SPRING

1
2006 SPRING BATTALION TRAINING RAPID
INTERVENTION TEAMS FIREFIGHTER SURVIVAL
2
MAYDAY OPERATIONS

• Training objective
• For all firefighters to be able to perform the
  appropriate actions when they become lost /
  trapped within a structure and to use proper
  search techniques during a RIT deployment.
• Performance objectives
• Recognition of a MAYDAY situation.
• Properly declare a MAYDAY.
• Portable radio usage and verbal transmission.
• Identify the ten (10) self-survival steps to be
  followed when lost/disoriented or trapped in a
  structure.
• Troubleshoot encounters
• Emergency SCBA Operations.
• Identify and correct the six (6) most common SCBA
  emergencies.
• Command role in a Mayday situation.

3
4 INDIVIDUAL CHALLENGE GOALS

• Recognize that you are in a MAYDAY situation
• Activate your EA button if accessible
• Give your UCAN report
• Activate your PASS device
• Continue to the next challenge .
• Scenario 1 Falling through a floor
• Scenario 2 Being pinned under a ceiling
  collapse
• Scenario 3 Getting lost / trapped in a room
• Scenario 4 Becoming stuck while exiting a
  structure

4

• Having a successful outcome in a MAYDAY
  situation is based on a coordinated effort in 3
  areas
• 1. The portable radio
• 2. The firefighter in trouble
• 3. The recognition and reaction by
  
  communications
  / command
• A failure in any component part of this system
  can be disastrous. We need to study, test, train,
  and drill the entire MAYDAY calling system if we
  expect it to work when we need it.
• Pittsburgh Drill
• Objective
• To perform as a full crew in a RIT mode to
  locate, assess and rescue a down firefighter. To
  be able to troubleshoot obstacles as a crew
  during initial entry, rescue operations and SCBA
  complications upon locating the down firefighter.

5
10 SURVIVAL STEPSfor theLost / Trapped
Firefighter

• EA Button activation
• Stay calm, preserve your air supply
• Activate your PASS
• UCAN Situation/Problem reporting
• Stay together if lost with your crew
• Search for an exit
• Follow a hose line or Search line to safety
• Retreat to an area of safety
• Horizontal positioning
• Flashlights and tool tapping

6
MAYDAY

• Indicators but not limited to!
• When a firefighter identifies that they, or a
  member of their team are

• Lost, trapped, disoriented, or injured and in
  need of assistance
• If you become tangled, pinned, or stuck and the
  low-air alarm activates
• If you fall through the roof
• If you become tangled, pinned, or stuck and do
  not extricate yourself in 60 seconds
• If you are caught in a flashover
• If you fall through the floor
• If there is zero visibility and no contact with
  the hose or lifeline and you do not know in which
  direction the exit is
• If your primary exit is blocked by fire or
  collapse and you are not at the secondary exit in
  30 seconds
• If your low-air alarm is activated and you are
  not at an exit door or window in 30 seconds or
• If you cannot find the exit door or window in 60
  seconds.
• Declare a MAYDAY in the following format

7
MAYDAY DECLARATION

• MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY
• U Unit Engine 5xxs portable to
• Command or P.W.
• C Condition I am low on air on the 2nd
• floor Bravo
  quad.
• A Actions I am looking for a window
• N Needs I need air.. I am
  activating my PASS alarm.
• Command Acknowledge
• Activate your PASS!

8
Command response to a MAYDAY

• Upon receipt of a MAYDAY, Command shall advise
  Prince William that a MAYDAY event has occurred
  and that all radio traffic must cease. Command
  shall acknowledge the MAYDAY and give orders to
  deploy the RIT.
• Immediately conduct a Personnel Accountability
  Roll-call (PAR), if the identification and
  location of the lost or trapped fire fighter is
  unknown. A SILENT PAR should be considered.
  Units that are NOT PAR will report to command and
  advise their situation. All other units will
  maintain radio discipline.
• Only radio traffic pertinent to the MAYDAY shall
  be permitted on the tactical channel.
• A radio operator should be used to communicate
  with the firefighter, freeing the incident
  commander to develop a rescue plan.
• Commit the Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) to the
  most appropriate location to initiate a rescue.
• Provide a brief report to Communications and
  request an additional tactical channel for
  incident operations. Communications will make the
  announcement of the new fire ground channel.
• Refer to addendum Lost/Trapped Firefighter
  Command Checklist for additional steps.
• Command shall notify Communications to announce
  the conclusion of the MAYDAY event.

9
LOST/TRAPPED FIREFIGHTER COMMAND CHECKLIST

• 1. INITIATE PAR CHECK-CONFIRM TOTAL NUMBER OF
  MISSING OR TRAPPED PERSONNEL
• 2. INITIATE EMERGENCY FIREGROUND ANNOUNCEMENT
  THAT MAY-DAY EVENT HAS OCCURRED
• 3. MAKE SEARCH AND RESCUE A HIGH INCIDENT
  PRIORITY
• 4. DEVELOP A RESCUE ACTION PLAN
• 5. MONITOR ALL INCIDENT RADIO CHANNELS
• 6. ASSIGN RIT TEAM TO SEARCH AND RESCUE
• 7. REQUEST ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
• 1) Command Staff
• 2) RIT Level 2-Task Force, if not already on
  scene
• 3) RIT Level 3-Collapse Rescue task Force, if
  Technical Rescue Capability is needed
• 4) EMS Capabilities
• 5) Fire Control
• 6) Relief
• 8. MAINTAIN FIRE ATTACK
• 9. EXPAND THE COMMAND ORGANIZATION
• 10. WITHDRAW AND CONTROL UNASSIGNED RESOURCES
  FROM THE SEARCH AND RESCUE AREA
• 11. MAINTAIN STRONG SUPERVISION IN ALL WORK AREAS
• 12. CONTROL AND RESTRICT UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY INTO
  THE STRUCTURE OR SEARCH AND RESCUE AREA
• 13. MAINTAIN AN ALS CAPABILITY FOR TREATMENT OF
  THE TRAPPED

10
Communications response to MAYDAY

• Broadcast the MAYDAY announcement on the
• incident channel.
• LONG ALERT TONE-
• MAYDAY TRAFFIC- ALL UNITS CLEAR THE AIR.
• Dedicate a dispatcher to monitor the channel of
  the MAYDAY event.
• If the firefighter comes up on an unassigned
  tactical channel, Command shall be advised and
  Communications shall remain with the firefighter
  on that channel.
• Immediately notify Command of radio emergency
  button activation (EA) and treat as a MAYDAY
  event until proven otherwise. Provide all
  pertinent information known about the unit I.D.
• Upon termination of MAYDAY event announce Resume
  normal radio traffic on the affected channel.

11
RAPID INTERVENTION TEAM OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES

• A primary job function of the level 1 RIT team
  is to take proactive measures to improve the
  safety of firefighters working inside of a
  structure fire. The level 1 RIT will be directly
  involved with or coordinate with the IC to assure
  that the following duties are achieved
• 1. Placement of ground ladders in strategic
  positions to support firefighter egress from the
  building
• 2. Placement of lighting at strategic building
  entry points to illuminate a point of egress.
• 3. Force open exterior doors in the operational
  area to improve egress opportunities.
• 4. Remove any window obstructions in the
  operational area such as bars, security screens,
  casement window frames, etc.
• 5. Confirm that utilities have been controlled.
• 6. Maintain readiness to react to a may day event
  (by order of the IC) while performing these
  duties.
• 7. Accountability, IAP, Stop at Command post
• The objectives of the initial RIT Team upon
  activation to a known MAY DAY situation is to
• Search, re-con, and locate lost/trapped
  firefighter.
• Remove the firefighter to a safe location if
  possible or provide an air
• supply to the trapped firefighter.
• Communicate with command on resource
  requirements needed to
• protect and rescue the trapped firefighter.

12
RIT LEVEL 2-RIT TASK FORCE

• The RIT Level-2 RIT Task Force consists of
• 1 Engine Company
• 1 Truck Company
• 1 Rescue Company or a unit with heavy rescue
  capabilities
• 1 Battalion Chief or Command Officer
• 1 ALS Unit
• These units are in addition to the units assigned
  to the initial box alarm or greater alarms.

• The need for a RIT Level 2 Task Force response is
  based on the incident commanders judgment of
  the incident conditions.
• The purpose of the RIT Level 2 Task Force is to
  have an enhanced rescue capability available to
  the incident commander during significant and/or
  difficult fire ground incidents, prior to a
  lost-trapped event occurring.
• Deteriorating conditions, large commercial
  building fires or other complex fire ground
  situations may warrant the request for this
  resource.
• When the RIT Task Force Alarm is dispatched,
  these units will arrive on the scene and augment
  the capabilities of the initial RIT Level-1
  Company. The resulting RIT resources are to be
  referred to as the RIT Group.
• The RIT Group will operate as any other Group
  within the ICS system, with the primary and sole
  function of firefighter rescue. The RIT Group can
  request additional resources to augment their
  capabilities as needed through the IC.

13
RIT LEVEL 3 COLLAPSE RESCUE TASK FORCE

• The RIT Level 3-Collapse Rescue Task Force
  consists of
• at least 2 Rescue Companies or units with
  structural collapse rescue capabilities
• a response unit with shoring capabilities, and
  support resources to include additional rescue
  tools, technical search equipment, and additional
  collapse rescue trained staffing.
• Each jurisdiction should identify which units are
  capable of these tasks.
• Incident commanders should consider requesting a
  greater alarm if a building collapse occurs, in
  order to maintain the fire attack and initiate
  immediate and prolonged rescue operations.
• When the RIT Level 3 Collapse Rescue Task Force
  is dispatched, these units will arrive on the
  scene and augment the capabilities of the initial
  RIT Level-1 Company and the Level 2 Task Force.
  It is imperative that a Level 2 RIT Task Force
  has already been requested for the incident to
  assure sufficient and correct resources are
  available to manage the collapse rescue problem.
• If a Level 2 RIT Task Force has not been
  dispatched, it must be requested along with the
  Level 3 Collapse Task Force.

14
RAPID INTERVENTION TEAM RECONNAISSANCE

• RIT RECON TEAM
• There may be occasions when the RIT may locate a
  trapped or downed firefighter, and conditions may
  not allow rapid extrication from the hazard area.
  
• This scenario will call for a RIT RECON TEAM. The
  purpose of this Recon Team is to protect the
  trapped firefighter in place until the fire can
  be controlled or more resources are gathered to
  complete the rescue.
• Equipment
• Search line deployed to the F/F
• Additional RIT packs brought to F/F
• Hose line deployed to F/F
• Sump pumps if flooding occurs
• Fire blankets