet as the universal alternate fire ground channel. For training purposes use a pre-assigned ops channel.