Chief Concerns Richard Marinucci
The last thing anyone wants to think about is being placed in a position where crews must initiate operations to rescue a fellow firefighter. Yet, we know that this possibility exists, but we don’t know who it could be, who is on the response, or any specifics of what type of rescue may be required.
Firefighters can become trapped, lost, or disoriented or maybe even fall through a floor or roof. Statistics would indicate that there is the potential for a medical emergency while operating during a call. There are a lot of variables to consider, and the work environment is definitely a contributing factor. Thermal assault and building construction are a couple of considerations.
If we are honest with ourselves, we would probably admit that being assigned to a RIT, RIC, or FAST team is not the job we want when we get to a working structure fire. As a firefighter, you enjoy the challenge of attacking a fire and, when told that you have to stand by just in case something happens, especially something that, fortunately, is not a high-frequency event, you may not be too happy with this job detail. There are many organizations that have attempted to address this by creating the “on deck” concept where a specific crew will rotate out of RIT assignments. But, even in these cases, there requires a sense of discipline to stay within your responsibilities and not focus on what your next role at the fire may be.
Since we cannot predict the who, what, where, or how a rescue may be needed, the preparations must be on getting good at your job. The better your skill levels are across the board, the more successful you will be should you be called on to rescue another firefighter. There is a belief that those who are good at what they do regularly and routinely will react appropriately when faced with more rare events. Individuals and organizations get good by practicing their trade, keeping current with the state of the art, and hard work. This is the result of competence and confidence that leads to great performance.
There are a couple of elements of this to consider. First, and probably most important, is to learn as much about your work environment as possible. Some may say this is impossible in that we have different “offices” every time we go to a fire. But there are similarities, and study can reveal those that lead to better decision making. Too often, individuals and organizations do not commit to training and education with respect to building construction. Frequently, when asked when their most recent instruction on building construction was, respondents say it was too long ago—perhaps going all the way back to recruit school. There have been many changes to construction methodologies and materials, and a failure to recognize building behavior can lead to mistakes. This will be critical in the event one of your own needs to be rescued.
The rescuer’s physical condition is very important but not often discussed when planning for a potential event. This must be considered as part of the firefighter overall fitness and wellness along with the condition at the time of the rescue. Anecdotally, I believe today’s fire service is more conscious of the health of firefighters. There is more discussion regarding exercise, diet, and sleep. This is good but must continue to improve. Maybe as a motivating factor, firefighters should prepare daily for “game day” with the hopes it never comes. Workouts need to focus on aerobic and anaerobic conditioning along with flexibility. Doing the right exercises properly leads to improved physical capabilities. If you think about it, should you personally ever need to be rescued, would you not want those coming for you to be in top shape?
Even for those in good physical condition, the day of the event can present additional challenges. There is a need for proper hydration and nutrition. This means consciously consuming enough water throughout the day and more when physically active. It also means providing your cells with the nutrition needed to maintain peak performance. Again, this occurs throughout the day. Rehab, both formal and informal, is important to maintain optimum working conditioning for both the well-being of the firefighters and the potential for the need for a firefighter rescue. If we think of firefighters as athletes, look at how high performers continually hydrate, rest, and get nutrition throughout the game.
Staffing must be factored into the decision making. Ask yourself whether a RIT team of four is adequate based on the complexity of the incident. Don’t be afraid to strike another alarm or call in additional mutual aid. You need to act with the right number of resources. This is a case of preparing for the worst but expecting the best. This is challenging in that no one expects this to happen (a firefighter emergency) and often it is not on the early checklist of things to do. Have what you may need and hope you never need them.
The right tools and competence with them may determine the outcome. Review what you typically have for a response and make sure your cache includes items necessary to effect a rescue. Remember, these will most likely be different than trying to rescue a civilian for a couple of reasons. It could be from a collapse, structural failure, or intensified fire conditions. In normal civilian rescues, if there is such a thing, conditions frequently allow for a search and rescue before collapse, flashover, or some other event that diminishes survivability of those without the protection of PPE and SCBA. Firefighter rescues are needed when there is a significant deterioration of the incident.
No one wants to be at an emergency where things take a turn for the worse and a firefighter needs to be rescued. I sincerely hope it never happens to you. But, if you are unfortunate enough to be faced with this challenge, you need to be prepared to the maximum. This includes your overall fitness, your training and preparation, and the tools required to be successful. Too often, it is a case of “Out of sight, out of mind.” Be good at what you do every day and you will have a better chance of avoiding this situation and also be better prepared to react and be successful.
RICHARD MARINUCCI is the executive director of the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) and chief (ret.) of the White Lake Township (MI) Fire Department. He retired as chief of the Farmington Hills (MI) Fire Department in 2008, a position he had held since 1984. He is a Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment and Fire Engineering Editorial Advisory Board member, a past president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), and past chairman of the Commission on Chief Fire Officer Designation. In 1999, he served as acting chief operating officer of the U.S. Fire Administration for seven months. He has a master’s degree and three bachelor’s degrees in fire science and administration and has taught extensively.
