RAPID INTERVENTION GROUP

NEW RECRUIT INTRODUCTION

STANDARD �FOR �TRAINING

RAPID INTERVENTION CREW SOGs/SOPs

• “Rapid Intervention Crews/On-Deck shall be established at MABAS incidents”. (Lake County SOG A-6, Mutual Aid Box Alarm System Procedures, 8.5)
• “As the incident escalates, or when companies are operating in hazard zones, command shall assign companies (three deep) to stand by in each division to on-deck. These companies shall be equipped and ready to function immediately as rescue teams should the need arise or other functional needs. Tools to assist with firefighter rescue need to be available at each division entry point”. (Lake County SOG 0-1, Personnel Accountability System, 6.12)
• ”Any absent, unaccounted-for member of a company will automatically be assumed to be lost or trapped in the hazard zone, until proven to be safe. Command must immediately send in companies from the on-deck assignments to the last known area in which the missing firefighter(s) was working”. (Lake County SOG 0-1, Personnel Accountability System, 6.13)

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On-Deck Companies SOGs/SOPs

• ““On-Deck” is defined as a forward staging position located just outside the immediate hazard zone, safely distanced from the entrance of a tactical position/division”. (Lake County SOG 0-2, On-Deck Companies, 4.1)
• The most likely assignments for the On-Deck companies are:

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• Reinforce a position within an assigned division
• Crew Relief within a division
• Any other tactical position assigned by the IC
• Rapid Intervention Group for a rescue of a firefighter

On-Deck Company Prepare for Rescue

• Actions/tasks On-Deck companies must perform the following tasks/actions to prepare themselves to function as a rescue group. (Lake County SOG 0-2, On-Deck Companies, 4.2)

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• Monitor the tactical radio channel
• Retrieve the rapid intervention bag and confirm contents
• Confirm TIC is in ready state
• Determine which line each interior company is on
• Coordinate the opening of doors and windows
• Illuminate entrance/exits
• Develop and discuss a possible search and rescue plan

On-Deck Company Actions for Rescue

• Confirm Mayday information
• Determine resource and equipment needs based upon Mayday report
• Determine last known location of firefighter/crew in trouble
• Communicate plan with crew
• Implement plan
• Utilize information and technology (radio reports, TIC, flashlights, Etc.)
• Monitor air supply
• Provide CAN reports to IC

REMEMBER THE BASICS

• HAVE A PLAN
• Monitor interior conditions
• Monitor air supply

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• RIGs use 27% more AIR than normal crews

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• DON’T BECOME PART OF THE PROBLEM

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• 1 out of 12 RIGs has a MAYDAY

Operational Modes

• Rapid Extrication: The immediate removal of a downed firefighter using any combination of drags, carries, lifts, or assist
• The firefighter must be close to an exit and free of entrapment
• Extended Operation: When a downed firefighter is trapped or deep inside a structure. Initial actions should stabilize the immediate surroundings and air supply of a downed firefighter while the rescue can be completed

WHEN FINDING THE VICTIM

• Assess the victim, room conditions, RIG members
• Secure the victims air supply, turn off his PASS unit
• Exercise rescue plan
• Determine best removal techniques

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• Does RIG know how to remove victim PPE???

RIG COMMUNICATION BENCHMARKS

• RIG ENTER
• Location changes (E.g. first floor, second floor)
• Victim located, Air Supply secured, Exiting with Victim

WHY RIGs HAVE THEIR OWN ”MAYDAY”

• Had NO real plan before entering
• Rush into things without thinking them out
• Did not follow original hose line, took short cut
• Used way too much air
• Too much radio traffic and suggestions
• Company Officer did not process incoming information well
• Took too long to package the victim
• Crew became physically exhausted quick

STANDARD RULES TO FOLLOW FOR RIG RESCUES

IMPORTANT TIPS

SURVAY – RESCUE LAPSE TIMES

• Rescue Group Ready State: 2:50 Minutes
• Mayday to RIG entry: 3:10 – 3:27 Minutes
• RIG Contact Down Firefighter: 5:52 – 6:51 Minutes
• Each RIG Total Time Inside: 16:44 – 23:39 Minutes
• Total Time for Rescue: 25:36 – 36:48 Minutes

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• 12 Firefighters to Rescue 1 Firefighter

RIT BAG & TOOL USEAGE FOR RESCUE

• AIR: 263
• Low Air: 194
• Out of Air: 52
• Facepiece Replacement: 134
• Regulator Replacement: 10
• Wire Cutters: 329
• Bolt Cutters: 47
• Stoke Basket, Mega Mover, Etc.: 423
• Folding Ladder: 367

RIG TEAM

• Minimum 4 members

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• Company Officer
• Air Supply Firefighter
• Search Firefighters (Minimum 2)

RIG TEAM

• Company Officer:
• Leadership prior to and during rescue
• Plan development, ensure team is informed
• Ensure team is ready to deploy immediately and has all needed equipment
• Communicate with team and IC
• Coordinate and direct search/rescue
• Must have TIC
• Upon locating downed firefighter, takes control of tag line (if used)

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RIG TEAM

• Air Supply Firefighter:
• Deploys tag line (if used)
• Carries RIT bag
• Responsible for downed firefighter’s air supply
• Assist with extrication

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RIG TEAM

• Search Firefighters (Minimum 2):
• Carry needed tools
• Perform search
• Upon locating downed firefighter, 1 firefighter checks for immediate area for alternate exit/refuge
• Upon locating downed firefighter, 1 firefighter begins to package victim
• Assist with extrication
• Advance hose line (if used, ideally a separate company would perform this task)

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RESCUE - AIR

• The #1 priority is the victims AIR SUPPLY!
• Moving the victim and RIG crew out of an immediate life-threatening situation to the closest place of refuge may need to be performed prior to checking the victims air supply (E.g. high heat, heavy fire, Etc.)
• First check for the presence of a face piece
• If the face piece is not on the victim’s face assume it has damaged or has malfunctioned and place the RIT bag mask on the victim
• Next check if the regulator is connected
• If the regulator is not connected assume it has been damaged or has malfunctioned and attach the regulator from the RIT bag
• Last check bottle pressure by quickly cracking open the bypass valve
• If no air flows assume the pack has is out of air or has malfunctioned and connect the victim to the RIT bottle

Air Supply Rescuer Positioning

RESCUE - PACKAGING

• Convert the SCBA to a harness
• Fully loosen both sides of waist belt, then unbuckle
• Run one strap behind the the victim and the other in front
• Connect the the belt between the victims lets and fully tighten both sides of the waist strap
• Ensure shoulder straps are fully tightened (Webbing can be run through shoulder straps on the upper back of the victim to create a drag device)
• The Air Supply Firefighter can check for victims Drag Rescue Device
• Stokes Basket
• Roll victim on and secure face down

RESCUE - EXCRICATING (1 Rescuer)

• Rescuer positions at the head of the victim
• Slightly loosen both shoulder straps
• Grab both shoulder straps and pull the victim in a backward motion
• Runs a piece of webbing through both shoulder straps on the victim’s upper back to create a drag device. Use the drag device to pull the victim in a backward motion

RESCUE - EXCRICATING (2 Rescuer)

• 1 rescuer positions at the victim’s head and slightly loosens the shoulder straps
• Perform drag instructions from previous slide
• The other rescuer positions at the feet of the victim and places the victim’s legs over his shoulders
• Wrap their arms around the raised leg as high on the thigh as possible
• As the rescuer at the head drags, the other rescuer at the feet pushes the victim until they reach the safe location
• Wraps his arms around the raised leg as high on the thigh as possible

RESCUE - EXCRICATING