Rapid Intervention Team & MAYDAY Procedures

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
WHY
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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
SCOPE
This SOP meets or exceeds the intent of
applicable sections within Chapter 6, Emergency
Operations, of NFPA 1500, Standards on Fire
Department Occupational Safety and Health
Program. It also intends to meet requirements of
the OSHA Respirator Protection Standard 1910.134
and OSHA 2 in/2 out Rule 308-134e.
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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
Purpose
The purpose of this Standard Operating Procedure
(SOP) is to outline the procedures for members
entering an IDLH atmosphere or working in and
environment recognized to be unstable.
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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
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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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
DEFINITIONS IDLH

• Immediately dangerous to life or health
• Oxygen level below 19.5
• Lower explosive limits in excess of 10
• Toxins in excess of the Permissible Exposure
  Level
• Confined space, collapse or any other situation
  recognized to be unstable and could cause injury.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
DEFINITIONS IDLH

• An atmosphere that poses an immediate
  threat to life
• Would cause irreversible adverse health effects
  or would impair an individuals ability to escape
  from a dangerous atmosphere.
• The interior of a structure involved in fire,
  beyond the incipient stage, is considered IDLH
  atmosphere.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
Incipient Stage Fire

• A fire in the initial stage
• Can be controlled or extinguished using portable
  extinguishers, or small hose systems
• Without the need for protective clothing or
  self-contained breathing apparatus.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
Personal Accountability Report (PAR)

• Report given to Command or Operations that all
  members of the crew are accounted for.
• Periodically completed to check on personnel.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
Personal Accountability Report (PAR) Example

• Accountability to unit 3352W PAR?
• Unit 3352W to Accountability we are PAR w/four.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
Level 1 RIT

• 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 (IDLH atmosphere)
• Who fall victim to an unstable situation (e.g.
  confined space, collapse) at a emergency scene.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
Level 2 RIT

• A team consisting of a minimum of four trained
  members
• Duties are the same as Level 1 RIT

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
Multiple RIT teams shall be referred to as RIT
1, RIT 2, etc. Regardless of Level
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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
SPLITTING RAPIDINTERVENTION TEAMS

• RIT-1W The primary crew
• RIT-1X The secondary crew
• There shall be a minimum of two firefighters
  assigned to each crew.
• Each crew shall be equipped with a
  transceiver/radio.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
MAYDAY

• 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.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
RIT Group Leader

• Sector officer whose function is the tracking of
  the entry teams and command of rapid intervention
  operations.
• 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

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
RIT Kit (Rescue equipment)

• Desirable equipment
• RIT Kit

• Transceiver

• Secured hand-line
• Forcible entry tools
• Rescue rope
• Hand light
• TIC

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
RIT Kit (Rescue equipment)

• 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.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
RIT Kit (Rescue equipment)

• RIT Kit to have as a minimum the following
  equipment. SCBA cylinder, spare mask, regulator,
  flashlight, search rope, door chocks and wire
  cutters.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
IMPLEMENTATION

• RIT shall be implemented during the initial
  stages of an incident.
• Multiple RITs may be established on large
  incidents (numbers assigned like sectors)
• RITs shall be assigned to the RIT Group Leader.
• RIT Group Leader will report to command.
• If a RIT Group Leader is not designated, then RIT
  will report directly to the IC.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
IMPLEMENTATION

• RIT shall report to the Command Post unless given
  a different assignment. A RIT kit from each
  dept. operating on the scene is needed.

• After RIT surveys the incident scene, RIT shall
  gather and/or call for any additional tools or
  equipment, not carried in the RIT Kit that may be
  needed to affect a rescue.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
IMPLEMENTATION

• RIT shall place the equipment on a tarp in their
  designated sector.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
IMPLEMENTATION

• 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.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
IMPLEMENTATION

• RIT members, except for RIT Group Leader, may be
  utilized for other support activities at the
  incident.
• HOWEVER, these activities shall not, if
  abandoned due to rescue operations, place any
  personnel at additional risks.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
IMPLEMENTATION

• RIT members must maintain visual or voice contact
  with one another at all times.
• RIT shall announce, via radio to the IC, 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.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
Entry Team

• No Entry Team shall enter into an IDLH until RIT
  has been established. (See Exceptions to
  Two-In/Two-Out)

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
Exceptions to Two-In/Two-Out

• 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.
• If rescue operations are initiated without an RIT
  in place, Command shall be notified and an RIT
  shall be established as available crews can be
  assigned.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
Exceptions to Two-In/Two-Out

• A written report of deviation from this SOP
  containing all pertinent information including
  the source of the reported rescue and the outcome
  shall be submitted by the Company Commander to
  the Safety Officer.
• The Safety Officer, after reviewing the written
  report of deviation, shall forward a report to
  the Chief.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
MAYDAY Procedures

• 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 emergency
  identification button on their transceiver
• They shall also activate the manual alarm on
  their PASS device.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
MAYDAY Procedures

• They shall transmit the MAYDAY via radio by
  announcing in increments of three MAYDAY,
  MAYDAY, MAYDAY followed by a radio message to IC
  identifying themselves along, 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.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
MAYDAY Example

• MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY, this is unit 7132W, I
  am located on the first floor side 2-3 and a
  firefighter has fallen through the floor into the
  basement, send help.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
MAYDAY Procedures

• 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.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
Rapid Intervention Procedures

• RIT will only be deployed upon orders from the
  Incident Commander (IC)
• 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 units may be switched to another
  channel so as not to interfere with RIT rescue
  activities.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
Rapid Intervention Procedures

• 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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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
Rapid Intervention Implementation

• 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.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
Rapid Intervention Implementation

• 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.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
Rapid Intervention Procedures

• When RIT locates a downed firefighter(s) they
  shall notify the RIT Group Leader by name 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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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
AWARE Principle

• Trapped emergency responders hopes of survival
  depend on the following four critical needs.

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 distributor to protect the victim.
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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
AWARE Principle

• 3. A Radio If the victim is conscious and able
  to communicate, RIT may want to provide the
  trapped victim with a transceiver to monitor his
  condition. Depending upon the size of the
  incident, a separate radio channel may be
  designated for the victim to use.
• 4. Extrication Removal of the victim.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
Rapid Intervention Procedures

• RIT should give the estimated time it will take
  to complete the rescue and advise the RIT Group
  Leader or Command of their plan.
• The RIT Group Leader 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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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
Termination of RIT

• RIT can only be terminated when the incident does
  not meet one of the definitions of an IDLH.
• Or when responders are not in a Confined space,
  collapse or any other situation recognized to be
  unstable that could cause injury.

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
QUIZ
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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
QUIZ

• Level 1 RIT will consist of no less than
  ___________ trained firefighter(s).
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
QUIZ

• The interior structure involved in fire, beyond
  the incipient stage is considered an ____________
  atmosphere.
• PAR
• BLEVE
• IDLH
• RIT

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
QUIZ

• 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.
• Level 1 RIT
• Level 2 RIT
• Level 3 RIT
• Level 4 RIT

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
QUIZ

• 4. Trapped emergency responders hopes of
  survival may depend on which of the following
  four needs?
• Air
• Water
• Radio
• Extrication
• All the above

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
QUIZ

• 5. The RIT Group Leader is a sector officer who
  reports directly to _______.
• The Incident Commander
• A Company Officer
• The Safety Officer
• No one, he/she is in charge

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
QUIZ

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

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
QUIZ

• 7. If rescue operations are initiated without a
  RIT in place, the company officer must
  _________________.
• resign
• submit a written report of deviation
• be counseled
• demoted

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
QUIZ

• 8. A report given to command or Operations that
  all members of the crew are accounted for.
• TIC
• AWARE
• IDLH
• PAR

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
QUIZ

• 9. When a Level 2 Rapid Intervention Team is
  split up into two crews. The crews are
  identified as RIT-1W and RIT-1X.
• True
• False

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
QUIZ

• 10. The Rapid Intervention Team can be terminated
  at any time as long as it was set up initially.
• True
• False

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
QUIZ Answers
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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
QUIZ Answers

• Level 1 RIT will consist of no less than
  ___________ trained firefighter(s).
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
QUIZ Answers

• The interior structure involved in fire, beyond
  the incipient stage is considered an ____________
  atmosphere.
• PAR
• BLEVE
• IDLH
• RIT

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
QUIZ Answers

• 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.
• Level 1 RIT
• Level 2 RIT
• Level 3 RIT
• Level 4 RIT

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
QUIZ Answers

• 4. Trapped emergency responders hopes of
  survival may depend on which of the following
  four needs?
• Air
• Water
• Radio
• Extrication
• All the above

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
QUIZ Answers

• 5. The RIT Group Leader is a sector officer who
  reports directly to _______.
• The Incident Commander
• A Company Officer
• The Safety Officer
• No one, he/she is in charge

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
QUIZ Answers

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

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
QUIZ Answers

• 7. If rescue operations are initiated without a
  RIT in place, the company officer must
  _________________.
• resign
• submit a written report of deviation
• be counseled
• demoted

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
QUIZ Answers

• 8. A report given to command or Operations that
  all members of the crew are accounted for.
• TIC
• AWARE
• IDLH
• PAR

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
QUIZ Answers

• 9. When a Level 2 Rapid Intervention Team is
  split up into two crews. The crews are
  identified as RIT-1W and RIT-1X.
• True
• False

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures
QUIZ Answers

• 10. The Rapid Intervention Team can be terminated
  at any time as long as it was set up initially.
• True
• False

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Rapid Intervention Team MAYDAY Procedures

• Any questions or comments concerning the Rapid
  Intervention S.O.P. or the PowerPoint
  Presentation can be forwarded to the Jefferson
  County Instructors Association.