Fire question...

[flydream777]

After I hear a call for a structure fire sometimes they will dispatch an additional engine for RIT, or WRIT, or something like that (i dont know how it's spelled, but it sounds like "rit")... Is that an acronym for smthg or what is it?

p.s. - im in northern illinois...

 

[RESCUE4NFD]

Rit Team

RIT-Rapid Intervention Team...

 

[robbinsj2]

Sometimes also called a FAST -- Firefighter Assist and Search Team.

Basically it's a crew whose primary task at the fireground is to aid firefighters in need (trapped, lost, otherwise down, whatever). Optimally they'll have advanced training in those operations and will not be distracted by any other assignments at the scene, though a good team will go to work before a firefighter needs them by laddering the building, making access points at key locations, prepositioning equipment, etc.

Jim

 

[flydream777]

Thanks a lot, guys...

 

[DaveNF2G]

RIT and FAST are actually two different things. Sometimes you'll get both at the same scene.

 

[robbinsj2]

RIT and FAST are actually two different things. Sometimes you'll get both at the same scene.

Would you please elaborate on the difference? Around here they're used interchangably. Google searches show them considered the same at Firehouse.com, Wikipedia, and US Fire Administration (page 20, under definition for RIT).

 

[DaveNF2G]

Well, maybe it's New Yorkers doing things differently from everyone else, as usual.

RIT = Rapid Intervention Team - additional manpower deployed for fire attack.

FAST = Firefighter Assisted Search Team - additional manpower deployed to assist with primary and secondary searches for victims.

I have heard RIT sent by one department and FAST by another to the same fire scene several times.

 

[DELCOLHFC]

Well, maybe it's New Yorkers doing things differently from everyone else, as usual.

RIT = Rapid Intervention Team - additional manpower deployed for fire attack.

FAST = Firefighter Assisted Search Team - additional manpower deployed to assist with primary and secondary searches for victims.

I have heard RIT sent by one department and FAST by another to the same fire scene several times.

Thats a new one on me, around here we would just request an additional Engine/Ladder/Rescue for additional manpower if needed. As others have stated my area uses the two terms interchangably.

 

[mandlair]

Also let us not forget,quint use sometime in my area for multi-use engine or truck and surrounding areas.But not sure if and when use they are referring to multitasking engine or not.maybe just using the term loosely?Mike

 

[kingpin]

I was on our RIT here and as mentioned above, we stood by near an entrypoint ready to go in should a firefighter need rescue. because rescuing firefighters presents different physical challenges, We're trained in advanced search and rescue tactics to find them and get them out. 99% of the time, you stand by and never get deployed but that's all you do on the fireground... sit and wait. Nothing else until you are called in to assist a down firefighter.

 

[tnf]

Well here in central NY RIT and FAST are used interchangably and do the task that robbinsj2 described. I have never heard either of the definitions that DaveNF2G gave...

 

[Alarms50]

FAST = Firefighter Assisted Search Team - additional manpower deployed to assist with primary and secondary searches for victims.

As a three term Captain, current Lieutenant and a member of my Department's FASTeam, I have never heard of a Firefighter Assisted Search Team. I have always heard it called a Firefighter Assist Search Team.

The name derives from a Firefighter needing assistance, hence assist one of our brother or sisters. If it were a Firefighter Assisted Team, who would be assisting the Firefighters implied in the name? We definately frown on anyone assisting us at a scene who is not properly trained for the job at hand.

Regarding your hearing two different FD's sending a RIT and a FAST to the same incident, it is just that some FD's call it RIT, some call it FAST, they do the same job. Reasons two or more FD's may have sent RIT/FAST to the same job are: first RIT/FAST going to work at the job, whether it being an actual Firefighter rescue or the IC putting them to work on the job due to a shortage of manpower (another RIT/FAST needs to be called in to the scene for another potential rescue), or the incident may be too large for one RIT/FAST to cover so the second RIT/FAST would be positioned at a sector removed from the first RIT/FAST.

 

[DaveNF2G]

That doesn't make much sense, either. Why call the same thing by two different names within the same mutual aid region?

See, this is why "interoperability" is such a red herring. We can't even get firefighters talking the same language as each other.

 

[robbinsj2]

Around here FAST is the legacy term and RIT is the current term, being encouraged at NIMS and basic firefighter and RIT classes. But also, around here, everybody who might participate or need their services knows they are synonymous, and there is most definitely a move to adopt RIT.

It'll be years before the transition is close enough to complete, and years more before others like "tanker task force" are changed to "tender strike team". Does that mean it is not worth doing? I disagree, my personal opinion that standardized terminology for interoperations purposes is a worthy goal. (Standardized communications, as in radio frequencies and technical compatibilities, is a related but separate issue.)

Jim

 

[Alarms50]

That doesn't make much sense, either. Why call the same thing by two different names within the same mutual aid region?

See, this is why "interoperability" is such a red herring. We can't even get firefighters talking the same language as each other.

I agree with you on this. The problem stems from every agency wanting to do, or call it the way they want. NIMS will take time to be ingrained in the various response agencies, but at least there is now a push for everyone to be on the same page.

 

[DELCOLHFC]

Tankers, Tenders and tender tankers..........

It'll be years before the transition is close enough to complete, and years more before others like "tanker task force" are changed to "tender strike team"




Don't even get me started on this "tankers are now tenders" nonsense! For decades all across the country tankers have been tankers (ya know good ole tank trucks...) and there are many thousands of them in service. Now we are being told that to conform to National Standards what have always been known as 'Tankers' (around these parts anyway) must now be called 'Tenders' because a few hundred firefighting aircraft are to be known as 'Tankers' and we must rename to avoid confusion between the two types. Well I'm all for interoperability and standardization of terminology but this seems a little silly simply based on the numbers and history. I'm sure there are plenty of folks out there that will tell me I'm out of touch with their reality and the fact that in my 28 year career in the fire service I have never even seen a 'Tanker' (Aircraft that drops water/retardant) let alone operated with one is the reason I don't get it.
Enough of my silly rant for now, the home heating oil delivery man just rolled up in his 'Oil Tender' and I want to ask him how fast they need to spin the propellers on those big 'Oil Tankers' to get them up out of the water and into flight.........