rapid intervention team & mayday procedures

4/10/2002 1

Rapid Intervention Team & MAYDAY Procedures

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SCOPEThis training meets or exceeds the intent of applicable sections within NFPA 1500, Standards on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program. It also intends to meet requirements of Guidance Note 6-11 – Rapid Intervention Teams as well as LTES SOG 211

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Purpose

Personnel assigned to perform this function will be designated as the Rapid Intervention Team (RIT).

The composition and structure of the RIT shall be flexible depending on the type, size and complexity of the incident.

Level 1 RIT will consist of no less than two trained members.

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Report given to Command or Operations that all members of the crew are accounted for.

Periodically completed to check on personnel.

Personal Accountability Report (PAR)

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“Accountability to Sector 2 – PAR check”

“Sector 2 to Accountability we are PAR w/four.”

Personal Accountability Report (PAR)

Example

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A team consisting of a minimum of two trained members.

Duties are to track, and rescue if needed, emergency personnel: Who enter a structure involved in fire

beyond the incipient stage.Who fall victim to an unstable situation (e.g.

confined space, collapse) at a emergency scene.

Level 1 RIT

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A team consisting of a minimum of four trained members

Duties are the same as Level 1 RIT

Level 2 RIT

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A verbal notification to the IC that immediate action is required to rescue or assist emergency personnel operating in emergency incidents.

May be declared by the individual(s) in trouble or someone who identifies an individual(s) is in trouble.

MAYDAY

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RIT Leader who reports – communicates directly to Incident Command

Performs no other function but tracking, RIT and/or Accountability if needed.

Coordinates with Safety and Accountability Officers, but reports directly to command as noted on the next slide

RIT Group Leader

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Command

Operations Safety Group Leader

OptionalAccountability

Fire Crews RIT 1

RIT 2

RIT

RIT may reportDirectly to commandWhen no RIT GroupLeader has been assigned

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Desirable equipment


RIT Kit: (Rescue equipment)

Secured hand-lineForcible entry toolsRescue ropeHand light

Radio

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After conducting a size-up of the incident scene, RIT may determine the need for additional equipment not listed.

RIT shall attempt to obtain this equipment by utilizing the apparatus at the incident scene.

RIT Kit: (Rescue equipment)

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RIT shall be implemented during the initial stages of an incident.

Multiple RITs may be established on large incidents (numbers assigned like sectors)

RIT Group Leader will report to command.

IMPLEMENTATION:

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RIT members must maintain visual or voice contact with one another at all times.

RIT shall announce, via radio to Command, that RIT has been established.

RIT members shall utilize the information from their on-going scene size-up to help determine the type of rescue that they may encounter.

IMPLEMENTATION:

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If the initial attack personnel find a known life hazard situation where immediate action could prevent the loss of life, deviation from the two-in/two-out standard may be permitted.

OR If rescue or suppression operations are

initiated without an RIT in place, Command shall be notified and a RIT shall be established as available crews can be assigned.

Exceptions to Two-In/Two-Out:

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Anytime emergency personnel operating on an incident feel they are trapped, injured or lost, they shall signal a MAYDAY alert.

Immediately following the MAYDAY alert, those personnel shall activate their “PASS Device alarm”

MAYDAY Procedures:

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They shall transmit the “ MAYDAY” via radio by announcing in increments of three “MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY” followed by a radio message to Command identifying themselves along with their location, and situation.

Information pertaining to the location should be as specific as possible.

Repeat until acknowledged. Radio or anyone else who feels this transmission is

not being heard should immediately relay this information to command.

MAYDAY Procedures:

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“MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY, this is Sector 4, I am located on the first floor Charlie side and a firefighter has fallen through the floor into the basement, send help”.

MAYDAY Example

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Command shall deploy the necessary resources needed to assist with a rescue.

Other members operating on the scene should be aware of the “MAYDAY” situation. However, they must continue with their assigned tasks. The task they are currently performing may very well limit injury to the person or persons in distress as well as assist the RIT team.

Upon the MAYDAY call, a Personal Accountability Report (PAR) shall be initiated.

MAYDAY Procedures:

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RIT will only be deployed upon orders from the Incident Commander

When RIT is deployed, the rescue shall come under the command of the RIT Group Leader.

Other members must continue with their assigned tasks.

Fire suppression radio traffic must be limited during RIT operations so that Command, RIT and those requiring help can communicate.

Rapid Intervention Procedures

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A backup RIT shall be established whenever the initial RIT is deployed.

Upon the report of a lost or trapped firefighter(s) the RIT Group Leader will immediately concentrate RIT members efforts on rescue and abandon support activities.


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The individual(s) who has declared a MAYDAY or is missing shall be identified from the PAR.

RIT shall be deployed to the last known location of the lost or trapped personnel.

RIT should follow hose lines or routine search patterns and consider standard operating tactics while searching for lost personnel.

Rapid Intervention Implementation

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When RIT locates a downed firefighter(s) they shall notify Command as to who they have located, their location and status.

RIT shall advise the actions being taken to remove them or if additional assistance is needed.

If a self-rescue or a quick grab and go rescue is not possible, RIT members shall use the “AWARE” principle.


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Trapped emergency responder’s hopes of survival depend on the following four critical needs.

AWARE Principle:

1. Air: RIT should first provide the victim with a redundant (primary & secondary) supply of air.2. Water: If the rescue involves fire, the next consideration is to provide a defensible space for the victim by using a hose line or lines for protection.

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3. A Radio: If the victim is conscious and able to communicate, RIT may want to provide the trapped victim with a radio to monitor his condition.

4. Extrication: Removal of the victim.

AWARE Principle:

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RIT should give the estimated time it will take to complete the rescue and advise Command of their plan.

Command shall assign additional Rapid Intervention Teams to assist as needed.

A Level II RIT shall be in place as soon as staffing allows during an active RIT operation.


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QUIZ

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1. Level 1 RIT will consist of no less than ___________ trained firefighter(s).

a) 1b) 2c) 3d) 4

QUIZ

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3. A team consisting of a minimum of four trained firefighters whose duties are to track, and rescue if needed, emergency personnel that enter a structure involved in fire beyond the incipient stage.

a) Level 1 RITb) Level 2 RITc) Level 3 RITd) Level 4 RIT

QUIZ

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4. Trapped emergency responder’s hopes of survival may depend on which of the following four needs?

a) Airb) Waterc) Radiod) Extricatione) All the above

QUIZ

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6. A verbal notification to the Incident Commander that immediate action is required to rescue or assist emergency personnel operating in emergency incident.

a) PARb) RITc) MAYDAYd) AWARE

QUIZ

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8. A report given to command or Operations that all members of the crew are accounted for.

a) TICb) AWAREc) IDLHd) PAR

QUIZ

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QUIZ Answers

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1. Level 1 RIT will consist of no less than ___________ trained firefighter(s).

a) 1b) 2c) 3d) 4

QUIZ Answers

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3. A team consisting of a minimum of four trained firefighters whose duties are to track, and rescue if needed, emergency personnel that enter a structure involved in fire beyond the incipient stage.

a) Level 1 RITb) Level 2 RITc) Level 3 RITd) Level 4 RIT

QUIZ Answers

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4. Trapped emergency responder’s hopes of survival may depend on which of the following four needs?

a) Airb) Waterc) Radiod) Extricatione) All the above

QUIZ Answers

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6. A verbal notification to the Incident Commander that immediate action is required to rescue or assist emergency personnel operating in emergency incident.

a) PARb) RITc) MAYDAYd) AWARE

QUIZ Answers

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8. A report given to command or Operations that all members of the crew are accounted for.

a) TICb) AWAREc) IDLHd) PAR

QUIZ Answers

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The RIT Group Leader is responsible for the tracking of the Entry Teams.

RIT Group Leader shall work with the Accountability Officer when possible.

If Accountability Officer is not available, the RIT Group Leader will be responsible for tracking entry teams.

IMPLEMENTATION:

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RIT Group Leader shall compare information with the Accountability Officer in determining the last known location of the missing personnel.

In the event that an Accountability Officer has not been assigned the RIT Group Leader will handle accountability.

Rapid Intervention Implementation

rapid intervention team & mayday procedures

Documents

rapid intervention teams

rit rit

rit groupleader

rit andor accountability

incident scene

emergency personnel

accountability officers

emergency incidents