Kansas City Last

By: Todd Ackerson

“Rapid Intervention Teams (RIT) are not fast; rope techniques do not work in RIT search applications.”

These are statements that I have heard made by subject-matter experts in the fire service, and have to admit, bring a smile to my face. In Kansas City , we know rapid intervention teams can be fast; and search techniques using a thermal imager and rope in large areas can work.

On December 18, 1999, the Kansas City Fire Department lost one of its own, Battalion Chief John Tvedten. Chief Tvedten was serving in the role of Interior Commander at a 300,000 square foot paper warehouse. The fire was located in a paper-bale section and was causing the structure to fill with a haze of white smoke. Firefighters battled the fire for fifty-two minutes before the Incident Commander (IC) and Chief Tvedten decided conditions were deteriorating, and they should switch to a defensive attack. There were radio malfunctions and some interior crews did not hear the evacuation order; they ran low on air and needed assistance evacuating the structure. Chief Tvedten also became disoriented and did not leave the structure. The IC ordered two RIT teams to enter the building to find Chief Tvedten. These RIT teams ran low on air and exited without finding Chief Tvedten. Additional RIT teams were ordered into the structure, and through heroic efforts located and extracted Chief Tvedten from the structure one and a half hours after the initial dispatch. Chief Tvedten was transported to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead ( NIOSH Report #F99-48).

On December 18th, 1999, our department was not equipped, trained, or prepared to effectively rescue one of our members who became lost or disoriented from a large-area structure. At the time of Chief Tvedten’s death, our department also did not have thermal imaging cameras (TIC).

Shortly after Chief Tvedten’s tragic death, a group of Kansas City firefighters began looking for a technique that would give us a chance to rescue our personnel who may become lost or trapped in large areas. This process was started at the grass-roots level ,and as we worked through the process, more and more firefighters started getting involved. We looked at techniques other departments were using and tested all we could find. We were not satisfied and began working from scratch on developing a RIT technique built around a TIC and rope to quickly and safely find lost or downed firefighters in large areas. We were met with many obstacles along the way, but through the tireless work of many Kansas City firefighters who never gave up, we eventually developed a technique that we know works.

I have to mention here that during the early stages of development, as with any new idea, we had trouble getting funding and support from our department. Two changes occurred that enabled the Kansas City large area search team (L.A.S.T.) technique to succeed. First was the development of a Labor Management Process within the KCFD that enables new ideas to flourish. Second, the support we had from Deputy Chief Jeff Grote, Deputy Chief Paul Berardi and Chief of Department Smokey Dyer. They guided Kansas City L.A.S.T. training through the Labor Management Partnership process, and were able to support our work through encouragement and funding.

Writing a more detailed view of L.A.S.T. may give critics of rope searches ammunition in sitting back and developing scenarios for this technique to eventually entangle the team. I can only state that entanglements are not a problem if the technique is properly taught, and teams continue to practice what they learn. The information below describes in further detail the steps of L.A.S.T.; but is not intended as a manual of instruction, nor does it substitute as instruction for using this technique.

Kansas City L.A.S.T.

In Kansas City, we use four members on our RIT Teams and that is the minimum allowable. Kansas City L.A.S.T. is a tool that our RIT Teams use while performing a search for a downed, trapped, or lost firefighter in a large area. L.A.S.T. deployment divides the RIT Team into two distinct groups for this technique: The “A-team” and the “B-team.” Each group upon locating a victim works together in extracting the victim out.

A-TEAM

Secure rope to anchor.
Take 3 foot tether with carabiners on each end, clip one end to the company officer who will be Lead-in, and the other end to the mule. Both connections made on truck belt center-front of each A-team member, keeping tether along the right side of Lead-in.
Place rope bag diagonally on Mule’s chest with rope feeding out bottom of rope bag on right side of Mule. The bag strap will be cinched tight and positioned high on chest of the mule.
Mule will place a single carabiner to truck belt on right side clipping onto rope between bottom of rope bag and the anchor.
The Mule will carry a rescue bottle with transfill hose attached. Ensure bottle is turned on. Mule has option of carrying bottle in hand, or clipping to belt leaving right hand free to keep contact with Lead-in and clear any rope tangles. Note: Do not carry by transfill hose connection at bottle as this will blow an O-ring if loosened during rescue.

Note for Mule: If rope becomes lodged in bag, the first step to free the feed is to stop moving forward, take one step back, reposition rope bag high on chest, reach below carabiner, grab rope and yank to free; this will free the feed opening on bag.

ENTRY

A-team makes entry at the order of the IC. The B-team stages at the door, ready to go, and waits for entry order from door group.
The search that the A-team conducts will determine the success of the rescue. It is important to remember that the traditional pattern searches that we learn as firefighters must be thrown out of the window. A-team must plan their search pattern based on what they are informed of by the door group; what they hear on the radio; and what they see with the TIC as soon as entry is made. Take the time now to plan your search strategy. Stay in unobstructed pathways as much as possible and let the TIC clear areas for you. Remember that the path that you travel will be the path that you use for victim removal.


	Secure rope before entry. Does not need to be bomb-proof anchor, just something that keeps rope from moving.	A-team entry. Use TIC to evaluate what the structure gives you, and on scene information to develop the search pattern you will use.

	Notice that the Mule is following Lead-in and conserving evergy.	Lead-in starts process of a quick assessment. How is the victim oriented? Is there an entanglement? Is SCBA present?

VICTIM FIND

Once the victim has been located, the A-team mule will fall back to the end of the tether keeping it tight between the Lead-in and themselves. This will allow the Lead-in to operate with minimal amount of talking to the Mule. Now the Lead-in will stop and choose the best path to the victim. The A-team will approach victim keeping victim on A-team’s right. Make a quick size up of the victim so that the B-team can bring any specialized equipment that you may need to free victim. Notify door sector “Victim found, start the B-team”.
As the B-team makes entry, the A-team company officer should now position the victim for travel keeping victim to the right of the team. Orient the victim on back and head towards direction of travel out. If victim is in area that makes hook-up by the team difficult, A-team Company Officer will move victim to more open area.
Keeping victim to the right of the company officer, he should move to about the victim’s knee level. Facing victim, grab SCBA straps or coat, and pull victim up to sitting position. With free hand, guide the Mule into victim and Mule will move up and place knee against victim’s back next to SCBA bottle; this places victim’s SCBA strap in front of the Mule’s knee and should be easy to find. The Mule will find SCBA strap and hold victim upright with one hand.
Company officer will take rescue bottle from Mule and place between victim’s legs. Company officer will hook up transfill hose to victim. Rescue bottle will always be hooked up to victim, if needed for victim or not, to ensure air supply for victim and team if needed for travel out.
Company officer will release rope bag from Mule, place rope in one hand and throw bag away from team in direction of victim’s feet. Mule will continue to hold victim’s SCBA strap and hold other hand out for B-team to run into.


	Lead-in further assesses victim after contact to make sure SCBA is properly donned, assess how much air is remaining, and identify any entrapments or entanglements. Notice that as Lead-in approaches victim. The Mule backs off on tether and stays out of the way. If no problems are encountered requiring specialized equipment that the B-team can bring in, the Lead-in will ask for B-team entry.	Lead-in performing leg-spin to orient firefighter to a head-out position. Again, the Mule is staying back.

	Lead-in lifts firefighter to sitting position.	Lead-in now brings in the Mule and places Mule’s hand on shoulder strap of SCBA harness.

	Mule holds firefighter in seated position while Lead-in makes sure that victim is moving air and that face piece is in proper position.	Lead-in connects air via bottle and quick fill to victim’s connection. You may have noticed that the KCFD specs its SCBA so that the air connection is on front of the SCBA, above the ICM, and is easy to locate. Our SCBAs also have the NFPA required air connection in the rear next to the bottle hand-wheel.

B-TEAM

When the B-team Lead-in runs into the A-team Mule’s hand, the Mule will guide B-team Lead’s right hand onto other SCBA strap. A-team Lead will ensure Mule and B-team Lead-in have good grip on victim’s SCBA straps and are positioned and ready to move.
The A-team Lead-in will place TIC into chest of Mule while the Mule places TIC into chest of B-team Lead-out (last to come in first to Lead-out). B-team Lead-out takes TIC and backs into the Mule and the B-team Lead-in. Mule and B-team Lead-in will grasp B-team’s Lead-out SCBA bottle, or truck belt, and prepare to move out. Carabiners can be placed on the harness of the SCBA to assist with hand holds for the Mules.
The B-team Lead-out will give command, “Ready to move out,” and upon a go from all members, will give the command, “Pull slack,” and the A-team Lead-in will pull out slack on the rope until B-team Lead-out commands, “move out.”

LEAD-OUT

All members of team will work together and move as one. The B-team lead out will be responsible for all further communications with the door group and leading the team back down the rope keeping team together and making sure slack is being pulled by company officer at the proper pace and stopping the team if need be.
L.A.S.T. teams must practice this drill many times and rotate all members into different roles to become proficient. The company officer should always lead the A-team, as they may have to make tough decisions on the team continuing or evacuating due to adverse conditions; or making rescue impossible, placing the team in peril.

DOOR GROUP

The Door group will be manned by two officers who will maintain communication between the IC and the L.A.S.T. team members. Door group will have the responsibility of keeping IC informed of progress of the team and any information that can be forwarded to L.A.S.T. team members that may help in locating the downed firefighter. Also, the Door group is in place to limit entry and stop freelancing.
The Door group will track the A-team’s time upon entry, and at every three minutes will advise team of time. “Door group to truck 5-A, you are at three minutes.” The simple response will be, “Truck 5-A copy.” At six minutes, repeat contact. At nine minutes, repeat contact. At 12 minutes, Door group will advise L.A.S.T. team to evacuate the structure if the victim has not been located. If at any time Door group does not get a response from the A-team after three attempts, the Door sector will deploy the B-team and ready another L.A.S.T. team.


	Lead-in removes the rope bag from the Mule and remains in contact with the rope and bag.	“Mule” gets hand out in preparation for “B-team” arrival

	B-team Lead-out announces, “Camera pass.” TIC is securely passed chest-to-chest, up to B-team Lead-out. Chest-to-chest method is used due to lack of visibility.	Using one hand the Lead-in tosses bag in-line with the victim in the direction of the victim’s feet, while maintaining contact with rope with the other hand.

	“ Mule” places “B-team’s” “Lead-in” hand on top of shoulder strap.	A-team Mule and B-team Lead-in find handholds on B-team Lead-out.

	B-team Lead-out gives the command, “Take up slack,” and the A-team Lead-in takes slack up in front of team. “Lead-out” gives the “Ready” command, and all team members respond “Ready”. Lead-out gives the “Let’s Go” command and team moves out following the Lead-out. A-team Lead In” now in back of group continues pulling slack out of rope in front of team.

AUTHOR’S NOTE:

This document is intended for use as an overview of the Kansas City L.A.S.T. rescue technique. Classroom participation and hands on instruction by qualified L.A.S.T. instructors is essential before deployment of a L.A.S.T. team on a fire ground.

“How fast is L.A.S.T.?” This is the million dollar question we get asked almost daily. Most teams on the first few evolutions bring in numbers of 10-15 minutes, with some taking longer. Experienced teams start posting numbers of 6-8 minutes, with some lower from entry to exit. It is our hope that there is something out there that is quicker and easier with the success rate that we have locating downed firefighters in large areas with L.A.S.T. If there is, we want to see it and will definitely use it. Until then we will opt for Kansas City L.A.S.T.

Over the last five years through a grant from the Missouri Division of Fire Safety, we have been training other Missouri Fire Departments on this technique. We have also had the opportunity to train Fire Departments in surrounding states, most of which have adopted L.A.S.T. as a tool for their RIT Teams to use. Real World Firefighting is a company we formed to enable some of the KCFD members who originated L.A.S.T. the ability to train departments in this technique.

We have dedicated Kansas City L.A.S.T. in memory of Battalion Chief John Tvedten in hopes that it will give departments a fighting chance at getting in and removing firefighters in trouble in large areas.

There are far too many tips and lessons learned during the thousands of evolutions we have performed or trained others on to mention here. My intention in writing this article was to give firefighters an overview of this technique and hope that enough interest will be generated for you to get on board and learn as much as you can about it.

Any questions you may have, feel free to contact me, and if in Kansas City contact me for a demonstration.

Todd Ackerson
Rescue Division Chief
Kansas City Fire department
toddackerson@att.net