RIC and RIC equipment

Question 1

What is a RIC?

Answer 1

• What? Additional TFD suppression crew dispatched specifically for FF rescue or saving our own!
• Who? Closest engine or ladder company, along with closest EC (Safety)
• Why? OHSA CFR 1910.134 and NFPA 1561 require a minimum of 2 fully equipped personnel on scene in a ready state for immediate rescue of injured o trapped firefighters who have entered a potentially hazardous environment.
• Response? Code 2 until indication of a working fire, then RIC upgraded to code 3.

Question 2

What is the leading cause of FF fatalities while working in structure fires according to (1977-2006) FGS 2011?

Answer 2

a. Leading cause is cardiac
b. Almost all non-cardiac fatalities inside a structure fire were the result of:
i. Smoke inhalation
ii. Burns
iii. Crushing or internal trauma

Question 3

Why are Firefighters becoming victims?

Answer 3

a. Medical/fitness/cardiac
b. Separation from crew/lost
i. DON’T GET LOST!
ii. You’ll live longer
c. Trapped/entangled
d. Inadequate situational awareness
e. Improper tactics
f. Pride
i. It stings to have to ask for help
ii. Some people don’t want to leave the fun part (attacking the fire)
g. Others

Question 4

Why should I bother reading LODD reports?

Answer 4

Throughout your career, you owe it to your brothers and sisters who have sacrificed their lives to read and learn from the accident reports in your chosen field.

Question 5

Where can I find firefighter reports and most recent LODD reports?

Answer 5

a. NIOSH reports
b. Fire engineering magazine
c. Firehouse Magazine
d. Western Fire Chief

Question 6

Houston FD McDonalds fire LODD

Answer 6

i. 2/14/2000 at 0430
ii. Two LODDs
1. Fire Captain Lewis Mayo III
2. FF Kimberly Smith
iii. Initial dispatch 0433 for residential fire
iv. Arrival had a small amount of flame through the roof
v. Is McDonald’s worth it? No. They’ll just bulldoze it

Question 7

Phoenix FD Southwest Supermarket fire

Answer 7

i. 3/14/2001
ii. 5 alarms
iii. Over 100 firefighters
iv. 4 injured
v. One LODD – Firefighter Brett Tarver
vi. PFD Chief Alan Brunacini – “Our life expectancy inside a structure fire is limited to the air we carry on our backs”
vii. Southwest Supermarket fire timeline
1. 1654 – initial dispatch Engine 42 for dumpster fire
2. HAZMAT 4 self-dispatched
3. 1658 – balance of full alarm dispatched
4. 1700 – RIC, EN3, Rescue 3 dispatched
5. 1702 – EN14, EN21 on scene
6. 1725 – 2nd alarm dispatched
7. ~1800 – victim extricated

Question 8

TFD Maverick Fire

Answer 8

i. 2/25/2002 @0438

ii. 23 minutes later a catastrophic roof collapse occurred trapping 5 firefighters

Question 9

Toledo FD LODD

Answer 9

i. 1/26/2014
ii. Two LODDs
1. Firefighter Stephen Machinski
2. Firefighter James Dickman
iii. Crews opposite them opened a flowpath and created a flashover
iv. Need to do an exterior reset to knock the fire back to the incipient stage

Question 10

Boston FD LODD

Answer 10

i. 3/26/14
ii. Two LODDs
1. Firefighter Michael Kennedy
2. Lt. Ed Walsh
iii. Fast-moving, wind driven (40mph) fire ripped through Boston brownstone, trapping them in the basement with bad water supply

Question 11

TFD RIC history

Answer 11

a. Initiated approximately 1996
b. Four person RIC dispatched only after deemed working fire
c. RIC arrival had engineer assigned to accountability
d. RIC reports to and remains at command po9st
e. RIC member donned dual regulator air pack
f. 1997 TFD purchased 1st helmet mounted TIC with backpack battery for one easy payment of a mere $25,000.

Question 12

TFD RIC lessons and improvements

Answer 12

a. Brett Tarver fire (3/14/01) and Maverick Fire (2/25/02)
b. RIC committee formed and implemented
i. Four person RIC to remain intact
ii. RIC placed on initial dispatch
iii. Second EC added as “Safety”
iv. TIC on every engine and ladder
v. Portable radios for everyone!
vi. Fireground frequency changed to F1 (What is it now?
vii. SCBA voice amplifiers
viii. New rescue air systems
ix. Circular saws with rescue blades
x. CE’s on RIC procedures and FGS

Safety day and monthly on air drills

Question 13

Accountability systems that aid in figuring out who is down/in the fire

Answer 13

i. Helmet and SCBA unit identifiers
ii. SCBA face-piece names
iii. Turnout coat name

Question 14

Fireground accountability:

many pieces of the puzzle

Answer 14

a. PASSPORT system
b. Long into MDT
c. SCBA identification
d. SCBA facepiece name
e. Name on helmet
f. Name on turnout coat
g. Emergency button
h. Personnel Accountability Report (PAR)

Question 15

RIC equipment

Answer 15

a. Each BC and EC truck (8 total) shall carry identical RIC equipment in the passenger side shell compartment.
b. “Take only what you need to complete the job.”
c. RIC saw and rescue blade
i. Stihl trennschleifer 460
ii. Rescue blade
d. Scott RIC PAK II

Question 16

Don’t hate me, but….

Stihl TS 460 specs

Answer 16

1. Replacing the 360
2. 12 or 14in blade
3. 4.42 cuin 2 stroke motor
4. 50:1 fuel ratio
   a. One gallon + 2.5oz of oil = 51.2/1 ratio
5. Fuel capacity 2.1 pts (33.4oz)
6. Max RPM 5350 (blade speed)
7. Cutting depth 4.9in (with new 14in blade)
8. Weighs 23.5lbs without blade
9. Automatic belt tensioning

Question 17

Scott RIC PAK II

Answer 17

i. Pressure demand switch for unconscious person
ii. Quick fill pouch with 5ft high pressure quick fill hose
iii. Dual manifold: full face piece and regulator or female EBSS connection port

Question 18

RIC - officer/crew tasks

Answer 18

a. Size up
b. Constant radio monitoring of Fireground frequency(s)
c. Equipment (get it/prep it) ((typically 150 bumper lay))
d. Soften the building if applicable
e. Ladders if applicable
i. Ladder upper floors egress points where firefighters are working
ii. Ladder angle determined by type of ladder used and upper floor egress technique
f. Keep RIC members informed/plan

Question 19

How do we soften a building?

Answer 19

i. Purpose and procedure? (Know why we do it.)
ii. Hand tools vs Power tools
iii. Wrought iron security doors
iv. Forcing normal doors
v. HUD windows on vacant buildings
vi. Steel commercial doors
vii. Roll up doors

Question 20

Moving a downed firefighter

Answer 20

a. Get FF on their back
i. SCBA access
ii. Deactivate PASS
iii. Assess remaining air, LOC, breathing rate, etc.
iv. Prepare DRD and or SCBA straps
b. Might be easier to move FF with them on belly so SCBA doesn’t snag
c. Moving methods
i. Turnout coat FF drag device
ii. SCBA shoulder harness methods
iii. Two rescuer sled method
iv. Two firefighter stair carry

Question 21

Reality of RIC

Answer 21

a. RIC findings: it is unrealistic to expect a single company to locate, provide air, possibly disentangle and then extricate from a commercial structure.
b. 12:1 rescuer to victim ratio
c. Perishable skill – the Navy knows that landing and taking off an aircraft carrier is a perishable skill. A certain amount of practice in certain conditions is require to maintain the capability to do that professionally

Question 22

What was that Laurence Gonzales quote again?

Answer 22

“There are things you can’t control, so you better know how you’re going to react to them… you’d better have a plan.
There are things you can control and you better be controlling them all the time.”

Question 23

Great! Now I know all about the RIC crew!

Answer 23

Gaaaaah! Its not a RIC crew!
RIC stands for Rapid Intervention Crew. When you say “RIC crew”, you really are saying is “Rapid Intervention Crew Crew”, thou mewling crook-pated hedge-pig!