Rapid Intervention Team and TIC
This recent Tuesday nights drill was held at the recently acquired training/admin complex next to the Forest Hill station and focused on the RIT or Rapid Intervention Team and TIC. This location gives us a wide variety of options for training scenarios.
This night’s drill topic was on the RIT or the rapid intervention team. The RIT is a predesignated dedicated crew of firefighters whose sole responsibility on the fire-ground is to be prepared to deploy in the event of a firefighter MAYDAY situation. This crew assembles all the neededd tools and equipment as they arrive on scene, hopefully never to have to be activated.
In this RIT training scenario the crews were tasked to locate the “downed” firefighter in zero visibility (fog machine) and extract him/her to the outside safely where EMS would take over treatment. This video shows what a firefighter sees through a thermal imaging camera as his/her crew navigates to the down firefighter. This handheld tool is carried by the firefighter or officer of each interior crew as they navigate through the interior of a structure. It is the eyes for the crew when the firefighters can’t see for themselves.
The firefighter/officer operating the camera is responsible for calling out to the crew what he/she sees and how to safely navigate to the objective. The thermal camera greatly assists in leading the crew to trapped persons, the seat of the fire as well safely around any hazards that may exist they couldn’t normally see. The camera works by reading the heat signatures given off by the objects in the area. The firefighter/officer can read how the interior conditions are by the temp guide you see on the right side.
While the technology improves year over year the cost remains high. Depending on the brand and capabilities of the camera the prices can range from $5,000 to an avg of $10,000 up to $20K per device. They operate off of special batteries and have to be charged after their use both of which adds another layer of cost to the tool. RG
Video Courtesy: Aaron Bellmyer, Capt BAVFC