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Rapid Intervention / Mayday SOP

I am working on a project for our Training Chief. We would like to know how other departments are managing radio channels during a RIT operation and who manages the RIT operation. Please facts / SOP's only. We have already argued this to death.

1. What is your department SOP concerning switching channels during a RIT operation?

2. Does the RIT switch channels or the other fireground resources? Or does everyone stay on the same channel?

3. Does the Incident Commander take the RIT operation and turn the fireground operations over to another Chief or does he maintain the fireground and give the RIT operastion to another Chief?

4. Has your department actually deployed a RIT on an emergency call (not during a training exercise)? If you have, did the channel switch work well or not? Did the IC follow the SOP regarding who manages the RIT operation or did he keep it himself?

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Permalink Reply by Randy Kelly on April 15, 2009 at 6:36pm

Randy Kelly said:

In regard to your questions. 1. We have a county wide dedicated RIC channel (TAC 55). In the event of a RIC deployment, all crews not attached to the RIC operation will switch to TAC 55 and the RIC operation will stay on the originally assigned channel. The logic behind this is that the disabled firefighters may be unable to switch their radios over.

2. See #1.

3. For all working fires, we receive two BC's. One is the IC and the second is a safety officer who in the event of a RIC deployment will assume the role of RIC Group supervisor.

4. Thankfully we have not had a RIC deployment in our county.

Our countywide RIC program is based on the curriculum taught and NGLB "No one gets left behind" classes. It is fantqastic and theses guys have taught all over North America. I would be happy to pass on any info or talk with you about it. Please feel free to contact me. Most of our county info is available online as well.

Randy Kelly
randyk@menlofire.org

NGLB Training http://leerescue.com/enrollment.html
SMCO Manuals http://www.smc911dispatch.org/fire/policies2/RIC_2000-10_Policy.pdf

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Permalink Reply by Todd Ungar on April 16, 2009 at 9:13am

Similar to what Randy Kelly answered:

1. The firefighter(s) in distress, the IC, and RIT remain on the main channel; for the same reasons regarding the potential inability for a firefighter in distress to change channels.

2. All other fireground units will be directed to go to a TAC channel that will be assigned by Central Dispatch.

3. The IC has the ability to decide which role will be assumed, whether it's command or RIT ops.

4. No, thankfully we have not had to deploy RIT for an actual emergency.

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Permalink Reply by Douglas DuBree on April 16, 2009 at 1:01pm

Our policy and it's th way for our MABAS Divsision too is that everyone goes to a different channel leaving the firefighter in trouble and the RIT TEAM and RIT Chief on the channel they were on originally. The IC takes care of Fire ops and hands off the RIT operation to the RIT Chief who ahs the RIT Team under him. The RIT Chief stays outside and handles the RIT OPS. We have yet to have an emergency requiring a RIT activation.

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