11 replies to this topic

[FFMeredith]

In the Uk we don't have a RIT team, we have emergency SCBA crews on standby but no RIT. Just wanted to know, what does the RIT team do? How many people operate a RIT? I think it stands for Rapid Intervention Team? When would they coem to use?

 

Only enquiring after watching a OneNineTruck video, where each persons cylinder has 'RIT' on the cover.

 

Thanks in advance

-FFMeredith

[erfd]

RIT is basically a rescue team for the fire fighters if something goes wrong. There job is to standby and find out the best way to rescue lost, confused, injured, and trapped fire fighters if a situation arises. 

[Fred03]

Yeah the RIT (Rapid Intervention Team) is a 2 man team that are equipped to the same level or above the firefighters in the house, they can be assigned menial jobs on the scene as long as they can stop doing them immediately if needed. The job of a RIT (or RIC) is to go in and aid firefighters if a "mayday " is called, they often carry a specialized SCBA bottle that can be connected directly to a firefighter's SCBA.

[squamishfire]

Yeah the RIT (Rapid Intervention Team) is a 2 man team that are equipped to the same level or above the firefighters in the house, they can be assigned menial jobs on the scene as long as they can stop doing them immediately if needed. The job of a RIT (or RIC) is to go in and aid firefighters if a "mayday " is called, they often carry a specialized SCBA bottle that can be connected directly to a firefighter's SCBA.

 

RIT is a min of 02 fire fighters... I have seen as many as 3 Fire Fighters and a Officer.  It is really up to the Dept on how many you are to have and of course staffing levels.

 

NFPA also stats that you have to have a RIT team established within 15 minutes if you have FF inside a working fire... If after 15 minutes you do not have a RIT established the interior teams are to pull out until a RIT is established.   A lot of Fire departments makes Second in Engine the RIT engine.

[MCERT1]

I'll echo most of the same in this thread.  RIT teams are a minimum of 2, but it  usually takes quite a bit more. Preferably we keep it at a minimum of 5 . They are usually our rescue, or third due engine. The team stands by with a set of emergency equipment for extrication (axes, saws, halligans) and rescue ( extra scba, stokes basket). 

[Newfoundking]

I can't speak for other jurisdictions, but here we'll have two people dedicated to RIT and depending on the size of the job, we could have another five or ten ready to drop everything and go in with similar gear, less than a minute behind

[CFDDIVE11]

In Chicago they assign a truck company to RIT and have a battalion chief be the RIT chief and then have a ambulance assigned to only RIT and they would be the transport ambulance if a FF went down.

[squamishfire]

That's interesting...

 

Do a lot of departments have a once when you are done 2 air bottles you have to get checked out by EMS before your allowed back in?  Sorry if it seems like hijacking.

[Fred03]

My experience with rural VFDs never involved anything like that.

[CFDDIVE11]

Around here when once you leave the building you go to rehab which is a EMS unit and just get checked out to make sure your ok.

[Newfoundking]

Here we do rehab through dedicated fire units, but it really depends on need.VFD may not use things the same due to manpower issues

[Hokiefireman]

RIT/FAST teams should be a crew or company( at larger incidents even a full alarm) assigns to do nothing but stand by and prep for a firefighter MAYDAY. The only things a RIT crew should be doing on scene is making sure any MAYDAY situation can be handle faster, placing more ladders ETC.