Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) PDF

Standard Operating Procedure Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District Supplemental Manual 532 Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) 532.1 PURPOSE: This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is to establish guidelines for Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District (herein referred to as District). The...

Standard Operating Procedure Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District Supplemental Manual 532 Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) 532.1 PURPOSE: This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is to establish guidelines for Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District (herein referred to as District). The purpose of a Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) is to provide a dedicated team of emergency personnel who are ready to deploy when an emergency personnel becomes lost, trapped, and/or injured in the Hot Zone of an incident and cannot remove themselves. This has been written in accordance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards and regulations, and approval of the Lee County Fire Chiefs’ Association. 532.2 SCOPE: This procedure is to be followed by all personnel of the District. RIT will be established on all emergency incidents where emergency personnel are engaged in activities in the HOT ZONE and/or where an immediate danger to life or health (IDLH) atmosphere is present or emergency personnel are subject to special hazards, or at the determination of the Incident Commander (IC). This SOP supersedes any and all General Orders. 532.3 DEFINITIONS: (a) C.A.N. – Acronym, which will provide information to the Incident Commander: Conditions, Actions, Needs. The term used to report how well an individual is doing, the conditions they are facing, and any support or resource needs that they have. (b) Fire Ground – Any emergency scene where fire suppression, hazardous materials, or special operations (confined space, trench, water, or structure collapse) are being conducted. (c) Initial Rapid Intervention Crew (IRIC) – A minimum of two (2) fully-equipped emergency personnel on site, in a ready state, for immediate rescue of injured or trapped emergency personnel. The IRIC’s sole purpose is to locate and remove lost, disoriented, medically disabled, trapped or entangled emergency personnel until a full Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) can be established. (d) L.U.N.A.R. – Acronym, which will provide information to the Incident Commander: Location, Unit Number, Name, Assignment / remaining air, and Resources needed. (e) May-Day – Term used to report your status as lost, hurt, or trapped and needing rescue. Any emergency personnel may use May-Day to report lost, hurt or trapped personnel. (f) Proactive RIT – Moving around on the fireground handling a number of different assigned task with the goal of softening the building (360, utilities, placing ladders, forcing doors, removing shutters, rapid egress, setting up scene lights, etc.) to make the building safer for RIT operations. Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/05/22, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) - 1 Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District Supplemental Manual Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) (g) Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) – An established RIT should be a minimum of four (4) trained emergency personnel during an offensive or complex emergency operation. The difference between an IRIC and an established RIT is that RIT is an actual assigned function under incident management system (IMS). RIT requires an appropriate number of emergency personnel for the situation, has appropriate equipment dedicated to them and critical procedures pertaining to onscene organization and preparation. (h) RIT Assignment - RIT should be considered a dedicated assignment for any offensive structure fire operation, large brush fire, special operations or complex operation and/ or when a crew is operating in an IDLH environment. Personnel assigned to RIT should be trained in RIT deployment procedures. It is at the discretion of the IC to assign more than one RIT for more complex incidents and to be staged at different locations. (i) RIT Equipment - RIT will stage all appropriate equipment on a designated yellow tarp, if possible, for the best tactical advantage for safety and rapid deployment based upon the direction of the Incident Commander or Operations Officer. An example of equipment staged should include, but not be limited to, thermal imaging camera, portable radios, hand lights, search ropes with carabiners, webbing, forcible entry tools, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)’s with quick fill tubes (if available), power saws, extrication equipment, medical equipment including oxygen, backboard or stokes basket, AED and/or cardiac monitor/defibrillator. Other equipment may also be staged depending on the emergency operations taking place. A survey of the scene for larger resources, such as aerial apparatus placement and a variety of ground ladders, should be conducted. It is important that Department personnel understand that RIT equipment staged at the yellow tarp is for their use only and not available for other assignments. (j) Staging – RIT – IRIC team(s) will be established and placed at a strategic location at the incident by direction of the IC or Operations Officer. 532.4 RESPONSIBILITIES: (a) It will be the responsibility of all emergency personnel to exercise the appropriate control dictated by his/her rank in the implementation of this SOP. (b) The IC will assign RIT duties, identify the location of the staging area, and determine when RIT needs to deploy for an emergency/May-Day. If RIT is deployed, the IC will assign a second RIT and call for additional resources at once. 532.5 RAPID INTERVENTION TEAM: (a) RIT will monitor the designated tactical communications channel (TAC) that the crews are working on. This is imperative as it will assure that any “May-Day” radio traffic will be heard. The RIT Team may be assigned to be proactive to assist on the fire ground. The RIT Team shall be prepared to deploy at a moment’s notice. RIT deployment on the scene of an emergency should be consistent with their mission: Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/05/22, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) - 2 Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District Supplemental Manual Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) 532.6 RIT OFFICER: (a) (b) Immediately report to the Command Post and get a briefing from the IC to determine who the team should report to, where the team should stage and what radio frequency to use. The Officer will take full advantage of the information from pre-fire plans, if available. At the Command Post the RIT Officer should gather the following information: 1. Location of all emergency personnel and their assignments; 2. On-site hazards; 3. Structure fire: Burning time; (b) Building construction and age; (c) Pertinent information pertaining to the building; (d) Extent of fire. The RIT Officer shall brief all RIT personnel with above information at the Staging area so a verbal incident action plan can be determined: 1. (c) (a) Conduct a 360° survey of the building, or hazard location to gather the following information: (a) Occupancy size and possible rescue concerns; (b) Building construction to determine tools needed; (c) Impact glass windows; (d) Structural instability and collapse hazards; (e) Fire progression; (f) Access and egress points; (g) Access obstacles; (h) Note emergency personnel locations; (i) Report any uncontrolled utilities. When working multiple floors, the RIT Officer shall be proactive and alert Operations as to whether or not ladders are in place for secondary means of egress. This information is vital and must be communicated to the interior crews. 532.7 RIT PERSONNEL: (a) Report directly to the RIT Officer to receive assignment. Personnel are responsible for the following: 1. Monitor fire ground radio communications (CAN report, May-Day, & LUNAR report); Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/05/22, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) - 3 Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District Supplemental Manual Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) 2. Place tools and equipment on a yellow tarp designated by Incident Commander or Operations Officer; 3. Make plans regarding access and egress points; 4. Review specific rescue scenarios; 5. Determine emergency personnel functions, if deployed; 6. Personnel must maintain a high level of readiness by donning full protective clothing, along with SCBA equipment; 7. Make sure RIT bottles are 60 minutes, not 45 minutes; 8. Make sure all equipment is in working order (TIC, power tools, tethered rope bag, etc.); 9. Be prepared to be proactive and set up ground ladders at elevated window openings for an escape angle, if possible. (b) Perform duties as assigned by the IC ( (c) Upon deployment for trapped or missing emergency personnel, the RIT will continue search and rescue operations until: 1. The missing or trapped emergency personnel are located and removed; 2. The RIT is relieved; 3. The RIT is ordered to terminate the operation. 532.8 RIT DEPLOYMENT: (a) Entering the building for an RIT deployment: (b) The RIT Officer will ensure that proper initial equipment is secured and taken in with RIT personnel. Additional equipment needed for rescue operations, if necessary, will be called for at the direction of the RIT Officer; (c) The RIT Officer shall ensure that a tethered rope bag is in place, to assist with the search and rescue of the downed emergency personnel. This process will help ensure a rapid exit of all personnel. (d) Once the downed emergency personnel is found, the RIT Officer will give direction and make the appropriate team decisions; (e) RIT personnel shall considered the following: 1. Silence personal alert safety system (PASS) device on the found emergency personnel; 2. All RIT personnel shall simultaneously stop breathing for a moment to determine if found emergency personnel is breathing; 3. Evaluate amount of remaining air in found emergency personnel cylinder, if possible; 4. Evaluate any break in the integrity of the air supply (face mask, regulator, etc.); Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/05/22, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) - 4 Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District Supplemental Manual Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) (f) 5. Rectify any air supply issues (attach to supplied air, replace mask, replace regulator); 6. Evaluate for entrapment; 7. Determine if extra personnel are needed to assist; 8. Determine if special tools or equipment are needed to help assist with the rescue; 9. Conduct a C.A.N. report to the IC and in the report provide that the down emergency personnel has been located (exp, quadrant, division, etc.); 10. Remove emergency personnel from the Hot Zone. The RIT Officer will have the option to determine the most appropriate means of egress when exiting the building (tethered rope, window, etc.). NOTE: In the event of RIT deployment, the IC must call for additional resources, maintain incident control, support RIT operations and continue emergency ground activities. Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/05/22, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) - 5