Focus on Tomorrow
Research funded by WorkSafeBC

The Effectiveness of
Current Fire Fighter Rapid
Intervention Teams
January 2010
Principal Investigator/Applicant

James Carter

RS2008-IG08

Final Report:
The Effectiveness of Current Fire Fighter
Rapid Intervention Teams

James Carter, Ph.D.
Research Associate
Justice Institute of B.C.
Fire and Safety Division
715 McBride Blvd.
New Westminster B.C., V3L 5T4

Steve Wright
Port Coquitlam Fire and Emergency Services
1725 Broadway St.
Port Coquitlam, B.C. V3C 2M9

Submitted to WorkSafeBC
Research Secretariat
January 2010

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Main Research Findings and Fire Fighter Safety Implications
1. Fire service organizations should be aware of the limitations of a two person Rapid
Intervention Team (RIT). A two person RIT team may not be able to rescue a downed
or trapped fire fighter, and will not be able to rescue two or more trapped fire fighters.
If a two person RIT team attempts to rescue a victim fire fighter the quality of the
rescue will be compromised. The current study found that it is very difficult for two
fire fighters to locate, package, maintain air supply and remove a victim fire fighter
safely while maintaining effective fire ground communication.
2. During a fire attack the initial RIT team should consist of at least 2 members. When a
2 member RIT team is deployed, it should act as a Rescue Stand-By team, and
develop a Rescue Action Plan. In the event that a rescue is required, the Incident
Commander should immediately increase the original RIT team to 4 members. This is
based on one fire fighter requiring rescue. If the rescue becomes more involved the
Incident Commander will have to allocate more resources to RIT. This finding
supports NFPA 1710: 5.2.4.3.2 which states that when an incident escalates, or when
significant risk is present to fire fighters due to the magnitude of the incident, the
Incident Commander shall upgrade the RIT to 4 fully equipped and trained fire
fighters.
3. The current study has found that it is more effective to divide a RIT team into
positions with specific areas of responsibility:
a. Team Leader – to make decisions, order additional equipment, and to
maintain a reliable communication link with Incident Command.
b. Air Management Position – responsible for monitoring and maintaining
the victim fire fighter(s) air supply.
c. Rescuers (2) – responsible for packaging and assisting with removal of the
injured fire fighter(s).
A two person RIT team should have a team leader and an air management
position. The two person team can then request additional rescuers when required.
4. Fire service organizations should consider using 1800L (45 min.) air cylinders as a
minimum cylinder size for interior entry operations that are considered to be
immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH). Commonly used 1200L (30 min.)
cylinders may not allow enough air supply for the victim fire fighter or the rescue
team members.
5. Fire service organizations should consider adopting policies requiring fire fighters to
exit the IDLH atmosphere prior to consuming their emergency reserve air supply (last
25% of SCBA cylinder). This is supported by NFPA 1404- Standard for Fire Service
Respiratory Protection Training, which mandates that firefighters be out of the
hazard area before their low-air alarm activates.
6. Fire Service Organizations should conduct RIT training at least annually, with a focus
on both theory and practical hands-on drills as part of fire fighter job performance
requirements. Current RIT teams are not as effective as they could be and this may
contribute to future fire ground injuries and fatalities.

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Executive Summary
In the past decade the fire service has recognized the need for policies and programs to be
put in place so that they can rescue lost and trapped firefighters. Recent research has
suggested that 4 fire fighters should be the minimum considered for fire fighter rescue,
even though OSHA, NFPA and Worksafe guidelines currently require 2 fire fighters.
Currently in British Columbia, Rapid Intervention Teams are mandated by WorkSafeBC
(R 31.32), however there is some controversy regarding the effectiveness of current RIT
procedures. The purpose of a Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) is to locate and rescue lost,
trapped, and/or injured fire fighters at an emergency scene. The main research goal of this
study was to evaluate the effectiveness of current Rapid Intervention Team protocols and
then provide practical recommendations that fire departments could use to improve
current RIT policies and practices.
This study set out to determine the effectiveness of a 2 person RIT team compared
with a 4 person team. Results from the study demonstrated that a 2 person RIT team may
not be able to rescue a downed or trapped fire fighter, and will not be able to rescue two
or more trapped fire fighters. If a 2 person RIT team attempts to rescue a victim fire
fighter, the quality of the rescue will be compromised. The current study found that it is
very difficult for 2 fire fighters to locate, package, and remove a victim safely while
maintaining and the victim’s critical air supply and effective fire ground communication.
A main conclusion from this study is that when a rescue is required, the Incident
Commander should immediately increase the original RIT team to 4 members. This is
based on one fire fighter requiring rescue. If the rescue becomes more involved the
Incident Commander will have to allocate more resources to RIT. This conclusion
supports NFPA 1710: 5.2.4.3.2 which states that when an incident escalates, or when
significant risk is present to fire fighters due to the magnitude of the incident, the Incident
Commander shall upgrade the RIT to 4 fully equipped and trained fire fighter.
An important conclusion from this study was the need to assign individual
responsibilities to each member of the RIT team. This was based on qualitative
investigator observations during the RIT scenarios and from spontaneous and informal
statements made by study participants. It was observed that if there was not a dedicated
air management position, there were more incidents of the victim’s SCBA mask being

4

dislodged and not replaced during extrication. If an individual was assigned the air
management position, they were much more attentive to the air needs of the victim and
there was a greater chance that air supply would be maintained throughout the rescue. It
was also observed that when a team leader had to perform physical tasks during a rescue,
their decision making was impaired and they had a harder time maintaining effective fire
ground communication. These qualitative findings complemented the quantitative results
from the study. These observations made it very evident that it is more effective to divide
a 4 member RIT team into positions with specific areas of responsibility. A Team Leader
is required to make decisions, order additional resources, and to maintain a reliable
communication link with Incident Command. An Air Management position is responsible
for monitoring and maintaining the victim’s air supply. Two Rescuers are responsible for
packaging and assisting with removal of the injured fire fighter. A 2 person RIT should
have a team leader and an air management position, and then request additional rescuers
when required. RIT teams must fit into the incident command system, and each RIT team
member should have specific responsibilities in order for the team to function efficiently.
There were some very interesting observations recorded during the RIT scenarios.
These qualitative observations outline some interesting RIT trends and warrant further
research. It was observed that low air alarms activated during a rescue added confusion to
the scenario and hampered the rescue. It was observed that career fire fighters
demonstrated better situational awareness than student fire fighters during a rescue. The
student fire fighters were able to rescue a victim as fast as the career fire fighters, but
were much rougher with the victim which could lead to possible victim injuries.
The time required to rescue a downed fire fighter is commonly underestimated by
most fire fighters. During this study an almost universal response from most subjects was
that the rescue took longer than they anticipated and the rescue was much more
physically demanding than they expected. In the current study the average time for a 2
person RIT team to locate, package and remove a downed fire fighter located 50 feet
inside a building was 11.62 + 1.77 minutes. Results from this study demonstrated that an
initial 4 person RIT team was able to rescue 2 downed fire fighters significantly faster
than an initial 2 person RIT team that was supplemented with 2 more RIT members once
they reached the first victim. It took the 4 member RIT teams 16.67 + 1.02 minutes to

5

rescue the 2 downed fire fighters. Under the same conditions, the RIT teams that started
with 2 members and then asked for 2 more members once the initial victim was reached,
took 22.03 + 1.18 minutes.
Two common structure fire obstacles evaluated in this study were stairs and
windows. The average time for a 2 person RIT team to safely bring an unconscious fire
fighter up one flight of stairs was 1.66 + 0.32 minutes. Most subjects found this short
scenario to be extremely physically demanding. Lifting an unconscious fire fighter
through a window is a very difficult task, and in the past fire fighters have perished
because rescuers could not get the unconscious fire fighter out a window. In this study the
average time for the trained 4 member RIT team to package and lift an unconscious fire
fighter through a window was 4.62 + 0.76 minutes. This time was significantly faster
than the average time for the 2 person team of 6.71 + 1.05 minutes.
It is not possible to discuss RIT teams without exploring the challenges
surrounding air management. If a victim fire fighter runs out of air prior to a RIT team
locating them to provide a supplemental air supply, then that victim fire fighter will likely
perish. A recommendation from this study is that fire service organizations should
consider using 1800 litre (45 min.) air cylinders as a minimum cylinder size for interior
entry operations that are considered to be immediately dangerous to life and health.
Commonly used 1200L (30 min.) cylinders do not allow enough air supply for the victim
fire fighter or the rescue team members.
The most important consideration for developing effective RIT teams is training.
In this study all participants received RIT training just prior to the scenarios. With RIT
training fresh in their minds most of the participants felt that they would have performed
better with more practice. This demonstrates that in order for RIT teams to be effective
and prepared for challenging rescues they must perform on-going training. A final
recommendation from this study is that fire service organizations should conduct RIT
training at least annually, with a focus on both theory and practical hands-on drills as part
of fire fighter job performance requirements. RIT training should stress the fundamentals
of search and rescue and must also focus on fire fighter safety during rescue situations.

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Research Problem and Context
The purpose of a Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) is to locate and rescue lost, trapped, and
injured fire fighters at an emergency scene. The research problem investigated in this
study was to evaluate the effectiveness of current RIT procedures and then provide
practical recommendations that fire departments can use to improve their current RIT
policies and practices. The study specifically tried to determine the effectiveness of a 2
person RIT team compared to a 4 person team during various downed fire fighter
scenarios. Current RIT teams staffed with only 2 fire fighters may be dangerously
inadequate. The physical and psychological stresses associated with a fire fighter rescue
are immense. Recent research has suggested that 4 fire fighters should be the minimum
considered for fire fighter rescue, even though OSHA, NFPA and Worksafe guidelines
currently require 2 fire fighters. When fire fighters are trapped or injured at an emergency
scene, saving them may require more than the current rescue techniques and training. A
fire fighter assigned to rescue one of their own will place themselves in extraordinarily
dangerous conditions, and may work with less regard for safety than during typical fire
fighting situations. For a fire fighter rescue to be successful, it is essential that fire
fighters receive training in effective RIT rescue techniques.
This research is significant since there is very limited data available on the
effectiveness of current RIT protocols. It is obvious that much more research is required
to study the effectiveness of 3 person RIT teams and the optimal frequency of RIT
training. The main objective of the research was to provide recommendations for
developing more effective and efficient RIT protocols. This research was intended to
increase the overall level of safety for all fire fighters who may be exposed to an
environment that poses an immediate threat to life and health.

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Review of Fire Fighter Rapid Intervention Teams
Introduction
There is very limited scientific research, or documented practical research, that has
analyzed the effectiveness of rapid intervention teams (RIT). RIT research is important
because fire fighters routinely work in dangerous situations. It is difficult to quantify the
risk faced by fire fighters as there are a number of factors that may make one emergency
scene more dangerous than the next. It is also difficult to determine how prepared a fire
fighting crew is for work in dangerous environments. The potential health risk to fire
fighters is related to a several factors such as; experience, training, staffing levels,
equipment, command structure, officer decision making experience, building
construction and many others.
Public education and new fire prevention regulations have resulted in a gradual
decrease in the number of structure fires that a fire fighter will attend. However, new
building construction material and furnishings have resulted in building fires being hotter
and more toxic than in the past. New building construction, particularly pre-fabricated
lightweight trusses, increases the potential for rapid building collapse. Buildings today
are more air tight and contain a much higher fuel load than buildings of a generation ago.
The fuel load contained in modern fires is primarily composed of synthetic materials,
plastics and other hydro-carbon material. An average house fire today contains 1700
pounds of plastics capable of producing up to 20,000 British Thermal Units per pound
(BTU/lb). This heat production is significantly higher than an organic fuel package
contained in a typical house fire thirty years ago that was primarily composed of natural
products, producing an estimated 8000 BTU/lb.

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It can be concluded that structure fires today pose more of a risk to fire fighters
than in the past. This problem is compounded by the fact that fire fighters today typically
have limited structural fire fighting experience due to the gradual decline in structure
fires. This lack of fire fighting experience is difficult to make up with training alone.
Most urban fire fighters do not have the opportunity to train in real acquired structures,
and therefore fire fighters today receive limited live fire training due to cost, and
environmental reasons. Almost all live fire training today is conducted in fuel controlled
non–combustible burn buildings that may produce a false feeling of safety for fire
fighters. The protective clothing worn by fire fighters may add to a sense of security, as
advances in protective clothing technology have allowed fire fighters to advance further
into hot dangerous environments. New technology, such as Thermal Imaging Cameras
(TICs), and advances in Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBAs) may also give a
fire fighter a false sense of security. This creates an increased opportunity for a fire
fighter to be trapped or become disoriented within a building. This also means that when
a fire fighter runs low on air they will have a greater distance to travel to exit the
building. The changes in building construction, fire fighter training, technology and
improved protective clothing all significantly increase the chance of fire fighters being
trapped inside of a building. This fact has been recognized in the fire service and has led
to the creation and implementation of Rapid Intervention Teams.
Firefighters Injuries and Deaths
There are approximately 100 fire fighter deaths and 100,000 injuries in North America
every year. In April 2002, the U.S. Fire Administration published the Firefighter Fatality:
Retrospective Study, which analyzed the data accumulated by the National Fire Data

9

Center over the previous decade. The study reported that fire fighter line-of-duty fatalities
declined from 171 deaths in 1978 to 77 deaths in 1992. Since 1993, there have been more
than 100 fire fighter fatalities almost every year. In the late 1970’s firefighter deaths
inside structure fires occurred at a rate of 1.8 deaths per 100,000 structure fires. By the
late 1990’s this number had risen to almost 3 deaths per 100,000, and more recently it has
climbed to nearly 4 deaths per 100,000 fires (U.S. FIRE ADMINISTRATION. 2004).
The Canadian Fallen Fire Fighter Foundations reports 80 fire fighter deaths in Canada in
the last 10 years, 10 of them in British Columbia.
Despite the gradual decline in structure fires each year, the number of fire fighter
deaths and injuries per 100,000 structure fires continues to rise. This statistic indicates
that there is an increased chance of a fire fighter fatality at a structure fire compared to 20
years ago. There are various factors contributing to these deaths and injuries. Despite the
advances in safety equipment and updated procedures, a fire fighter today has an
increased risk of getting injured or killed at a fire than in the past.
Why the Need for Rapid Intervention
There are many documented examples of situations where effective Rapid Intervention
Teams may have saved the life of a fire fighter. A good example is what occurred in
Clearwater, British Columbia on March 29, 2004. The Clearwater Volunteer Fire
Department was dispatched to a report of smoke coming from a restaurant. When they
arrived two fire fighters entered with a charged hose line to try and locate the fire. The
fire fighters were unable to locate the fire and soon made a distress call. Following the
distress call, a RIT entered the front of the building to search for the two fire fighters but
were unable to locate them. A second RIT entered the rear of the building and were able

10

to locate one of the fire fighters. One fire fighter was not located and perished in the
building. The surviving fire fighter reported that they had become confused and
disoriented trying to get to the back of the building. The WCB investigation report
outlined a number of areas of deficiency in the training of the fire fighters and
maintenance of the fire fighting equipment by the Clearwater Fire Department.
In February 2007 six fire fighters entered a house fire in Winnipeg looking for
anyone left inside. It appears they were trapped on the second floor by what was likely a
flashover. Two of the fire fighters were killed and four were injured. In Worchester
Massachusetts (1999) six fire fighters were killed when they become lost in a burning
warehouse. The incident commander had to make the difficult decision of not losing any
more fire fighters looking for the lost individuals. There are several other documented
cases where fire fighters have died due to ineffective rescue attempts.
Two-In/Two-Out
There is some confusion in the fire service with regard to the use of Rapid Intervention
Teams, and the two-in/two out rule. The OSHA “two-in/two out” rule for fire fighters
outlines the procedures for interior structural firefighting. It establishes that the employer
shall ensure the at least two employees enter the immediately dangerous to life and health
(IDLH) atmosphere and remain in visual or voice contact with one another at all times. If
two employees have entered the IDLH atmosphere at least two employees need to be
located outside the IDLH atmosphere. According to OSHA, at least one of the outside
fire fighters must actively monitor the status of the inside fire fighters and may not be
assigned additional duties. The second outside fire fighter may be involved in other fire
ground activities, but any additional assignments for the second fire fighter must be

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weighed against the potential for interference with this requirement. Both fire fighters
must be able to provide immediate assistance to the two interior firefighters.
The OSHA standard applies to all workers engaged in firefighting activities. This
includes municipal fire departments, volunteer fire departments, industrial fire crews, and
private fire companies. The 1997 edition of NFPA 1500 includes the two-in/two-out
policy required by OSHA.
National Fire Protection Association
The NFPA 2004 edition provides additional rapid intervention guidelines for career
departments (1710) and volunteer fire departments (1720). NFPA 1710: 3.3.29 defines a
Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC) as a dedicated crew of fire fighters who are assigned for
rapid deployment to rescue lost or trapped members. NFPA 1710: 5.2.4.2.2 (8) states that
an initial full alarm assignment shall provide for the establishment of an IRIC that shall
consist of a minimum of two properly equipped and trained individuals. NFPA 1710:
5.2.4.3.2 states that when an incident escalates beyond an initial full alarm assignment or
when significant risk is present to fire fighters due to the magnitude of the incident, the
incident commander shall upgrade the IRIC to a full rapid intervention crew(s) (RIC) that
consists of four fully equipped and trained fire fighters. NFPA 1407 (Draft 2008) is a new
standard which specifies the basic training procedures for fire service personnel to
conduct fire fighter rapid intervention operations as specified in NFPA 1710. The
purpose of NFPA 1407 is to specify a training program that is designed to create a highly
disciplined operational capability to rescue fire fighter(s) who become lost, injured,
trapped, incapacitated, or disoriented in the course of an emergency scene or training
operation.

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WorkSafeBC.
In British Columbia, WorkSafeBC has taken the OSHA and NFPA guidelines into
consideration and implemented the Entry into Buildings (31.23) regulation.
31.23 Entry into buildings
(1) When self-contained breathing apparatus must be used to enter a building, or
similar enclosed location, the entry must be made by a team of at least 2
firefighters.
(2) Effective voice communication must be maintained between firefighters inside and
outside the enclosed location.
(3) During the initial attack stages of an incident at least one firefighter must remain
outside.
(4) A suitably equipped rescue team of at least 2 firefighters must be established on
the scene before sending in a second entry team and not more than 10 minutes
after the initial attack.
(5) The rescue team required by subsection (4) must not engage in any duties that
limit their ability to make a prompt response to rescue an endangered firefighter
while interior structural firefighting is being conducted.

Phoenix Study
One of the few well controlled and documented RIT studies was completed by the
Phoenix Fire Department (PFD) following the death of a fire fighter in a supermarket in
2001. The PFD obtained three vacant buildings (warehouse, movie theater, bar) to
conduct some standardized RIT drills. The RIT drills involved the first alarm company
responding to the report of two fire fighters in trouble. One of the fire fighters is
disoriented, while the other one is unconscious. The buildings were sealed from outside
light and fire fighter facemasks were obscured to simulate heavy smoke conditions. The
RIT teams were deployed as if it was a working structure fire. There were 200 RIT drills
conducted using 1,114 PFD personnel. The RIT activities were monitored and timed,
with the data being analyzed by an Arizona State University statistician.

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The results from the Phoenix study show that Rapid Intervention is not very rapid.
Important RIT time statistics from this study were:
•
•
•
•
•

Rescue ready state: 2.50 minutes
Mayday to RIT entry: 3.03 minutes
RIT contact with the downed fire fighters: 5.82 minutes
Total time inside building, for each RI: 12.33 minutes
Total time for rescue: 21.00 minutes

The study also concluded that there were three consistent ratios:
•
•
•

It takes 12 fire fighters to rescue 1
1 in 5 RIT members will get into some type of trouble themselves
A 3000 psi cylinder will provide 18.7 (+/- 30%) minutes of air

The objective and function of a RIT team is to locate and rescue lost or trapped fire
fighters at an emergency scene. When fire fighters are trapped or lost, saving them may
require more than just basic rescue techniques. Fire fighters assigned to rescue their
fellow fire fighters are asked to place themselves in extremely dangerous and stressful
conditions. For a RIT rescue to be successful, it is essential that team members receive
specialized training and have practiced rescues as an effective team. Inexperienced
firefighters are likely to make mistakes may delay the rescue of a fire fighter.

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Methodology
This study evaluated the effectiveness of current RIT practices and procedures. The first
phase of the study involved measuring response times to typical RIT scenarios. The
response times of 2 versus 4 person RIT teams were determined where possible. These
scenarios were conducted at the Justice Institute of B.C.’s campus in Maple Ridge, which
is the primary fire fighting training facility in the province of B.C. In the second phase of
the study potential improvements to RIT protocols were tested and evaluated by
conducting RIT training scenarios in career fire departments. RIT trials were conducted
on career fire fighters in Port Coquitlam, B.C. and Grande Prairie Alberta. These trials
were designed to help identify and quantify the challenges associated with performing a
fire fighter rescue. These results coupled with information from a comprehensive
literature review helped to provide recommendations to improve RIT protocols.

Research design
Controlled RIT scenarios were conducted in the burn building at the JIBC Maple Ridge
campus. During the RIT scenarios, times were recorded for individual tasks and the total
time to complete the scenario. The time required for the RIT team to enter the building
after a Mayday call was not recorded as there were be too many variables to accurately
simulate this time. Average time from a Mayday call to RIT entry was estimated in the
Phoenix study to be 3:03 min. Student fire fighters with breathing apparatus (1200L
cylinders) were used as the downed fire fighters needing rescue. During pilot trials it was
determined that live victims provided very realistic rescue scenarios. When a dummy was
used, the RIT team would drag the dummy with little concern for the victim’s safety and
no regard for maintaining victim air supply. When a fire fighter was used as a victim, the

15

RIT team had to be very aware of victim safety and maintain a good air supply. Scott face
piece smoke simulating shields (dark) were used on all RIT scenarios to consistently
simulate heavy smoke conditions. All fire fighters received RIT training the day before,
or the day of, the scenarios. The RIT training included proper search, packaging and
dragging techniques. Fire fighting students and career fire fighters received the same RIT
training before the scenarios.

Subjects
The initial phase of the study utilized 80 subjects that volunteered to be monitored during
the RIT scenarios. The average age of this subject group was 25 years. The subjects were
comprised of students that were taking the JIBC Career Fire Fighter Pre-Employment
program. In the second phase of the study, 80 career firefighters from Port Coquitlam,
B.C. and Grande Prairie Alberta volunteered to be monitored during the RIT scenarios
that were part of their normal fire fighter training program. The average age of the career
subject group was 37 years.

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Methods
The following is a description of each RIT scenario completed.
Two person RIT scenario with the victim 10 feet off a 50 foot hoseline
• RIT team is tasked to locate, package and remove a victim located 10 feet away
from the nozzle of a 1 ¾ inch hoseline that is 50 feet inside a building.
• The victim is a fire fighter wearing a breathing apparatus with their pass device
sounding. The victim is directed to stay motionless and not assist the RIT team.
• The RIT team used a face piece smoke simulating shield to consistently simulate
heavy smoke conditions.
• The RIT team was directed to follow the downed fire fighter’s hoseline into the
building and then quickly, and safely, remove the downed firefighter through the
door that they entered the building.
• The times recorded were: the time to locate the victim; the time to package the
victim; and the time to remove the victim from the building (Appendix, Table 1).
• The time started when the RIT team entered the building. The scenario was
completed by 16 teams of fire fighting students in the JIBC Pre-Employment
Program. The scenario was also completed by 16 teams of career fire fighters in
Port Coquitlam.
• Initial pilot studies determined that there was no significant difference between 2
and 4 person RIT teams performing this scenario. This was attributed to a 2 person
team being physically capable of locating, packaging and removing a victim 50 ft
inside a building. In some pilot trials the 4 person RIT team was actually slower
than a 2 person team as they were hampered by each others movements.
Four person RIT scenario with two victims 100 feet inside a building
• A four person RIT team is tasked to locate, package and remove two victims 100
feet inside of a building.
• One victim is located at the nozzle of a 100 foot 1 ¾ inch hoseline and the other
victim is located 10 feet away from the nozzle. Both fire fighters have pass devices
sounding and the victim that is 10 feet away from the hoseline has a low air alarm
sounding.
• The victims are fire fighters wearing breathing apparatus and are directed to stay
motionless and not assist the RIT team.
• The RIT team used a face piece smoke simulating shields to consistently simulate
heavy smoke conditions.
• The RIT team was directed to follow the hoseline of the downed fire fighters into
the building and then quickly, and safely, remove the downed fire fighters through
the door that they entered the building.
• The times recorded were: the time to locate each victim; the time to package the
victims; and the time to remove both victims from the building.
• One scenario was conducted by sending the 4 person RIT team into the building as
a unit. The other scenario was conducted by sending in a 2 person RIT team that
would request an additional two members once they located the first victim.
• These scenarios were conducted using career fire fighters that had just received RIT
training. There were twelve, 4 person RIT teams. Six teams started the scenario by
17

sending in a four person RIT team as a unit, while the other six teams sent in 2 fire
fighters initially and then requested 2 more RIT team members when they found the
downed victims (Appendix, Table 2).
Two person RIT scenario up one flight of stairs
• The two person RIT team was tasked to safely bring an unconscious fire fighter up
one flight of stairs (14 steps, 8 inch height for each step). Appendix, Table 3.
• The victim fire fighter was wearing breathing apparatus and was directed to stay
motionless and not assist the RIT team.
• The RIT team used face piece smoke simulating shields to consistently simulate
heavy smoke conditions.
• These scenarios were conducted using career fire fighters that had just received RIT
training. There were 20-two person RIT teams that completed the stair scenario.
Window Rescue scenario by four and two person RIT teams
• A four person RIT team was tasked to package and remove a downed fire fighter
through a window.
• A two person RIT team was also tasked to remove a downed fire fighter through a
window in the same conditions.
• The victim fire fighter was wearing breathing apparatus and was directed to stay
motionless and not assist the RIT team.
• In each drill there were two fire fighters on the other side of the window to receive
the victim and help them through the window.
• For safety reasons visibility was not obscured for this drill.
• The window was 3 feet by 4 feet and located 42 inches off the floor. There was no
glass in the window and the window was wood frame with flush edges.
• The time recorded for this drill was the time to remove the victim through the
window once they were packaged (Appendix, Table 3).
• Prior to the scenario the RIT teams received training on proper window extrication
techniques.
• These scenarios were conducted using career fire fighters. There were 10-four
person RIT teams, and 10-two person RIT teams that completed the window
scenario.
Dependent measures
Time was the dependent measure in each RIT scenario. The times were recorded for
individual tasks within the RIT scenario and the total time to complete the scenario. The
times recorded were: the time to locate the victim; the time to package the victim; and the
time to remove the victim from the building. The time to remove the victim through a
window once they were packaged was recorded in the window scenario. The time to
bring an unconscious firefighter up one flight of stairs was recorded in the stair scenario.
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Data analysis
The average time, and the standard deviation for the time to complete each portion of the
RIT scenario were computed. A t-test that used two-samples assuming unequal variances
was used to determine if there was a significant difference between the time to complete
each RIT scenario under the different conditions. A difference in a scenario was
determined to be statistically significant when p < 0.05.

Research Findings
The average time for the 2 member RIT teams (n = 32) to locate, package and remove a
victim located 10 feet away from the nozzle of hoseline that was 50 feet inside a building
was 11.62 + 1.77 minutes (Appendix, Table 1).
It took the 4 member RIT teams (n = 6) 16.67 + 1.02 minutes to locate, package
and remove two victims 100 feet inside of a building (Table 2). Under the same
conditions, the RIT teams (n = 6) that started with 2 members and then asked for 2 more
members once the initial victim was reached, took 22.03 + 1.18 minutes to remove the
two victims. The initial 4 member RIT teams thus rescued the 2 downed fire fighters 5.36
minutes faster than the 2 person RIT teams that initiated the rescue and then requested 2
more members to assist. The initial 4 member RIT team was significantly faster (p = 3.76
x 10-6) than the initial 2 member RIT team that was supplemented with 2 more members.
The average time for a 2 member RIT team (n = 20) to safely bring an
unconscious fire fighter up one flight of 14 stairs was 1.66 + 0.32 minutes (Table 3). The
average time for a 4 member RIT team to package and lift an unconscious fire fighter
through a window was 4.62 + 0.76 minutes (Table 4). This time was significantly faster
(p = 5.06 x 10-5) than the average time for the 2 person team of 6.71 + 1.05 minutes.

19

Discussion
In the past decade the fire service has recognized the need for policies and programs to be
put in place so that they can rescue lost and trapped fire fighters. Currently in British
Columbia, Rapid Intervention Teams are mandated by WorkSafeBC (R 31.32), however
there is some controversy regarding the effectiveness of current RIT procedures. The
main reason why there are controversies regarding RIT teams is the lack of experience
from RIT training and RIT emergency situations. It is not often that a fire fighter is
trapped or lost at an emergency scene, but when it happens it becomes a high priority and
a stressful situation. When fire departments critique fire fighter rescue emergencies, the
main reasons cited for a delayed rescue is the lack of rescue personnel, lack of RIT
training and poor communication during the incident.
Most fire fighters have the unrealistic sense that if another fire fighter needs
rescue, they and other fire fighters will quickly come to the aid of the downed fire fighter
and drag them to safety. The reality is that a fire fighter rescue requires time, planning
and resources. A fire fighter rescue will typically be a very stressful, dangerous situation
where a bad decision, or delayed response, may result in the death of the fire fighter
being rescued or even the rescuer.
The main purpose of this research was to outline the limitations of a two person
RIT team. The results from this study and others indicate that a 2 person RIT team may
not be able to rescue a downed or trapped fire fighter, and will not be able to rescue two
or more trapped fire fighters. If a 2 person RIT team attempts to rescue a fire fighter the
quality of the rescue may be compromised. The current study found that it is very

20

difficult for 2 fire fighters to locate, package, and remove a victim safely while
maintaining and the victim’s critical air supply and effective fire ground communication.
When RIT teams were initially mandated at structure fires more than a decade
ago, many fire officers felt that they did not have adequate personnel to have 2 RIT fire
fighters standing around and not helping with fire suppression activities. Many fire
officers still have that opinion today. In hazardous material incidents almost all fire
officers would agree that they would never send two fire fighters into a hot zone without
two fully equipped and trained fire fighters dressed and prepared to enter the hot zone if
anything should happen to the initial response team. In many situations, the interior of a
structure fire is potentially more dangerous than a Hazmat incident. The potential for
building collapse or floor failure also make the rescue in a structure fire much more
difficult than a rescue in a Hazmat incident. It is therefore difficult to understand why
standby rescue teams are so well accepted for Hazmat incidents and have not been as
well accepted during structure fires. The reluctance to implement RIT teams at structure
fires may be partially due to the traditional attitude of doing whatever it takes to put the
fire out. Fire officers must understand that the most valuable items in the building are
people, and in many cases the fire fighters are the only people inside the building.
RIT team members should be trained individuals that are capable of rescuing a
fellow fire fighter in a dangerous situation. The common past practice of sending two less
experienced fire fighters to a door to act as a RIT team is unacceptable. A RIT team at an
emergency scene must be very proactive in preparing for a potential rescue. When a 2
member RIT team is deployed, they should act as a Rescue Stand-By team, and develop a
Rescue Action Plan. The RIT team should complete a 360 of the building and note

21

secondary means of egress and other potential hazards. The RIT team should set up a tool
staging area with any equipment they feel may be needed in a rescue. If deemed
appropriate, the RIT team may set up a ladder to give the interior fire fighters another
means of leaving the building. The RIT team should have their own status board and note
which fire fighters have entered the building, when they entered the building, and what
their approximate location in the building is. In the event that an incident escalates or a
rescue is required, the Incident Commander should immediately increase the original RIT
team to four members. This is based on one fire fighter requiring rescue. If the rescue
becomes more involved, incident command will have to allocate more resources to RIT.
It would be very controversial, and not very practical, to say that all fire
departments should deploy a 4 person RIT team at all structure fires. Smaller fire
departments have a hard time justifying a 2 person RIT team and argue that they do not
have the adequate personnel to deploy a 4 person RIT team. Smaller fire departments
should understand the limitations of only having a 2 person RIT team and adjust their
strategies and tactics accordingly. Fire departments must realize that the NFPA 1710:
5.2.4.3.2 standard requires that when an incident escalates, or when significant risk is
present to fire fighters due to the magnitude of the incident, the Incident Commander
shall upgrade the RIT to four fully equipped and trained fire fighters. This standard is
based on previous research and is supported by the findings of this study.
Results from this study have demonstrated that an initial 4 person RIT team was
able to rescue 2 downed fire fighters significantly faster than an initial 2 person RIT team
that was supplemented with 2 more RIT members once they reached the first victim. It
took the 4 member RIT teams 16.67 + 1.02 minutes to rescue the 2 downed fire fighters.

22

Under the same conditions, the RIT teams that started with 2 members and then asked for
2 more members once the initial victim was reached, took 22.03 + 1.18 minutes. The
initial 4 member RIT teams thus rescued the 2 downed fire fighters 5.36 minutes faster
than the 2 person RIT teams that initiated the rescue and then requested 2 more members
to assist. This 5.36 minute rescue time difference seemed to be due to a more coordinated
rescue effort and better decisions made by the 4 person RIT team leader. When all 4 RIT
members entered the building at the same time, the team leader was able to focus on the
overall rescue and assign tasks accordingly. The team leader was also able to effectively
communicate with the incident commander. When a team leader entered as part of a 2
person RIT team, they were required to do more physical work initially in locating and
packaging the downed fire fighters. These additional tasks performed by the team leader
appeared to impair their decision making process and also interrupt effective
communication. The decisions of the team leader are a critical part of any rescue process.
A 4 member RIT team allows the team leader a chance to assess the situation and make
the appropriate decisions needed for an effective rescue. With a 2 person RIT team the
team leader will be required to do more physical work, which may impair their decision
making process.
An important conclusion from this study was the need to assign individual
positions with specific areas of responsibility to a RIT team. This was not an initial goal
of the study but became very evident after observing several scenarios. It was observed
that it is more effective to divide a 4 member RIT team into positions with specific areas
of responsibility. A Team Leader is required to make decisions, order additional
equipment, and to maintain reliable communication link with Incident Command. An Air

23

Management position is responsible for monitoring and maintaining the victim’s air
supply. Two Rescuers are responsible for packaging and assisting with removal of the
injured fire fighter. A 2 person RIT should have a leader, an air management position,
and then request additional rescuers when required. During scenarios it was observed that
when RIT teams did not have a dedicated air management position, there were more
incidents of SCBA masks getting dislodged and not replaced. If an individual was
assigned the air management position, they were much more attentive to the air needs of
the victim and there was a greater chance that the air supply would be maintained
throughout the rescue. RIT teams must be able to fit into the incident command system,
and each RIT team member should have specific responsibilities in order for the team to
function efficiently.
The time required to rescue a downed fire fighter is commonly underestimated.
During this study a common response from most subjects was that the rescue took longer
than they anticipated and the rescue was much more physically demanding than they
expected. In the current study the average time for a 2 person RIT team to locate, package
and remove a downed fire fighter located 50 feet inside a building was 11.62 + 1.77
minutes. This may seem to be a relatively quick rescue, but it should be noted that the
time was started as soon as the RIT team entered the building and not when the Mayday
was first called. There were no obstructions to interfere with the rescue, and the downed
fire fighter was located 10 feet away from the hoseline with a pass device sounding. All
RIT teams had just received rescue training. Therefore in almost ideal conditions it still
took a 2 member RIT team 12 minutes to locate, package and drag a downed fire fighter
50 feet. It is almost certain that any fire fighter rescue situation would involve debris,

24

furniture or obstructions in an unfamiliar environment. The current study was conducted
on polished concrete floors that allowed for easy dragging of victims. Carpet, hardwood
and other floor surfaces will add resistance to the fire fighter being dragged, and will
slow down the overall rescue time and make the rescue even more physically demanding.
Almost all fire fighter rescue situations will be hampered by obstacles such as doors,
corners, furniture and other debris that will add to the time required to rescue a downed
fire fighter. The current study used participants that had just received RIT training, and
they were aware of exactly what their rescue task involved in a controlled environment.
In a real fire fighter rescue situation there will be an increased opportunity for delays and
the rescue times will typically be longer due to unforeseen obstacles.
Two common obstacles evaluated in this study were stairs and windows. A
reasonable portion of fire fighter rescues will involve bringing the victim up or down a
flight of stairs. It is very physically demanding to drag a fire fighter up or down a flight
of stairs. The limited space in a stairway may dictate that only 2 rescuers can lift or drag
the victim at one time. In the current study the average time for a 2 person RIT team to
safely bring an unconscious fire fighter up one flight of stairs was 1.66 + 0.32 minutes
(Table 3). Most subjects found this short scenario to be extremely physically demanding.
While 1 minute and 40 seconds may seem like a reasonable time to bring a fire fighter up
one flight of stairs, it should be noted that these were rested fire fighters that only had to
bring a victim up one flight of 14 stairs. If stairs are involved in a fire fighter rescue, a
team leader should consider resting the 2 rescuers that bring the victim up a flight of
stairs. This could be accomplished by requesting 2 more rescuers to take over at the top
of the stairs to help remove the victim the rest of the way out of the building.

25

There are emergency fire ground situations when a fire fighter may need to be
lifted through a window, because the original entrance cannot be used due to fire or
building collapse. Lifting an unconscious fire fighter through a window is a very difficult
task, and in the past fire fighters have perished because rescuers could not get the
unconscious fire fighter out a window. The current study evaluated the time required for
both a 4 and 2 person RIT team to package and remove a downed fire fighter through a 3
foot by 4 foot window located 42 inches off the floor. The average time for the trained 4
member RIT team to package and lift the unconscious fire fighter through the window
was 4.62 + 0.76 minutes (Table 4). This time was significantly faster than the average
time for the 2 person team of 6.71 + 1.05 minutes. Two of the 2 person RIT teams were
unable to lift the unconscious fire fighter through the window and were not given a time.
These results indicate that a 4 person RIT team is required to safely lift an unconscious
fire fighter through a window. A 2 person RIT team may be able to accomplish the task,
but it will be slow and they may not be able to safely lift the unconscious fire fighter
through the window. These results also indicate that it will take trained rescuers
approximately five minutes to package a downed fire fighter and safely lift them through
a window. It can be concluded from these results that rescuing a fire fighter through a
window is a time consuming and labour intensive task.
It is not possible to discuss RIT teams without exploring the challenges
surrounding air management. If a fire fighter runs out of air prior to a RIT team locating
them to provide supplemental air, then that fire fighter will likely perish. The smoke
produced by today’s fires is a deadly combination of carbon monoxide and hydrogen
cyanide that has the potential to kill a human in as little as one breath. Not only is modern

26

fire smoke significantly more toxic than the smoke of yesterday, but there is also more of
it, due to the abundance of synthetic material found in current buildings. Although most
fire fighters now realize the tremendous dangers of modern fire smoke, the North
American fire service has been slow to change SCBA practices and develop air
management guidelines to protect these fire fighters.
In recent years the fire service has made great advances in protecting the lives of
fire fighters by recognizing that RIT teams are not only essential but are now mandated in
many jurisdictions. The fact is that without good air management practices, the best
equipped and most efficient RIT teams will be ineffective. It is crucial when a fire fighter
enters a building that they have a sufficient amount of air to sustain their life until a RIT
team arrives, should he or she be confronted with an emergency such as a collapse,
entrapment, electrical shock or extreme temperature. According to N.F.P.A. Firefighter
Fatality Reports between 1996 and 2003, there were 103 deaths directly attributed to
asphyxiation. These numbers do not include the direct contribution that “running out of
air” played in deaths attributed to factors, such as thermal insult, collapse or cardiac
arrest. Asphyxiation accounts for 63% of fire fighter fatalities on the fire ground.
It is important to have realistic RIT expectations. There have been numerous
studies, including this one, that have attempted to quantify exactly how long it will take a
RIT team to locate, assess and provide supplemental air to a lost or injured fire fighter.
The Seattle Fire Department has shown that in perfect condition training scenarios, the
ability for a RIT to consistently locate and provide air to a downed fire fighter takes 1015 minutes (Gagliano et al. 2008). As previously mentioned, the Phoenix RIT study
concluded that it takes an average of 8.85 minutes to reach the victim fire fighter’s side

27

once the Mayday is called. Average time from Mayday to victim fire fighter removal was
21 minutes. In the current study the average time for a 2 person RIT team to locate,
package and remove a downed fire fighter located 50 feet inside a building was
approximately 12 minutes. These results show that rapid intervention is in fact, not rapid.
If the victim fire fighter does not have sufficient reserve air to survive until a RIT locates
and provides supplemental air, the rescue will likely be unsuccessful. It is time
consuming for a RIT team to locate, assess and give cylinder air to a trapped or injured
fire fighter. If the victim fire fighter does not have the necessary 25% reserve air as a
minimum, there is little chance a rescue will be successful. Fire service organizations
should consider adopting policies requiring fire fighters to exit IDLH atmospheres prior
to members beginning to consume their emergency reserve air-supply (last 25% of SCBA
cylinder). NFPA 1404: 5.1.4(2) states that fire fighters must be out of the IDLH
atmosphere before their low-air warning alarm activates. If a fire fighter’s low-air
warning alarm activates while they are inside the hazardous environment, then this is an
immediate action item for the individual and team.
The rate at which a fire fighter will consume their SCBA air depends on a number
of factors. Air consumption is high when fire fighters perform strenuous work in full
Personal Protective clothing and Equipment (PPE). Other factors that cause increased air
consumption include elevated body core temperature, dehydration, physical fatigue and
emotional stress. Taken together, these factors will result in increased respiratory
demand over the course of the fire fighter’s work cycle. Respiratory demands may vary
from a resting rate of 40 litres per minute (LPM) to a maximum rate of over 400 LPM
(Safety Equipment America, 2002).

28

While manufacturer information provided with SCBA cylinders indicate that 300
litres (L) will provide up to six minutes of air, the reality is that a hardworking, physically
stressed fire fighter can easily consume 300L of air in less than three minutes (Gagliano
et al. 2008). Three minutes will barely cover the time it takes a RIT team to prepare and
enter the building. The 300 litres of air left when a 30 minute (1200L) cylinder alarms
simply does not allow enough time to rescue a fire fighter should anything unexpected
happen during egress from the structure. The 30 minute SCBA cylinder has been the
standard for North American fire fighters since SCBAs where widely implemented. It is
common knowledge among fire fighters that a 30 minute SCBA will last approximately
12-18 minutes during fire suppression activities, but the cylinder is still referred to as a
30-minute cylinder. It is more appropriate to refer to SCBA cylinders in terms of volume
of air and not time. A 30 min cylinder contains 1200 L of air, a 45-min cylinder contains
1800L, while a one-hour cylinder holds 2400L of compressed air.
Fire service organizations should consider using a minimum 1800L (45 min) air
cylinder when entering a structure fire. Commonly used 1200L (30 min) cylinders may
not allow enough air supply for the victim fire fighter or the rescue members. An 1800L
cylinder provides 1350L for suppression or rescue activities, while still leaving 450L as
an emergency reserve. Another possible solution to provide more air on the fire ground
for both operations and as emergency reserve is to use 2400L cylinders. This option
provides 1800L for operations and exit, while still leaving 600L as an emergency reserve.
While using a 2400L cylinder seems like the obvious option, it is not without
controversy. Although many Hazmat and confined space entry teams have been using
2400L cylinders for years, there are significant drawbacks in terms of weight and size,

29

causing some to question these cylinders as an appropriate choice for regular fire ground
use. While there are differences depending on manufacturer and construction materials,
an average 1200L cylinder will weigh approximately 8 lbs with an 1800L cylinder
weighing 11 lbs and a 2400L cylinder weighing 13 lbs. The heavier 2400L cylinder will
provide more air for the fire fighter but will come at the cost of increasing energy
expenditure to carry the added weight. The 2400L cylinder seems to be the most
appropriate choice for RIT members. During any rescue attempt air supply will be critical
in ensuring the safety of the RIT members and victim. Many fire departments have
acknowledged this and currently use 2400L RIT air cylinders.
During this study 1200L cylinders were used for approximately forty percent of
the scenarios. During these scenarios it was common for the 1200L cylinders to activate
the low air alarm between 10 and 15 minutes into the rescue. It was observed in this study
that an activated low air alarm during a rescue will quickly change the priorities of the
rescue, create added psychological stress, and may ultimately delay the rescue.
A common observation during the current study was that fire fighters initially
thought that they were trained enough to perform a fire fighter rescue. Following the RIT
scenarios almost every fire fighter commented on how they benefited from the training
and that the rescue work was more physically demanding than they anticipated. When
multiple scenarios were performed with the same fire fighters, it was evident that their
speed and skill was improving with each scenario. An interesting observation was the
difference in the performance between the student and career fire fighters. The student
fire fighters were on average slightly faster than the career fire fighters during the
scenario when the 2 person RIT team was tasked to locate, package and remove a victim

30

50 feet inside a building. The student fire fighters were trained in RIT techniques and
may have had a slightly higher fitness level compared to the career fire fighters. The
greatest difference observed between the career fire fighters and students was general
safety awareness. When there were decisions to be made affecting the outcome of the
rescue, the more experienced fire fighters took the time to act and intervene in order to
ensure that the victim fire fighter was successfully rescued. The career fire fighters
typically demonstrated better situational awareness and were more concerned about the
safety of themselves and the victim during the scenarios. The student fire fighters focused
more on just getting the victim out, and had less regard for the safety of the victim and
themselves. During the removal of the downed fire fighter the student fire fighters
typically handled the victim in a rough manner and were more likely to injure the victim
during extrication.
The most important consideration for developing effective RIT teams is training.
In order for RIT teams to be effective and prepared for challenging rescues they must
perform on-going training. A final recommendation from this study is that fire service
organizations should conduct RIT training at least annually, with a focus on both theory
and practical hands-on drills as part of fire fighter job performance requirements. RIT
training should stress the fundamentals of search and rescue. RIT training must also focus
on fire behavior, building construction, air management and fire fighter safety during
rescue situations. Fire fighters will typically have less regard for their own safety when
intent on rescuing a fellow fire fighter. RIT training should also include self-rescue.
During their career, fire fighters will spend a considerable amount of time training to
rescue other people, but will spend very little time learning how to rescue themselves, if

31

they become trapped. RIT training must also outline the criteria for calling a Mayday.
The majority of fire fighters are hesitant to call a Mayday if they are lost or trapped. By
the time they do realize they are in serious trouble, it may be too late.
All fire service members should receive training that outline RIT policies and
procedures for that organization. Not all fire fighters and officers will be assigned to a
RIT, but they all must understand how RIT will be deployed in an emergency situation
and what they will need to do to make the rescue successful. RIT team members need to
be well-trained, physically and mentally fit individuals that can perform difficult rescues
under extreme conditions. The RIT team will require a team leader that is capable of
making some critical tactical decisions that may mean the difference between the life and
death of a fire fighter. They must base their tactical decisions on sound training and
experience and maintain their focus on locating, assessing, and extricating their fellow
fire fighters.
The fire service continues to evolve and advance in order to meet the demands of
a continually changing operating environment. Many of these advances made in recent
years would not have been possible without the help of technology. Technology has the
potential to make fire fighting safer. New SCBAs, digital pump panels, thermal imaging
cameras (TIC’s), P.A.S.S. alarms, radios and atmospheric monitoring devices are
examples of new technologies that have made the fire ground a safer place to work. More
recently the fire service has seen computer programs to assist with fire ground
accountability and air management. There are now triangulation devices to assist RIT
members in locating lost or trapped fire fighters. If used correctly these technologies will
make the fire ground safer; however, there are dangers in relying excessively on

32

technology. These technologies can compete for the attention of fire fighters, and result
in reduced situational awareness that can place the fire fighter in a dangerous situation.
Recent statistics suggest that new technology is not reducing the incidence of fire ground
deaths and injuries. There is no technology that will replace sound fire ground principals,
regular training and fire ground experience. During this study we noticed a correlation
between experience and situational awareness. Inexperienced fire fighters were less
aware of their surroundings and were more likely to put themselves in a dangerous
situation compared with experienced fire fighters.

Implication for future research/projects on fire fighter health and safety
There is very limited data available on the effectiveness of current RIT protocols,
including supplied air systems and rescue tools. The objective of this research was to
provide some general recommendations for developing more effective and efficient RIT
protocols, and to outline the limitations of a 2 person RIT team. Future research must
expand on these general recommendations and study the effectiveness of specific rescue
techniques and tools. Future RIT research should look at the effectiveness of 3 and 5
person RIT teams and the optimal frequency for RIT training. Future RIT research will
increase the safety of all fire fighters who may be exposed to dangerous situations.
Immediate and long-term benefits of the results
The immediate benefit of the research results will be reduced rescue times for trapped fire
fighters. The recommendations from the study can be used to educate fire fighters
throughout the province in effective RIT procedures. The research results provide
information on the effectiveness of current RIT protocols and provide valuable
information for policymakers who must decide on the appropriate allocation of resources

33

at emergency scenes. The long-term benefit of the results is that it establishes some sound
recommendations on effective RIT techniques and protocols that may be modified with
future technology and research findings.
Implications for future training and education projects
The recommendations from this study should be tested and evaluated by conducting RIT
training drills in both career and volunteer fire departments throughout the province.
Relevant user groups for the research results
The relevant user groups for the research results are all fire departments in North
America. In British Columbia the research results and recommendations are useful to all
fire department personal. The key user groups to benefit from the information are B.C.
Fire Chiefs and Training Officers. Fire Chiefs are in the position to influence policies that
will produce more effective RIT teams. Fire Chiefs and commanding officers are the key
policymakers who must decide on the appropriate allocation of resources at emergency
scenes. Training officers are in the position to ensure that fire fighters receive appropriate
RIT training and education.
Dissemination/knowledge transfer
The results from this research will be disseminated through fire fighter journal articles.
Information from the study will also be made available to B.C. Fire Departments through
the Justice Institute of B.C. and through the WorkSafeBC program. The Justice Institute
of B.C. has already incorporated the RIT recommendations from this study in their
current RIT training program that is offered throughout the province. Two RIT training
days has also been implemented in the Justice Institute Career Fire Fighter PreEmployment Program. Research findings will hopefully be presented to the B.C. Fire
Chiefs and Training Officers at the appropriate conferences in 2010.

34

References
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COBB, R. 1996, Rapid Intervention teams: They may be our only chance. Firehouse,
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COBB, R. 1998, Rapid Intervention teams: A fireground safety factor. Firehouse, May:
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COLEMAN, J., and LASKY, R. 2000, Managing the Mayday. Fire Engineering,
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36

APPENDIX
Table 1. Time (minutes) for the 2 member RIT teams (n = 32) to locate, package and
remove a victim located 10 feet away from the nozzle of a hoseline that was 50
feet inside of a building. Teams 1 to 16 were experienced fire fighters, teams 17
to 32 were fire fighting students.
Trial
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Average
STD

ReachVic
3.50min
3.07
2.97
2.83
2.83
2.73
2.95
3.17
2.67
1.97
2.25
2.25
2.68
2.80
2.50
2.67
2.74

Package
5.50
6.26
5.96
3.42
5.35
5.27
4.37
4.58
4.50
4.95
10.55
5.17
5.07
4.70
6.00
4.83
5.41

Extricate
5.63
7.34
3.98
3.75
3.57
6.50
3.76
2.68
2.83
2.75
3.80
3.58
5.85
5.41
2.00
3.75
4.20

Total Time
14.63min
16.67
12.91
10.00
11.75
14.50
11.08
10.43
10.00
9.67
16.60
11.00
13.60
12.91
10.50
11.25
12.34min

0.38

1.54

1.51

2.30

17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
Average
STD
Total
Average
STD

2.42
2.08
1.50
1.58
1.83
1.92
2.17
1.92
2.17
1.50
1.50
1.58
1.67
1.75
1.50
1.75
1.80

6.58
5.92
6.25
5.67
5.84
5.99
6.00
5.75
6.25
5.50
6.00
5.42
5.83
6.25
6.00
5.58
5.93

3.00
3.42
2.25
3.00
2.50
2.42
3.83
3.50
1.91
5.00
2.83
5.50
2.50
3.00
2.83
3.17
3.17

12.00min
11.42
10.00
10.25
10.17
10.33
12.00
11.17
10.33
12.00
10.33
12.50
10.00
11.00
10.33
10.50
10.90min

0.29

0.31

0.95

0.84

2.13

5.75

3.70

11.62min

0.61

0.62

1.43

1.77

37

Table 2. The time (minutes) it took the 4 member RIT teams (n = 12) to locate, package
and remove two victims 100 feet inside of a building. One victim was located at
the nozzle of the 100 foot hoseline and the other victim was located 10 feet
away from the nozzle. In trials 1 to 6 the RIT teams started with 2 members and
then asked for 2 more members once the initial victim was reached. In trials 7 to
12 the RIT teams started with 4 members and could not request any other help.
2 then 2
Trial
1
2
3
4
5
6
Avg
STD

ReachVic Package Extricate Total Time
5.75min
7.75
8.00
21.50min
7.00
6.00
9.50
22.50
5.00
5.25
9.75
20.00
7.00
8.00
7.00
22.00
7.50
7.00
8.33
22.83
8.00
6.33
9.00
23.33
6.71

6.72

8.60

22.03min

1.12

1.06

1.03

1.18

4 at start
Trial
ReachVic Package Extricate Total Time
6.00min
5.00
6.00
17.00min
7
6.33
5.17
6.00
17.50
8
7.00
5.00
4.00
16.00
9
6.50
5.00
3.50
15.00
10
6.50
6.00
5.25
17.75
11
5.25
6.00
5.50
16.75
12
Avg
6.26
5.36
5.04
16.67min
STD

0.59

0.50

1.05

1.02

38

Table 3. The time (minutes) for a 2 member RIT team (n = 20) to safely bring an
unconscious fire fighter up one flight of 14 stairs.
Trial
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Time (min)
1.70
1.20
1.60
1.60
2.25
1.33
1.62
0.98
1.55
1.95
1.70
1.63
2.05
1.78
1.63
1.72
1.23
1.58
2.07
2.10

Avg

1.66min

STD

0.27

39

Table 4. The time (minutes) for a 2 member (n = 10) and 4 member (n = 10) RIT team to
package and lift an unconscious fire fighter through a window. The window was
3 feet by 4 feet and located 42 inches off the floor. There were two, 2 man RIT
teams that were unable to lift the unconscious fire fighter through the window.
2 Man
Trial
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Average
STD

Time (min) to
remove victim

4 Man

Time (min) to
remove victim

6.23
5.90
6.42
5.67
6.13
6.08
6.72
7.58
9.17
7.20
6.71min

Trial
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Average

4.75
4.58
5.42
5.33
4.83
2.67
4.37
4.75
4.82
4.67
4.62min

1.05

STD

0.76

40

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