FAST Requirements

[Nickcv41 3]

Hey I'm trying to start a real organized department FAST. Anyone have any good ideas? Or would like to share how their department does it? Like riding requirements, good FAST drills, and just overall how they operate as a FAST.

[firemoose827 324]

Department FAST are hard to operate unless you have lots of interior trained firefighters. They tried it around me, but each department only has a handfull of interior firefighters, if there is a fire you will be fighting it, and there is no manpower left for the FAST. You need a dedicated rig for them to use as well, be it an engine, or utility/SUV truck they can carry their equipment in and respond. When called for mutual aid fires our manpower is used to fight the fire, and we cant provide enough for a FAST as well...so they went to a county wide team. They got members from around the county and split the county into divisions. If the fire is in "ABC" area then one set of FAST responds to the scene, if it is in "XYZ" area then the other team responds. This has worked well for us and we have a fully equipped and ready to act FAST on scene within minutes. A majority of their equipment is carried on the county Cascade truck which they pick up and respond in, the rest is taken from trucks on scene as agreed upon by the chiefs at the inception of the team. They have air packs with ID sleeves on them, and a TIC and rescue rope with hardware, they take tools, saws, ladders and whatever else they need from the trucks on scene.

Our FAST will attend all training held at the training tower, especially live burn training, and they will train with us as individual departments as well so they get real-time training and experience. They have their own drills as well. They are also used for any Firefighter 1 classes during the practical portions.

Another thing you need to look at if forming a department based FAST is this; say 5 of your interior trained firefighters respond to a neighboring district as FAST for a mutual aid fire, then while they are there you get a working fire as well, and you dont get enough firefighters to operate for the initial attack? I know there are a lot of "What if's" and I am aware of that but its just something you as a department will need to assess prior to forming a team.

Wish I could offer more useful advice, but my experience with forming a FAST is limited. I was on our county team when it was first created, was on the initial trainings we received as a team and went to a majority of the county meetings while they discussed our inception yet I have had 6 dislocations of my right shoulder, surgery to repair it and tons of PT since, and I am only at 90% with my right shoulder so I had to step down from the team. Im now one of those overweight crazy people with a white hat and a radio that causes all the grief on scenes and tells the FAST where to go instead...LOL

[PEMO3 523]

I have to give Nickcv41 credit for progressive thinking. On the same subject, I agree that a department would need ample manpower to staff their own FAST but just a quick question for those in the better know, wouldn't it be better for a department to have their own FAST operating on the fireground while waiting for the mutual aid FAST to arrive then have that FAST either relieve the department FAST or go to work? We see alot of times a delay in getting the other department FAST out which means working the job without FAST in place.

[SageVigiles 1,194]

I've noticed a lot of departments in Putnam/Westchester treat FAST/RIT as more of a "special ops" type of unit. This is fundamentally different than what we do here in CT, where we basically run our own RIT or call in any mutual aid department as our RIT team, as opposed to having designated departments within the region assigned to do it.

This seems like a pretty big fundamental difference, but I wonder does this concept work better, or is it that these departments largely don't have the extra manpower to have a fully staffed RIT team?

Not critiquing, just curious.

In Wallingford, CT the volunteer Rescue Company is the designated RIT team for the department. They are dispatched on all reported structure fires to act as RIT, but recently our company has also bolstered our RIT training in the interest of being prepared in the event the Rescue is tied up or can't get a crew. In West Haven the second due Rescue (Ambulance) is the initial 2-man RIT team, supplemented by additional companies and/or volunteers as they arrive.

[JM15 386]

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 324]

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.

Thats why I chimed in on this, to give you guys a broader look at things outside of Westchester County area where you all, for the most part, have large memberships with enough manpower to do this.

In my department though, we have 9 interior firefighters, 6 of us are officers, you take 2-3 of us away and make us FAST we have 6-7 FF's left (IF we all show up and are available) to work. Now, to further whittle that away, some of us are the only MPO's we have to work the engine and the engine/tanker so there goes 2 more.

We face this issue all across our county so thats why we did the county-based team concept. A majority of our FAST members keep their turnouts with them in their POV's and have special air packs at their stations they can grab and run with already fitted with the "FAST" reflective sleeve over the air bottle. Our county Cascade truck carries additional air packs for their use if they happen to be closer to the scene then their stations so the team assembles relatively quickly. Most of our fires in my town we have had FAST presence within 5 minutes, sometimes getting there before my first-due engine does. So this concept works better for us than other areas. There are still some departments in my county that have a large membership and respond to large call volumes and they decide to keep their own FAST in-house, they train like the county team and maintain their level of training, if called for they can respond as well.

[Nickcv41 3]

I have to give Nickcv41 credit for progressive thinking. On the same subject, I agree that a department would need ample manpower to staff their own FAST but just a quick question for those in the better know, wouldn't it be better for a department to have their own FAST operating on the fireground while waiting for the mutual aid FAST to arrive then have that FAST either relieve the department FAST or go to work? We see alot of times a delay in getting the other department FAST out which means working the job without FAST in place.

My department does that already. A fire in our first due area the rescue truck's outside team (outside vent, and roof) are now the designated FAST until the mutual aid FAST arrives on the scene. What I am talking about though is setting up my department's mutual aid FAST. Because we get called mutual aid for a FAST all of the time. The way my department does it now is outdated, right now just any interior member can be on the team, which I believe is a horrible idea. If I am the guy trapped I want to know that FAST knows what they are doing, and it's senior members who have a few fires under their belt. Not a FAST full of kids who have a year or 2 in and just completed Firefighter 1

[wraftery 1,275]

Somebody is mixed up

RIT, FAST, and MAT are the same thing. They are required by OSHA if employees (that's all of us, paid or vol) are in an ILDH atmosphere, notice I didn't say structure.

Fast is a NYC term RIT is from down south, and MAT is from somebody else. Their job is the same, with no difference in size and they are not waiting for FAST to show up

I am asking the guys who are very familiar with the concepts I have mentioned, please reply and back me up before this Faux pas goes viral

[SageVigiles 1,194]

When I first read JM15's post I didn't realize exactly what he was saying, but upon re-reading it I have to agree with Chief Raftery. The way I'm reading it now (and JM please correct me if I'm misunderstanding) is that until your county FAST arrives, you set up your own smaller internal RIT, but that the two aren't effectively the same thing.

I've never heard of FAST being something different than RIT (other than a snazzier name.) A RIT Team may start out small due to manpower constraints and get bigger as personnel arrive, but the name doesn't change.

2 in - 2 out is an OSHA requirement. FAST/RIT is taking the concept of 2 in - 2 out and recognizing that 2 Firefighters cannot effectively locate, extricate and remove 1 downed Firefighter (much less 2) and assigning a crew of Firefighters to standby for a lost/disoriented/trapped Firefighter. In my opinion 2 in/2 out is my initial first due way of handing the situation, but a dedicated FAST/RIT MUST be assigned as soon as staffing allows.

Aggressive FASTs/RITs will also mitigate some hazards outside the building to make it easier for Firefighter to self-rescue instead of just standing outside doing nothing, but that's a whole other discussion.

Edited June 4, 2013 by SageVigiles

[Bnechis 3,961]

Somebody is mixed up

RIT, FAST, and MAT are the same thing. They are required by OSHA if employees (that's all of us, paid or vol) are in an ILDH atmosphere, notice I didn't say structure.

Their job is the same, with no difference in size and they are not waiting for FAST to show up

I've never heard of FAST being something different than RIT (other than a snazzier name.) A RIT Team may start out small due to manpower constraints and get bigger as personnel arrive, but the name doesn't change.

2 in - 2 out is an OSHA requirement. FAST/RIT is taking the concept of 2 in - 2 out and recognizing that 2 Firefighters cannot effectively locate, extricate and remove 1 downed Firefighter (much less 2) and assigning a crew of Firefighters to standby for a lost/disoriented/trapped Firefighter. In my opinion 2 in/2 out is my initial first due way of handing the situation, but a dedicated FAST/RIT MUST be assigned as soon as staffing allows.

Both are correct with the different names.

2in/2out is the law and a FAST team can be the 2 out as long as they are ready to go in BEFORE the 2 (or more) members enter any IDLH atmosphere.

Their is no legal requirement for FAST, but their are standards that require it (and can be used in litigation against an IC &/or Dept).

NFPA 1710 requires an IRIC within 8 minutes as part of every response to a reported structure fire. The IRIC is an "initial rapid intervention company" and it consists of 2 interior FF's (the 2 out). The standard requires that upon declaring a "working fire" the IRIC must be upgraded to a RIC by adding 2 additional interior ff's.

[JM15 386]

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.

Edited June 5, 2013 by JM15

[moggie6 54]

The requirements where I work for the volunteers are Firefighter 1, Survival, and the NYS FAST Class as well as taking part in some "in house" Rapid Intervention Work......

I think the formation of actually FAST\RIT teams is a little overrated for the area that I work. WITH THAT BEING SAID I do agree that there should be a Rapid Intervention Team for anyone who is operating in the building. Rapid Intervention Team work is everyone's job. If you are putting an SCBA on your back you should be fluent in rescuing the person you are working along side of.

Also the FAST and RIT (what ever you want to call them) works a lot better when they are dispatched on the initially with the first in units. Very few fire departments have a FAST team on the initial dispatch. It's very frustrating to hear a neighboring fire department get dispatched for a fire and know that we have to wait for the 2nd Alarm, 10-75, IT'S A WORKER!!! or what ever magic words the IC has to say to get us rolling out the door. Add into that turn out times for some of the volunteer departments and you are looking at a 5-15min window where with the exception of your 2 in 2 out crew no one is there. And for the departments out there who read this that have a FAST\RIT on the initial dispatch to a building fire my hats are off to you.

[SageVigiles 1,194]

The requirements where I work for the volunteers are Firefighter 1, Survival, and the NYS FAST Class as well as taking part in some "in house" Rapid Intervention Work......

I think the formation of actually FAST\RIT teams is a little overrated for the area that I work. WITH THAT BEING SAID I do agree that there should be a Rapid Intervention Team for anyone who is operating in the building. Rapid Intervention Team work is everyone's job. If you are putting an SCBA on your back you should be fluent in rescuing the person you are working along side of.

Also the FAST and RIT (what ever you want to call them) works a lot better when they are dispatched on the initially with the first in units. Very few fire departments have a FAST team on the initial dispatch. It's very frustrating to hear a neighboring fire department get dispatched for a fire and know that we have to wait for the 2nd Alarm, 10-75, IT'S A WORKER!!! or what ever magic words the IC has to say to get us rolling out the door. Add into that turn out times for some of the volunteer departments and you are looking at a 5-15min window where with the exception of your 2 in 2 out crew no one is there. And for the departments out there who read this that have a FAST\RIT on the initial dispatch to a building fire my hats are off to you.

Agreed, self-rescue is just as important, if not more so, than RIT, if I were stuck I'd rather call for the RIT team and cancel them because I freed myself than have to wait to get dragged out. Just my opinion.