RIT Requirements

[bcliff10]

Just curious does your companies have any restrictions to go on a RIT call. I know obviously you have to be FF 1 certified but is there any other requirements such as RIT classes or having X amount of years in the fire service with FF 1 under your belt??

[thelurker]

JDub could answer this better than me, but I will try.
Cinna requires FF1 for 3 years and RIT Awareness, or FF1 for 2 years and RIT Awareness and Ops. to be able to even go to a RIT call.

I may have the year thing wrong, but I'm sure someone will correct me.

Also, I believe there is a comittee right now in the state working on an actual State level RIT certification. So I guess that may become the new standard. Hopefully, on of the BCFA guys on here can add more to that.

[division2]

You are correct Dean, there is a State Committee working on RIT. We are not creating a State Certification. We have however created common RIT Awareness and Operations Training programs. We will be taking our final product to the Training and Education Advisory committee in February. Burlington County has been represented by myself and Doug Ramsey. I have kept Brian (Bon Jovi) Gardner, Marc Friddell, Ray Reiss and George Meredith up to speed during the process. I have taken input from them to the various meetings as well. The purpose behind a common program is so that we know that whatever basic RIT training you receive in NJ it will be consistent. Alot of what we are already doing here at the ESTC is going to go state wide in the new program. For the record most of the County Academy's programs were already on the same page.

As far a requirements for who can be or should be a RIT, there are no requirements. Right now anyone that says they are a RIT is a RIT. Personally I disagree with this mentality. Lets take a minute and look at the definition of RIT. Rapid Intervention Team. First and for-most it is a team, does your department training specifically as a RIT, or are we relying on the few guys that have had a class or two to show up when we are the RIT. Some departments feel that they don't need RIT training because they don't do RIT. Wrong. There is a potential for every company out there to be put into service as a RIT. Look at lessons learned after Southwest Supermarket (Phoenix) It can take as many as 12 FF to rescue 1. The guys that have been through S&T here can attest to that. What constitutes a RIT should be a departmental decision, but all FF should have a basic working knowledge of the techniques that MAY be needed. The rescue of a downed firefighter (that's for you Ray), is an extremely difficult process mentally as well as physically, but don't forget the basics of search and rescue and over complicate the process. The techniques that are taught in RIT are for after the basics and FF self rescue don't or won't work.

What should be the requirements for a RIT team. Training and experience, along with more training and more experience. A RIT assignment is no place for a 2/20. Take a look at your departments and your mutual aid companies. Are the crews that you are streeting and the ones coming to your calls who you would want coming to get you when the SH** has hit the fan. For the most part the crews I have seen are pretty good. There are some very strong RITs in the county. There are others that scare me when I here the dispatch. I personally have been on both ends of the scary dispatch.

Stay Safe,
Steve

[JDub]

thelurker said:

JDub could answer this better than me, but I will try.
Cinna requires FF1 for 3 years and RIT Awareness, or FF1 for 2 years and RIT Awareness and Ops. to be able to even go to a RIT call.

I may have the year thing wrong, but I'm sure someone will correct me.

Also, I believe there is a comittee right now in the state working on an actual State level RIT certification. So I guess that may become the new standard. Hopefully, on of the BCFA guys on here can add more to that.

Dean is correct on our requirements in Cinnaminson. The thing that other is when members have asked me about my training is why I have RIT. The reason they ask is because 99.99% of the time our paid staff is our dedicated RIT team. That .01% is a loop hole which only the officers control. Some of our volly members are like why should we get it. It's training for number one but also what if we get to a scene and are asked to become the RIT or perhaps you're riding with the paid staff....

[Bossa]

Steve,
Although I agree with you, we cant have tunnel vision when it comes to RIT, and we often do. If my third due engine arrives on location on a job, and they are assigned to RIT because the dispatched RIT has not arrived, we cant worry who is actually certified at that very moment. The same goes that if my RIT engine turns out to be my second due, they have to be ready for the assignment to change.

I have to have faith that that each company has members who are on the truck that can handle the assignment they are given. If someone has no experience in RIT, then I am putting my faith in the officer of that truck to inform me that may not be the best assignment for his crew or that he has enough confidence in his crew and his ability to lead that they can handle it!

That being said, if you have multiple RIT's on location, there isnt a rule that says you cannot redeploy them for something else.
I've seen that very instance, where a group of firefighters was asked to perform a task and the answer was "We are the RIT!" We even had a truck once refuse to lay in as they were the RIT.

Too many times we get stuck with tunnel vision on certain aspects of RIT. It is an important resource, but it is still a resource imho. We are just at the point where we are setting up a truck with RIT specific equipment, but you can bet your ample butt that if we get there, and my orders change from the RIT to first due, hydrant truck or whatever, were going to do it!

Sorry, dont mean to ramble! We can discuss this next time I see you... LOL