Rapid Intervention Operations

This is an overview of Rapid intervention Operations at every fire. This class does not teach skills but instead reviews what tasks a rapid intervention team or group should consider and how to prioritize those tasks. Further training in technique is needed in order to be proficient at these tasks.

RIT vs RIG

• The considerations discussed in this class are applicable regardless of the size or type of building.

• RIT and RIG are only different in the regards to the number of personnel to be managed.

• The considerations in this class should be made at every fire regardless of RIT or RIG.

RIT vs RIG

• The number of personnel needed for rapid intervention is based on the incident.

• It is the responsibility of the officer assigned this task to request additional resources or turn away resources based on their need.

Rapid Intervention Strategies

Rapid Intervention Strategies

• Prepare• Prevent• Rescue

The priority of these strategies are based on the incident. They may be done simultaneously or the priority may change as the incident changes.

Strategy Priority Examples

Fire Crews are still preparing – Preparing can be the priority.

Fire Crews are in hazard area – prevention is done first or in conjunction with preparing.

Mayday is called during set up – Rescue moves ahead of preparing and prevention.

Preparation

Preparing Tasks

• Size – Up• Set –up• Plan• Communicate• Monitoring the incident

Size Up – IC Briefing

Team Leader/Group Supervisor– Type and use of bldg.– Area of involvement & Fire conditions.– Current location of crews & assignments– Specific hazards– Elapsed time at incident

Size Up – Walk around

Search team/RIT members • Building dimensions• Areas of involvement• Location of crews• Irregularities• Potential hazards• Entry points or external openings• Layout of interior hallways

Set up - EquipmentThermal imager

RIT Pack(s)

200’ Kevlar search line

Forcible entry “Irons” or equivalent

Per member: PPE & SCBA with 60 minute bottles Box Light (or suitable light)

Set Up - Hose– 13/4” hose (dry)

• 200’ with a wye and appropriate nozzle

– 21/2” hose (dry)• Enough to reach to the

furthest point of the building (180 degrees)

– 21/2” (or larger) hose (charged)• From pumping engine to

RIT staging location

Plan

• Ask – – What can go wrong at THIS incident?– How will we handle it if it does?

• Answer these questions based in the intel. you received from your size up.

• Make assignments – who will do what if deployed.

Communicate

• Fire ground channel – Suppression crew’s channel.

• Rescue channel - RI’s channel– Communication between RI members while

monitoring the fire incident.– Communication between RI members during a

rescue.

Monitoring an Incident

• Listen to fire ground channel and monitor interior activities.

• Divide RI members to watch 4 sides of building.• Communicate on Rescue Channel significant

observations to other RI members:– Crew movements– Fire conditions– Building conditions

Monitoring an Incident

• Know what is going on.• Look for changes.• Communicate these changes.• Change Rapid intervention plan accordingly.• Communicate safety issues to safety officer/IC.

Prevention

Prevention Tasks

• Laddering• Forcible Entry (Softening the

Structure)• Utilities

Laddering

Ladder Package – a set of ladders placed on the building in order to:

• Create access for crews to upper floors or roofs.

• Perform rescues.• Create egress for crews

on upper stories or roofs.

Laddering• Establish a Ladder

Package based on:– Building construction– Building Occupancy– Fire Location– Location of crews– Strategy of fire– Rescue situation

Laddering for Roof Operations• Primary ladder -

used by roof crew for normal access and egress of roof.– Location: Uninvolved

area of building. • Crews should gain

access to roof from the uninvolved part of building and travel towards the involved.

Laddering for Roof Operations• Working Set - a single or set of

ladders placed for emergency egress from the roof.– Location: As close to where the

roof crew is working as possible. – Purpose: If roof weakens, crews

should be able to travel 90 degrees from their work area to a secure wall and find their working set.

– Number of ladders in a working set: 1 ladder for 1-2 personnel, 2 ladders for 3-4.

Laddering for Roof Operations

• Secondary ladder - Ladder placed opposite of where the roof crew is working for egress if they are cut off from primary ladder and working set.– Location: Opposite side of peak on pitched roofs. Opposite

corner of primary ladder on flat roof.

Laddering for Upper Floor Egress• First ladder: Fire room• Second ladder: Rooms

adjacent to fire room.Where will crews be in the most danger and need the quickest egress if things go wrong?

Laddering for Upper Floor Egress

• Location of ladders: Under window sill for easy ladder bail under the heat.

Laddering for Rescue Operations

• Conscious Victims:– Communicate with

victims.– Extend ladder away from

their reach and lower into building.

– Do not place ladder until rescuer is ready to climb instantly (Mask, gloves, helmet on ready to climb.)

– Communicate

Laddering for Rescue Operations

• Unconscious Victims:– Ladder under window

sill.– Do not extend tip into

window unless window is big enough that it will not impede getting on and off ladder.

Laddering for Rescue Operations

• Vent-Enter Search procedures:• Break window• Check floor for victims and stability.• Check for flashover conditions (Bare hand check of smoke

temperature)• If a go, Enter room• Locate door and close it (Membrane protection from fire.)• Search and locate victim.• Ask for help if needed. (If not needed keep partner on ladder

ready to receive)• Remove victim.

Forcible Entry

Softening the Structure: 1. Creating egress

points for interior crews.

2. Creating egress points for victims

3. Creating access points for attack crews and Rapid Intervention.

Softening the Structure

• Open exterior man doors

Softening the StructureRemove security bars

Softening the StructureOpening roll-up doors

Softening the StructureRemoving fences

Softening the Structure

• Consider placing lights or glow sticks inside egresses to help lost crew members locate them.

Softening the Structure vs. Ventilation

Remember, air currents, (higher pressure air moving to lower pressure) will spread fire and fresh air will intensify fire(Ventilation controlled).

DO NOT affect fire spread by creating openings!

Create egresses but keep the box closed as much as possible.

Utilities

• Electrical• Gas• Water

Gas• Natural Gas meters– Typically on building.

• Propane tanks– May be against or away from building.

Notify gas companies prior to leaving scene and do not restore gas yourself.

Electric• Look for outside shut offs.• Look for panels in garages or utility rooms.• Interior shut offs can be accessed by inside truck

operation crews during searches.

Do not pull electric meters!Why?• Safety• PUD Request• WAC

Prevention

Ways out.

Prevention

•Ways off.

PreventionOpen the building.

Prevention

• Make it safe.

Prioritizing Prevention Tasks

Prioritizing Tasks

• It is up to the team leader to prioritize the tasks associated with Rapid intervention

• These priorities must be made based on:– The fire conditions.– The Fire ground strategy.– Location of the Fire– Location of fire crews

Prioritizing• Example 1:

Size-Up: 2 story wood frame house. Fire on second floor.

Strategy: Offensive attack with Vertical ventilation.

Crew locations: E61 – Interior attack 2nd floor. A62 – vertical ventilation on roof. E64 – Primary search.

You are assigned RIT.How do you prioritize your

tasks?

PrioritizingExample 1

• Priority 1: Ladders to second floor for interior crews egress.

• Priority 2: Working set to roof crew.• Priority 3: Secondary ladder to roof crew.• Priority 4: Utilities• Priority 5: Forcible entry 1st floor.

Prioritizing• Example 2:

– Size-up: Working fire in 2 story, wood frame house. Fire on first floor.

– Strategy: Offensive attack with PPV ventilation.

– Assignments: E61 – Interior attack 1st floor and PPV. A62 – Primary search, inside fire extension.

You are assigned RIT.How do you prioritize your tasks?

PrioritizingExample 2

• Priority 1: Forcible entry 1st floor• Priority 2: Utilities• Priority 3: Ladders to second floor (Inside

truck crew will be doing primary search and checking for extension 2nd floor).

Prioritizing• Example 3:

– Size-up: 2 story apartment building. Known victims trapped second floor. Multiple victims at windows second floor. Fire on first floor.

– Strategy: Rescue– Assignments: E61 – Interior

attack 1st floor. E64 & E63: Search and rescue 2nd floor. A62: exterior rescue:

You are assigned RIG.How do you prioritize your tasks?

PrioritizingExample 3

• Priority 1: Ladders to second floor for rescue. Triage victims for most threatened.

• Priority 2: Ladders to second floor for crew egress (Most likely one in the same)

• Priority 3: Forcible entry 1st floor for interior attack crew.

• Priority 4: Utilities

Rescue

Rescue Tasks

• Access• Water• Air• Radio (Communicate a plan)• Extricate

Access - entry

• The best access is not always the way they went in!

• Last known location:– LUNAR Report– Your size up– Your on-going monitoring

of the incident– Interior suppression crew

reports

Access - entry

• Team Leader/Group Supervisor – Determine best access and direct teams there.

• Team members – Gather pre-assigned equipment and quickly move to access point.

• Verify rescue plan and send searchers to begin search.

• Hose team deploys hose if needed and backs up searchers.

Access - Searching

• Move quickly but be thurough• Listen – PASS Devices, Low Air alarms, yelling,

SCBA Breathing.• Use TIC to – search, stay oriented, watch

conditions.• Use available clues – hose lines, indications of

searched areas, tools.• Stay oriented – oriented man, search rope.

Victim Found – Water/Air• Protect from active fire.• Victim assessment ABCD:

–Airway – Mask on and intact. Regulator plugged in.

–Breathing – Do they need air.

–Circulation – Other injuries present

–Disability – Can they walk out or do they need to be extricated.

Victim Found - Communicate

• Once victim is protected in place create a plan.

• Communicate this plan to:– Other team/group

members– Group supervisor– IC

• Get required equipment and help coming.

Extricate• Protect in place first.• Have a plan, and a Plan B,

and a Plan C.• Have equipment and help

coming even if you think you don’t need it.

• Do not expect to use the same personnel who searched – they will be spent.

• Air management.

What does it take to be on RIT/RIG?

Basic skills crews must be proficient at to be part of a rapid Intervention Crew.

• Size up skills and knowledge:– Building construction– Reading Smoke– Fire Behavior– Strategy and tactics knowledge– Terminology

Basic skills crews must be proficient at to be part of a rapid Intervention Crew.

• Laddering:– One person throws on

24’ and shorter ladders.– 2 person throws on 35’

ladders.– Ladder placement– Tying off ladders

Basic skills crews must be proficient at to be part of a rapid Intervention Crew.

• Forcible entry:– Irons work on inward and

outward swinging doors.– Through the lock

operations– Pad lock removal– Circular saw work

• Security bars• Locks• Iron fences• Roll up doors

Basic skills crews must be proficient at to perform outside truck operations.

• Utilities:– Locating and shutting of various utilities

Basic skills crews must be proficient at to be part of a rapid Intervention Crew.

• Basic Search techniques– Oriented search– Large area search

• TIC Operations• RIT Pack Operations (In all conditions)• 2 ½” hose deployment• Interior hose advancement• Victim Drags

Conclusion

• Good rapid intervention operations on every fire will ensure we safely and effectively complete our mission.