Developing rescue company riding position assignments

In March, I reviewed the standard riding position assignments for ladder companies ("Riding High"). This month's column focuses on rescue company standard riding position assignments at fire incidents.

PHOTO GLEN ELLMAN Riding position assignments standardize each crewmember’s responsibilities on the fireground, allowing the crew to go into service more rapidly at the scene.

Why Standardize?
Standard riding position assignments improve the safety of operations by creating a kind of mini incident command system that standardizes each crewmember's responsibilities upon arrival on the fireground. These assignments allow the crew to go into service more rapidly at an incident scene; they also clarify expectations, allowing crews to perform assigned tasks more consistently. These assignments can be particularly helpful to volunteer or call departments in which personnel riding a piece of apparatus differ from call to call.

The term "rescue company" is inconsistently applied in the fire service; it means many different things to different departments. For the purposes of this article, I will use the term "rescue company" to refer to heavy rescue squad units that carry extrication and other firefighting tools. I will not include units primarily designed to respond to emergency medical calls and transport patients.

Rescue Company Functions
In many departments, the rescue company is called only to respond to accidents or other incidents that require extrication, or to respond to a working fire to fill air bottles or provide cleanup/salvage/overhaul once the fire is extinguished. But more progressive departments take a different approach, hand-picking experienced crews to staff their rescues and assigning these units to some of the more difficult tasks on the fireground.

Although it may be logistically difficult, volunteer departments should consider requiring firefighters to meet special requirements that enable them to "ride" the rescue truck.

Doing this will make the rescue unit more elite and may create additional interest and motivation within the department. However, incident commanders must reward this motivation by assigning the rescue company to the specialized operations it is equipped to perform on the fireground.

Properly equipped heavy squads should be prepared to handle any sort of rescue situation they may encounter, including rescue or rapid intervention team (RIT) ops at a structural fire/collapse, cave-in or trench rescue, confined-space rescue and water rescue. Well-equipped squads are like hardware stores on wheels, so personnel assigned to these units must know how to utilize all the equipment to affect extrications. Rescue companies might also perform tasks normally assigned to truck companies, such as horizontal or vertical ventilation, forcible entry and search and rescue.
 
Effective rescue companies can perform a wide variety of tasks at a wide variety of incidents, which makes it more difficult to assign specific duties and equipment to riding positions. Rather than generalizing assignments by specific seat, consider assigning duties and equipment to the crew by type of incident. Clearly post the assignments adjacent to the riding positions so crewmembers can split their duties among themselves while en route to the incident. Note: Although the crew's functions can be easily split, the officer and driver duties are normally clearly defined. Qualifications for riding the rescue company vary by department, but firefighters who respond on this apparatus must complete specific training. Rescue company personnel must be prepared to perform a multitude of duties that may be assigned to them; cross training in such areas as EMS is particularly useful.

The assignments I've listed below assume the rescue carries a generator, an air cascade system and some hydraulic rescue tools. In some cases, I also identify specialized equipment  not carried on all rescue apparatus. Remember: These suggested assignments are just that — suggestions your department can modify to fit your local conditions or use to help build your own program.

Standard Fire Response Assignments
These assignments allow the rescue company to provide fire support functions.

1. Driver
• Run generator and provide scene lighting (run electrical junction box to front/rear of building);
• Ladder the building if needed;
• Operate air cascade (set up fill tarps — red/green); and
• Set up firefighter rehab area as appropriate.
2. Officer
• Oversee utilities control (unless already completed);
• Account for personnel;
• Ensure adequate escape paths for personnel operating in the building;
• Perform radio communications; and
• Supervise secondary search.
3. Crew
• Don SCBA;
• Set up portable lighting;
• Deploy and utilize search equipment (search team);
• Deploy and utilize salvage equipment/water control (salvage team); and
• Perform outside ventilation with appropriate tools.

RIT Assignments
These assignments allow the rescue company to provide RIT functions.

1. Driver
• Run generator and provide scene lighting (run electrical junction box to front/rear of building);
• Monitor search rope; and
• Ensure adequate escape paths for personnel operating in the building.
2. Officer
• Don SCBA;
• Bring handlight; and
• Perform radio communications and coordination with incident command.
3. Crew
• Don SCBA;
• Bring handlights; and
• Deploy and utilize RIT equipment, including search rope, tools, a rescue saw and a thermal imager.

Vehicular Rescue Assignments
These assignments allow the rescue company to provide vehicular rescue functions.

1. Driver
• Run generator and provide scene lighting (run electrical/hydraulic junction box to rescue scene); and
• Provide for equipment logistics.
2. Officer
• Coordinate with EMS;
• Utilize handlight and portable radio;
• Develop rescue plan; and
• Ensure scene/patient safety.
3. Crew
• Deploy fire extinguisher;
• Secure vehicle power (safety team);
• Crib/stabilize vehicle(s);
• Deploy rescue tools as needed;
• Secure/open windshield; and
• Deploy heater/ventilator unit as needed.

Water Rescue Assignments
These assignments allow the rescue company to provide water rescue functions.

1. Driver
• Run generator and provide scene lighting; and
• Provide for equipment logistics.
2. Officer
• Coordinate with EMS;
• Utilize handlight and portable radio;
• Develop rescue plan; and
• Ensure scene/patient safety.
3. Crew
• Deploy rescue rope;
• Don personal flotation devices/suits;
• Ensure backup team is available and deployed; and
• Ensure upstream spotter is deployed.

Confined-Space Rescue Assignments
These assignments allow the rescue company to provide confined-space rescue functions.

1. Driver
• Run generator and provide scene lighting (run electrical/hydraulic junction box to rescue scene); and
• Provide for equipment logistics.
2. Officer
• Coordinate with EMS;
• Utilize handlight and portable radio;
• Utilize/ensure utilization of air-monitoring equipment;
• Develop rescue plan; and
• Ensure scene/patient safety.
• Crew
• Deploy fire extinguisher (safety team);
• Deploy tripod and rescue harness (rescue team);
• Don SCBA/airline respirator;
• Set up lighting/handlights; and
• Deploy heater/ventilator units as needed.

Collapse/Trench Rescue Assignments
These assignments allow the rescue company to provide building collapse and trench rescue functions.

1. Driver
• Run generator and provide scene lighting (run electrical/hydraulic junction box to rescue scene); and
• Assist with equipment logistics.
2. Officer
• Coordinate with EMS;
• Utilize handlight and portable radio;
• Utilize/ensure utilization of air-monitoring equipment;
• Develop rescue plan; and
• Ensure scene/patient safety.
3. Crew
• Deploy fire extinguisher and shoring/stabilization equipment (safety team);
• Deploy digging equipment (rescue team);
• Set up lighting/handlights; and
• Designate logistics coordinator as needed.

Mass Casualty Incident Assignments
These assignments allow the rescue company to perform support for mass casualty incidents.

1. Driver
• Run generator and provide scene lighting (run electrical/hydraulic junction box to scene);
• Set up rehabilitation area as needed; and Assist with equipment logistics.
2. Officer
• Coordinate with EMS;
• Utilize handlight and portable radio;
• Develop plan for victim removal; and
• Ensure scene/patient safety.
3. Crew
• Assist with EMS logistics;
• Don SCBA as needed;
• Assist in setting up triage/treatment/transportation areas;
• Set up lighting/handlights; and
• Designate logistics coordinator as needed.

Rules for All Crews
No matter the size of your rescue crew, all personnel must be seated with seat belts in place prior to moving the apparatus. Once the driver and officer determine the crew is complete, the driver will sound the vehicle horn twice, signaling the vehicle is about to move forward. No additional personnel may board the rescue or enter the rescue's bay space once the horn sounds, unless directed otherwise by the rescue driver.

While responding, the officer and the firefighter seated directly behind the officer should transmit all communications between the cab's front and rear seating areas (unless you're fortunate enough to have headset communications devices in your apparatus).

By definition, rescue companies must demonstrate flexibility on the fireground. Rescue company firefighters should be prepared to perform their assigned duties upon arrival at each emergency incident. However, before exiting the apparatus, firefighters should confirm their assignment with the apparatus officer, who may make changes as necessary, based on each situation's specific circumstances.

Positioning the rescue company apparatus on scene can be critical. While it should not block scene access for engine, ladder or ambulance companies, it should be placed in a way that allows it to make the best use of specialized, fixed equipment, such as generators, light towers and air lines. The unit must also be located out of the collapse zone and away from any smoke or chemical plume, particularly if it will be filling air bottles. Large apparatus can also create further collapse if positioned too close to trench or collapse incidents.

Conclusion
The heavy-rescue squad can be a vital part of a fire department's tactical operations. It is imperative, however, that the vehicle be properly designed, manned and equipped to perform needed tasks. Providing riding position assignments for the rescue squad improves its ability to deploy effectively and rapidly at an incident scene. Once you've decided to put riding position assignments to work for you, ensure your firefighters are trained on them and practice them regularly. 

Greg Jakubowski is a fire protection engineer and a certified safety professional with 27 years of fire-service experience. He is a Pennsylvania State Fire Instructor and serves as a captain with the Lingohocken Fire Company in Bucks County, Pa. Greg is also a principal in Fire Planning Associates, Washington Crossing, Pa., a company dedicated to helping fire departments and businesses preplan for emergency situations.