BY JAMES T. SWANICK
A volunteer fire department is aggressively fighting a fire in a two-story colonial when the incident commander hears the most dreaded words on the fireground transmitted over the radio: “Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!”
The firefighter transmitting the Mayday reports that his partner has fallen through the floor into the basement in the C/D area of the dining room. As the incident commander receives additional information on the location and status of the downed firefighter, he activates the firefighter assistance and search team (FAST). This department and the FAST will now answer the question, How fast is the FAST?
In asking this question, I am not asking if the team will perform a quick rescue. There are too many variables to ever say that a rescue should be quick or easy. What I am asking is, “At what point in the incident does your department request a FAST? How long will it take your team to respond to a fire? How long will it take for your team to stage equipment and perform size-up at a fire? And, most importantly, how long will it take your FAST to begin a search if the team is activated? Your team should know the answers to these questions and ensure that its duties will be performed quickly and efficiently.
To satisfy the two-in/two-out requirement, all fire departments should have a crew of firefighters on-scene to immediately assist a firefighter who may be in distress. These firefighters may be called a FAST, a rapid intervention team (RIT), a rapid intervention crew (RIC), or a Go Team. The name isn’t important; the function is.
FAST REQUEST
Paid fire departments usually dispatch an additional truck or engine to fire scenes to act as the FAST. These staffed fire departments have the advantage of knowing what the staffing level will be on the first-arriving units and on the FAST truck. Most times, volunteer departments do not have the same advantage.
Volunteer departments usually do not know how many firefighters will be on- scene until the apparatus or the firefighters themselves arrive on-scene. As such, the number of firefighters available may be severely limited during daytime hours or by the size of the department itself. Volunteer departments must request a FAST as soon as there is the slightest confirmation of a working fire (e.g., multiple reports of a fire, police units on scene reporting a working fire, or visible fire or a large amount of smoke observed by the first-arriving units). In this way, the FAST will be dispatched prior to the arrival of all units, responding and arriving on-scene early in the incident.
If the IC waits to see if first-arriving firefighters can control the fire quickly prior to requesting a FAST, he will be endangering the welfare of his personnel needlessly. Those first firefighters going through the door may fall into a basement or become entangled and trapped. As a result, other firefighters must have their assignments changed at the last minute to perform a firefighter rescue while additional units are dispatched. If the FAST is not on-scene yet, the firefighters on-scene can begin the rescue. The FAST can then have its assignment changed to operations and another FAST can be requested to back up the on-scene firefighters performing the rescue. Remember, if the fire goes unchecked, the conditions will continually get worse, making any rescue more dangerous and difficult.
FAST RESPONSE
Volunteer department personnel usually respond directly to the firehouse to staff the apparatus and then respond to the scene. Or, the apparatus may respond with only a driver/operator while the other firefighters respond directly to the scene. The manner in which the firefighters respond-on staffed apparatus from the firehouse or directly to the scene-usually depends on the response area of the fire district and the distance firefighters must travel. A FAST may use the same response options.
Responding on staffed apparatus has the most advantages. The officer will know how many firefighters are available. The equipment and duties can be assigned en route, and the officer can relay any important information he receives from radio transmissions while en route. When the apparatus arrives on-scene, all the firefighters already know their assigned duties and, regardless of whether they are activated immediately or shortly after arrival, there will be a smooth transition to FAST operations. However, waiting a long time for firefighters to arrive from miles away for the above benefit is a disadvantage.
If the firefighters must respond from miles away and the response will be delayed, then having personnel respond directly to the scene may be a better option. With this response, a driver must still respond to the firehouse to pick up the equipment/apparatus, whereas the FAST firefighters would respond directly to the scene. Although there are disadvantages to this response method, getting the FAST on-scene in a timely manner outweighs the disadvantages.
When the FAST responds directly to the scene, it is vital that at least one firefighter respond to the firehouse to bring the apparatus and equipment. It should be determined beforehand which firefighter will do this, and there must be more than one. If the primary firefighter is unavailable, others should be designated to take his place.
When the FAST apparatus goes in service, the driver should communicate how many firefighters are currently on the apparatus. For example, “Engine 31 in service to 11 Main Street with two.” From this message, the officer and any other firefighters responding to the scene know that there are two firefighters on the FAST apparatus. While en route, the firefighters on the apparatus can begin to assign what equipment will be removed from the apparatus, and by whom. On arrival, if direct-to-the-scene responders are already there, the firefighter responding with the apparatus should advise the officer of what tools and equipment have been removed. In that way, the officer can direct the scene responders on what action to take.
Firefighters responding directly to the scene should listen to radio, pager, or scanner transmissions to familiarize themselves with ongoing operations at the fire scene. They can also then listen to be sure that the FAST apparatus is responding and know how many firefighters will be on the apparatus. On arrival, these FAST responders should not become involved with operational firefighting activity; they would have to abandon this when the FAST apparatus arrives. The on-scene FAST members should conduct a size-up of the structure and obtain other information, which they would relay to the FAST officer on his arrival.
It is vital that scene FAST responders have a predetermined meeting place, which will let the FAST officer know how many firefighters have arrived at the scene. Any firefighters not needed for the FAST should be released from duty or sent to staging.
Regardless of how the FAST responds, if the team has fewer than four firefighters, the IC should be advised immediately. The IC can then assign another firefighter or request a second FAST to fill out the one already on-scene. Waiting a long period for any additional FAST firefighters to arrive could lead to confusion and delay any search or assistance.
FAST STAGING AND SIZE-UP
On arrival, the equipment needed by the FAST should be removed from the apparatus to a staging area located near the structure but far enough away so that it does not interfere with operations. This equipment should already have been assigned en route or immediately after arrival if there is a scene response. It is important that the equipment needed to begin a rescue be staged quickly and efficiently. It can be placed in a designated FAST equipment compartment, or a written equipment list can be used to assist in staging the proper equipment.
If the FAST equipment can’t be staged in one trip, you are staging too much equipment. I have observed fires where the FAST unloads so much equipment from the apparatus it requires multiple trips. If there were activation during that time, the FAST would be delayed in beginning a search. Stage the equipment you need to initiate a search, locate a firefighter, supply him with air, and cut any materials in which he might be entangled.
If the FAST can’t remove the downed firefighter quickly, additional personnel or equipment will be needed. Thus, the rescue will be beyond the capabilities of the FAST, and other firefighters and equipment will be needed.
After the equipment is delivered to the staging area, the FAST should divide into two-person teams for search purposes, if it has not done so already. The FAST search teams should then conduct a walk-around and size-up of the structure. This should be done one team at a time, with each team bringing a portable radio and the tools needed to immediately begin a search if the team were to be activated. While conducting the size-up, the search teams should notice the building construction, the fire location and extension, and in what areas firefighters are currently operating. They should also look for access and egress points, porch roofs, and any doors that may need to be forced. On returning to the staging area, the search team should give a quick size-up report to the other team members. The other search teams perform the same walk-around and give an updated briefing on returning. After 15 or 20 minutes, one of the search teams should conduct a second walk-around and update the other team members. This will keep the FAST constantly updated on conditions.
If the structure is too large to conduct a walk-around, a second FAST should be used for the inaccessible areas, or half the FAST could be staged to the other side of the building. If the FAST observes a severe hazard (e.g., indications of potential collapse of an area or presence of a hazardous material), the IC should be advised immediately.
The search teams should divide the structure into search areas in case the FAST is activated and there is no indication of where the lost or trapped firefighter may be. For example, FAST Search Team 1 will enter through the front door (A side) and proceed to search; FAST Search Team 2 will enter through the rear door (C side) and proceed to search. Search teams should always proceed to the area with the worst conditions and search back.
While the search teams are conducting a walk-around, the other firefighters should start saws and check portable radios to be sure they are operating properly and on the proper channel. Turn the air on to the SCBA that will be used to supply air to a downed firefighter. Turn on the thermal imaging camera, and place it in stand-by mode. Never assume that this equipment will function properly today because it was operating properly the last time it was checked. Someone may have removed it from the apparatus for use, for maintenance, or to attend a training course and may not have put it back properly.
The FAST firefighters should also be properly prepared to enter the structure; they should have personal protective equipment, a flashlight, personal tools, and an SCBA properly donned. Face pieces should be fitted and ready to be put on with minimum effort. Any search ropes or tools needed should only have to be picked up.
The FAST officer should always be seeking a way to keep the FAST fresh and not fatigued from standing around with the weight of SCBA or equipment. Have the team sit on a curb to take the weight off, and carry some water bottles so something to drink is easily at hand. In hot or humid weather conditions, have one search team fully ready to go and the other with SCBA off and coats open to cool off. Switch the position as needed. If the FAST is activated, one search team would be immediately ready to enter the structure with the second shortly behind. If the fire is large or prolonged, the entire team may need to be replaced by a fresh team. Having the FAST on-scene but exhausted from weather exposure or from standing by will hamper and slow any rescue effort.
FAST ACTIVATION
Some firefighters will call a Mayday only if they run out of air, are injured, or are entrapped and cannot free themselves. Firefighters should call a Mayday whenever they are are lost and running low on air (the FAST will bring it); if they become lost for any period of time (the FAST will search for them); or as soon as they become entangled or entrapped (the FAST will come to help free them). Waiting until they run out of air, are lost for a long period, or are entangled only delays assistance. The FAST can always be told to return to staging if the firefighter exits the structure, is located, or frees himself from the entanglement.
A good FAST will be operational before the IC even directs it to do so. Why? Because a good FAST will be listening to the radio for the Mayday, observing the structure, and will know where firefighters are operating, where the fire is, and where it is extending. If you can’t do this when you are assigned to the FAST, you need to improve. All the above is done before the FAST is activated. When the IC activates the FAST, the team only needs to know the last known location, assignment, and condition of the firefighter in trouble. Then the FAST officer can direct the team to the access point, of which all are aware because they conducted a size-up.
At times, the IC or FAST officer will direct the FAST to raise ladders or force doors as a proactive measure. However, consider the following when assigning these duties to the FAST: If they are raising ladders or forcing doors, then the FAST members are not immediately ready to begin a search. The FAST must first stop this assignment prior to initiating a search or rescue. The FAST should always retain two firefighters who will be immediately available to begin a search or rescue. Better yet, the IC should request additional firefighters to perform these duties. A chief from a department two towns away once asked me if he had to call us for FAST duty, would we respond? I told him we would go anywhere, anytime; I am sure that all other firefighters feel the same way.
FAST RESCUE
As stated at the beginning of this article, there are too many variables to ever be able to say that a rescue will be fast or easy. There is only one variable that we, as firefighters can control-training. Train on when to call a Mayday, performing firefighter rescue techniques, and safety and survival skills. Find out what works in training because if it doesn’t work there, it will never work in a hot, smoke-filled basement when you are trying to rescue a fellow firefighter.
When assigned to FAST duty at a fire, it is sometimes easy to let your guard down, since activations are usually rare. However, when that “Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!” is transmitted over the radio, you want to be fast and ready to go because on the other end of that Mayday your brother or sister is calling for help.
JAMES T. SWANICK is a 22-year veteran of the Rockaway Borough (NJ) Fire Department and served as chief in 1995. He is a state certified Level II instructor and is currently a training officer and lieutenant with Truck 3. Swanick is a patrol sergeant with the Harding Township (NJ) Police Department.
