BATTALION 14 News & Information

Yesterday's RIC drill afforded every company in Battalion 14 the chance to either demonstrate or observe standard RIC operations. During the classroom portion of the exercise many aspects of Rapid Intervention were discussed including the following:

1. The scenario given was "Worst Case" - A member who was missing and presumed down. The member was not communicating, had not activated his PASS device and it was unclear where he was last seen.

2. There were two hoselines going into the only entry point with both lines heading in opposite directions. RIC companies were forced to make a choice on which line to follow based on very limited information that was given by the firefighting company on scene.








Lessons Learned included:

1. The speed of the operation determines whether it will be a body recovery or a successful rescue.

2. RIC teams must periodically pause their operation for a short time to listen for the downed member. (Stop/Look/Listen)

3. It is the responsibility of SOD officers and members to make sure that they have a solid RIC plan and operation at the beginning of every shift.

4. Do not pull the firefighting hoseline tight on the initial search. The downed member may be adjacent to the hoseline and pulling it tight may pull it away from him.

5. One of the RIC teams top priorities is to get the downed member "on air" at the earliest possible point.

6. Use the building features to assist in the rescue. In this scenario once the member was found he was taken out through an adjacent rolling steel door that was forcibally opened rather than carried back approximately 100 feet to the entrance portal.

7. The assigned RIC team(s) should coordinate with the company(s) assigned to complete forcible entry/exit. Working together they can accomplish more.

8. Once it is determined that a member is in trouble two things need to happen (in addition to the RIC team ops) 1. F/F ops, including ventilation, must continue or even intensify. 2. Exterior members must make every effort to open every exit, or make additional exits. Consider breaching walls, removing windows, doors, etc.

9. Continually sweep the exterior perimeter and look for signs of Self Rescue. The trapped member may have kicked a wall and you may see a hand, foot, or piece of equipment in a hole that could indicate his location. Look in windows and just below windows if possible.



















Steps that members can take to peform "Self Rescue" or increase their chances of being found were discussed including:

1. EARLY RECOGNITION. All members need to recognize when they are in trouble, or may be in trouble, at the earliest possible moment and take the appropriate measures. There is no shame in activating your PASS device or hitting your Emergency Trigger. Better safe than sorry. A young member may fail to do so simply because he doesn't have the knowledge base or experience to recognize a bad situation. The veteran may fail to act, even though he recognizes a bad situation, due to a false sense of security based on getting out of similiar situations in the past.

2. LOCATION AWARENESS. Take a moment to get your bearings periodically during an incident. Find a wall, memorize your path, have an exit strategy in case you do get in trouble.

3. 6th SENSE. We all have it. It will develop as you gain experience. Basically if something doesn't feel right to you....it isn't. If you're with someone tell them. If you're alone your're already in trouble and should join your company or exit the building.

4. EQUIPMENT CHECK. Full bottle. Fresh radio battery. Proper radio I.D. . Proper PPEs worn correctly.














Once a member is in trouble the following steps should be taken/considered:

1. Activate PASS. Call for help on TAC Channel. If possible, activate Emergency Trigger. Communicate your Name, Company I.D., Location, Condition, Hoseline and anything else that will help the other members or RIC team find you.

2. Stay on the hoseline. This is where the intial search will concentrate. If you can get to a wall take the hoseline with you.

3. Make every attempt to stay calm. Keep your facepiece on. Control and slow your breathing because your life depends on it.

4. Turn on your Flashlight and/or Helmet Light. Listen for the RIC team or other members and tell them that you hear them over the radio or make noise by banging on something so they can find you.

5. Attempt Self Rescue. If you can kick through an exterior wall, even enough to get a hand or foot out, do it. Keep the line with you.

An important discussion was held involving the importance of controlling and slowing your breathing and how it can dramatically improve your chances of survival including:

1. The first time you "run out of air" should not be at an incident. EVERY member needs to suit up and "run out of air" in a controlled/non-emergency situation. Members need to know exactly what this feels like and better prepare themselves for this situation ahead of time. THE FIRST TIME YOU RUN OUT OF AIR SHOULD NOT BE AT AN EMERGENCY!

2. A former member of Fire Station 60 was able to get nearly 2 HOURS out of a 30 minute air bottle using equipment manipulation and breathing techniques. Look for a post in the very near future that will detail this operation.

3. Once communication is established the I.C. should tell the member in trouble that "Help Is On The Way" and to "Stay Calm". Lowering a member's anxiety level should help the member to control their breathing and improve their chances for survival.















It was agreed by all members that when it comes to RIC operations the following holds true:

"THIS IS NOT EASY"

It was also agreed that although there a number of ways to accomplish the goal of a successful rescue all companies should: (as a minimum requirement)

"HAVE A PLAN"


Note* Light Force 60 is working on an RIC operation that takes full advantage of new equipment available to the field. An RIC rescue of a downed member in the basement of Drill Tower 89 at the exercise using the new operation took only 7 minutes from time of entry until the member was brought out to street level. Look for a future post detailing this operation following additional testing and development in the near future.

The Battalion 14 commanders would like to thank all of the members who attended this training for their contributions. If you were not there ask them about it or contact the Battalion 14 office for information. We are developing a Powerpoint summary that we will be happy to make available to all interested members based on the exercise.

Stay safe!