What steps has your department taken to clearly define the roles of RIT or FAST on the fireground?

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Permalink Reply by Bruce Green on July 24, 2008 at 4:30pm

My department operates a FAST. Currently we are on two area fire departments run cards for automatic dispatch for our FAST on structure fire assignments. We have operated a FAST for approximately seven years. Our manpower is limited,we have an '' active'' membership of 45 approximately. Out of that 45 we probably have about 15-18 that meet basic qualifications for FAST.Some of those 15-18 lack live fire experience. We fudge here and there, but the fact is that while we may not be at an optimal stage of manpower,training and experience, we're pretty much the only show in town. Alot of other departments in the area dont subscribe to the FAST concept. We keep fairly busy with our premeditated FAST contracts,especially with one department whose first due response area has exploded with new housing and actual working fires.One aspect that I like about how our department has tackled our manpower and training problems is that we train,monthly, as a department, on FAST. It gets everybody into the act,even the guys who arent gonna do FAST work. We take non-FAST firefighters onboard with us as room permits to FAST calls . They grab equipment etc..and haul it for us. They get to see fire(from the outside) but they're there and get used to how we do things. Our policies are that we dont respond with less than six FAST Members. If less than six, we notify Command and recommend a second FAST be dispatched. We have been to incidents where we were called in as a second FAST due to low manpower (and vice versa) and combined forces with other departments to provide FAST services.We operate on our own,relatively secure radio channel. We also have designated members of the team monitoring the other channels in use for a MAYDAY.Most,if not all , of our members have portable radios assigned to them at all times, just not FAST calls. It's something that our department feels strongly about..we strive to provide our interior firefighters portable radios. Some of our exterior firefighters are issued a radio also.When we arrive, we attempt to stage our equipment and manpower near the fire building,usually on the ALPHA side. We also try to stay within eyesight of Command. We, after staging equipment and manpower, confirm our assignments and are then usually allowed,two at a time,to circle the fire building to get a look at what we're up against. This recon is quick and depends on building size,conditions etc.. we dont want to be split up for too long. We make recommenadations through our boss to Command about safety issues we find during our recon. Typical things we find are lack of ladders or second means of egress off roofs, lack of ladders to second floor openings where firefighters are operating,poor lighting and poorly vented windows( not clear for an emergency bail out). We dont become actively engaged in the firefight.. we will help with quick things such as helping throw a ladder or taking a window again.. we dont wanna get caught up which takes away from our mission.Lastly, we make it known in advance that our tools that we bring are just that...our tools. We dont lend em out because someone jumped off the appartaus without a halligan.Our tools are there to possibly help a trapped member..everybody has kinda warmed to that concept but it was tough at first. Once we explained our position, guys were ok. The tools we bring with us are pretty much basic tools. Axes,halligans,hooks,chain saws,K12 saw, TIC,stokes basket, RIT-PAK,SCBA'S w/spare bottle,ropes,rigging..we'll garb a ladder if we have to, maul,a can etc.... We respond on our ten man cab rescue pumper and have access to any other equipment it has to offer.We are constatntly evaluating our operations to provide better service.

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