JM15

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Posts posted by JM15

  7. Posted

    I thought the original intent of fleet day was for fleet managers and people who spec and buy municipal vehicles and equipment to get out there and see other agencies vehicles and for dealers to display what they have to offer?

    I was thinking the same thing... I thought originally also it wasn't open to the publc.

  8. Posted · Edited by JM15

    I think I started the confusion here and so far this has been a great discussion with a lot of input from some very knowledgeable members. I think that we are all talking about the same thing. My intention was to illustrate that no matter what you call them you still have to meet the 2in/2out, It is basic principles to improve firefighter safety. What I was trying to bring up was those first initial minutes before a FAST team arrives you need some protection for the manpower in the IDLH zone. These are the precious minutes when things can go bad quick, flashover, backdraft etc. The bottom line is that at all times you should be following the 2in/2out even before the FAST team arrives. While these terms are very similar or almost interchangeable there are some differences. I see a FAST team as a full company of firefighters who are dedicated to that job. While on the other hand a "RIT" team as a smaller compliment of firefighters who can perform the 2in/2out responsibilities until the arrival of the dedicated FAST team to relieve them so they can perform other fireground functions. During this time (usually those hectic and dangerous first few minutes) they can perform any rescue of firefighters that might be needed. For example I believe Montrose VA FD provides "RIT" services to the surrounding departments usually with a 2 or 3 man crew (someone correct me if that is wrong). Those are how I would differentiate between the two terms.

    Just to throw some more wrenches into the gears NIMS would type both FAST teams and RIT teams as RIC's (Rapid Intervention Crews).

    Just some more terms I found quickly using a Google search...

    IRIC Initial Rapid Intervention Crew

    RIC Rapid Intervention Crew

    RIT Rapid Intervention Team

    FAST Firefighter Assist and Search (or Safety) Team

    IRT Immediate Response Team

    RAT Rescue Assist Team

    FRAT Firefighter Rescue Available Team

    RDU Rapid Deployment Unit

    RICO Rapid intervention company operations

    RRT Rapid Response Team

    GO Team

    FAT Firefighter Assist Team

    Edit: Our department SOG's state it a little clearer than what I had posted.

    Immediately upon the confirmation of any structure fire, or any fire that includes an interior attack, a Firefighter

    Assist and Search Team (FAST) shall be requested from a Mutual Aid company. In addition, a Rapid

    Intervention Team (RIT), consisting of a minimum of four (4) interior firefighters should stand-by until the

    FAST arrives.

  9. Posted

    Yes sometimes it does take a little while for the "FAS Team" to get there but in the mean time you still have to meet the 2 in 2 out requirements, and be prepared in the event of a firefighter emergency. That is where the RIT concept comes into play. A RIT team is smaller so it is less manpower intrusive and can be accomplished with 2 or 3 members who standby untill relieved by the dedicated FAST.

    firemoose827 likes this

  17. Posted · Edited by JM15

    You are correct. 29 CFR 1910.156 Section C outlines the training requirements for FD's and specifically mentions OFPC as an example of appropriate training. So why is this an issue in Texas? Am I missing something? Just remember NFPA and OSHA are just standards not laws, I would like to see a New York state labor law with regards to fire training such as we have with the bailout ropes, workplace violence etc.

  18. Posted

    Someone correct me if I am wrong but here in NY we dont have a minimum level of training that is required of volunteers. It all comes back to that term "Authority Having Jurisdiction." In most cases the Board of Fire Commissioners or equivalent have the sole authority to deem whatever they feel necessary. OFPC has a "reccomended" minimum that is a guideline for the AHJ to follow up it isn't law.

  20. Posted

    Has FDNY taken delivery of this piece and/or put it into service yet? Haven't seen any shots of it other than the Ferrara ones.

    Also, in case anyone is interested, found this article explaining FDNY's HAZMAT Operations and their new PPE. Pretty interesting and it kind of makes sense of all the Special Ops units you see floating around the city. We actually got the Lion MT-94s for our HAZMAT Team, haven't used them for real yet but these new NFPA suits are much better than the traditional styles.

    http://firechief.com/hazmat/ar/fdny-chemical-protective-clothing-201109

    That was a great read thanks for posting!

    SageVigiles likes this

  21. Posted

    Yes FDNY EMS issued vests to their members. its personal preference whether or not you want to wear them though. Mine usually lives in the car while I'm on my regular tours, and most people don't wear them. They mostly come out more for the special event type stuff, eg the West Indian Day Parade, New Years Eve etc. There are a few people who wear them all the time though. There are a few cases where I think the vests could give a false sense of security, enabling people to get into situations where they may have backed off if they diddnt have a vest (the same could be said in the argument for arming ems providers), but there is no way everyone is going to wear a vest unless it comes down from the top and is put in the ops guide. A huge part of the way we operate on scene depends on our ability or read people, and instincts if something doesn't feel right. And most of the time we are good at using our judgement, but sometimes stuff happens and incidents like what happened in Georgia take place. Not being there personally I can say what happened, but I think we tend to get complacent when it comes to calls that get dispatched as "sick" jobs. I cant count how many I went to in the past week. Most of the time its nothing, but occasionally its something like a stroke or an arrest. Or it could be someone with malicious intent as in West Webster or Georgia. I get enough people calling me officer without body armor, to the point where with a vest I think patients might be hesitant towards giving honest information. I don't think wearing a vest all the time is really a solution for these very low frequency events. A vest is no substitute for using your own judgement/ instincts in determining whether or not your scene is safe enough for you to operate in.

    Thanks for the clarification and an awesome post! Wish I could like that more than once....

  23. Posted

    BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. — The bombing in Boston, where responders can be seen running toward the explosions, and the December attacks in Western NY where a man started a fire and shot and killed the responding firefighters, underscore the danger that emergency responders could encounter on any given day.

    "The only difference is EMS providers are the ones who don't have safety equipment. A polo shirt and a pair of Dickies is not safety equipment," said Tim Thomas, a paramedic and assistant chief of the Community Emergency Corps.

    Full article at: http://www.firerescue1.com/fire-products/Personal-protective-equipment-ppe/articles/1441229-NY-responders-to-wear-body-armor-to-medical-calls/