Rapid Intervention: Focus on the R's

摘要

HAVING AN ORGANIZED, DEDICATED, and properly trained rapid intervention team (RIT) is one of the most important life safety functions we can commit to on the fireground. This team or group becomes our safety net when things go bad. Whether your local fire department refers to this special assignment as a RIT, a rapid intervention crew, or a firefighter assist and search team, the desired result is that all companies operating at the fire scene recognize and understand its purpose-saving our own. We typically think of rapid intervention as it relates to structure fires, but it can apply to any emergency condition we encounter including hazmat and special rescue. Many fire departments across the country-including my department, Piano (TX) Fire-Rescue-use the term RIT. That is how I will refer to it for this discussion.