Fire Rescue SOG 420-04: Rapid Intervention Crew

• Palm Beach County Fire Rescue's standard operating guideline (SOG) for Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC) is SOG 420-04.
• The issue date for this guideline is May 21, 2018, and the effective date is June 21, 2018.
• The purpose is to establish guidelines and training ensuring dedicated Rapid Intervention resources are proactively available on scene to react and respond to MAYDAY situations.
• The authority is the Fire Rescue Administrator, NFPA 1407, and NFPA 1500.
• The scope of this standard operating guideline applies to all Emergency Operations personnel.
• Attachment A includes RIC Equipment.

Terminology:

• A Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC) is a company of two or more firefighters dedicated to firefighter rescue.
• RIC personnel should be trained and equipped for firefighter rescue skills.
• A Rapid Intervention Group (RIG), per NIMS, is a functional group for firefighter rescue.
• A RIG consists of at least four personnel or two companies and operates under a Group Supervisor.
• The number of personnel assigned to a RIG is flexible based on the needs to rescue firefighters.
• When the scope of the scene mandates it, consider expanding the RIC organizational structure.
• All RIG members should meet the outlined training standards.
• NFPA 1407, Chapter 7 covers the Rapid Intervention Operations Training Program.
• NFPA 1407, Chapter 8 covers the Required Performance for Rapid Intervention Crews (RIC).
• Also, the Fire Rescue Rapid Intervention Training Program applies.
• The RIG Supervisor is assigned through Incident Command and coordinates all RIG activities.
• Emphasis must be placed on establishing a RIC/RIG Staging Area, developing an action plan, and organizing activities.
• The RIG Supervisor position should remain outside the Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH) environment.
• The RIG Supervisor should maintain accountability of all crews working for the group.

Personnel Assignment Recommendations for RIC/RIG

• These recommendations address staffing levels for RIC/RIG assignments, based on a structure's size.
• For a small structure (less than 3,000 sq ft), such as a small/medium single-family home, a RIC may be sufficient.
• Consider assigning a dedicated hose line to protect the RIC.
• Transition to a RIG if exigent circumstances exist (heavy fire, attic involvement, compromised structure).
• For a medium structure (3,000 – 6,000 sq ft), like a large home or small business, consider a RIG.
• A RIG should have a supervisor and at least six personnel and dedicated hose lines for protection.
• A large structure (6,000 – 15,000 sq ft), such as a large home/mini-mansion, multi-residential, or average business needs a RIG.
• A RIG for a large structure needs a supervisor and at least eight personnel.
• Consider dividing into multiple staging companies at separate points of ingress/egress for a large structure
• Dedicate hose lines to protect the RIG in a large structure.
• Transition to Special Operations upon calling a second alarm or greater.
• For very large structures (greater than 15,000 sq ft), like mega-mansions or businesses needs a RIG with supervisor and at least 10 personnel.
• The RIG for very large structures should consider dividing into multiple companies staged at separate ingress/egress points.
• Give consideration to assigning dedicated hose lines for RIG protection.
• Transition the RIG assignment to Special Operations upon calling a second alarm or greater.
• For commercial or high-rise structure fires (second alarm or greater), Special Operations is automatically dispatched as a RIG.
• Incident Commanders should know these units are for establishing a RIG primarily. If Special Operations has other tasks, dispatch a second team to establish a RIG.

On-Deck Approach and Staging

• Studies show 2-3 firefighters are insufficient to remove a downed firefighter from a large structure because the time to extricate is longer than the RIC's air supply.
• A high percentage of rescuers become victims, causing secondary MAYDAY calls.
• The On-Deck approach subdivides the RIG into smaller RICs coordinated by a single RIG Supervisor.
• Instead of sending six crew members at once, a 2-3 person RIC can do RECON to locate and supply air to the MAYDAY firefighter, while an On-Deck RIC is ready.
• Includes personnel with RIC packs to bring in gear, assist with the removal of the original MAYDAY firefighter, or assist the Recon Crew during intervention.
• An Accountability Officer is recommended at the entry point.
• RIC/RIG Staging includes an area for RIC's and equipment.
• RICs may be used proactively, but shall not perform functions delaying their immediate response when needed.
• This area can serve as the central check-in/out location for RIC resources, managed at the RIG Supervisor's discretion. A Staging Area Manager here is recommended.
• For staging a high-rise, the RIG Supervisor should evaluate the needed location and number of additional RICs.
• The RIC Unit Leader should stage close where a MAYDAY is likely.
• The location can change based on incident information gathered.
• RIC members must remain in full PPE (bunker gear, SCBA) without mask, but ready to don it immediately, maintain situational awareness and crew integrity (per SOG 220-03 Situational Awareness).

RIC Actions Before an Emergency

• All RIC members shall perform a 360-degree size up of the building.
• One crew member should monitor all radio traffic, focusing on crew location and nonverbal cues of potential firefighters in distress.
• RIcs shall perform additional supportive actions consisting of:
  • Laddering secondary egress locations.
  • Softening the structure by forcing entry for secondary egress locations and removing hazards that may lead to a MAYDAY situation.
  • Other actions that help prevent a firefighter emergency.
• DO NOT take any action or assignment that prevents immediate RIC deployment.

Mayday Activation Responsibilities

• Non-RIC/RIG personnel should refer to SOG 200-04 Mayday for their responsibilities.
• RIG Supervisors must immediately deploy the RIC/RIG.
• RIG Supervisors must obtain a LUNAR (Location, Unit, Name, Air, Resources from SOG 200-04 Mayday).
• RIG Supervisors must instruct the MAYDAY firefighter to activate their PASS alarm.
• The On-Deck RIC should be staged properly.
• Immediately deploy the On-Deck RIC upon RIC request performing recon and/or at the “MAYDAY firefighter(s) located" benchmark.
• An Accountability Officer should be considered to minimizes radio communications.
• Monitored the RIC status at all times via progress reports.
• Accountability Officers are to be located at the RIC entry point for face to face PARs.
• Accountability Officers communicate PARs and progress reports to the RIG Supervisor or Incident Commander face-to-face to preserve the emergency MAYDAY channel.
• The RIC/RIG's primary goal is to locate and remove the Mayday firefighter(s).
• Progress reports communicate in accordance with SOG 210-01 Communications, should include air supply levels during RIC operations,.
• The “MAYDAY Firefighter(s) Located” benchmark is used when the mayday firefighter is located.
• This information should only be given when the RIC has made physical contact with the MAYDAY firefighter(s).
• The RIC Unit Leader should not give this information prematurely.
• The RIG Supervisor shall deploy a second RIC (On-Deck RIC) to assist.
• The RIG Supervisor may deploy the On-Deck RIC sooner based on scene situation and building size.
• The “MAYDAY Firefighter ID Confirmed” shall be used when the downed mayday firefighter ID is confirmed.
• The downed firefighter(s) identification shall be confirmed and transmitted to the RIG Supervisor or Incident Commander as soon as known.
• Confirm downed firefighter(s) identification face-to-face if possible, without causing a delay.
• The “MAYDAY Firefighter out” benchmark shall be used when the mayday firefighter is out.
• Give when the downed firefighter that initiated the MAYDAY has been removed from the IDLH successfully.