By Amy Nixon
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
MUKWONAGO, Wis. — It’s just about dusk and firefighters get a call for a structure fire in the Village of Mukwonago. A house is on fire and firefighters from the department race to the location. Because it’s a structure fire, the Rapid Intervention Crew is also called in. Once on scene, the crew gets a call that one of their own is trapped inside the building, so they prepare to go in after him or her. Unable to see due to total smoke-filled darkness, the crew works its way into the house, finds their fallen brother or sister and pulls them out to safety.
Most often, one thinks of a firefighter’s responsibility as putting out fires and saving people from burning buildings. But what about when a firefighter becomes trapped and needs saving? The firefighters on scene need to focus on putting the fire out. That’s why the Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC) gets called in for structure fires. Should a firefighter need help, they can go in and save him or her while the other firefighters fight the fire.
The Southern Waukesha County Rapid Intervention Crew formed in June of 2006 and is comprised of about 30 different men and women from the Mukwonago, Big Bend/Vernon and Tess Corners Fire Departments. Deputy Chief Andy Wegner of Mukwonago, Deputy Chief John Kubacki of BBV and Deputy Chief Mark King of Tess Corners lead the team, which assists the Town of Waukesha, Wales/Genesee, Eagle and North Prairie fire departments when needed. There is also an active Western Waukesha RIC unit that covers Dousman, Delafield and Oconomowoc. Although there are approximately 10 people from each department on the team, no more than five firefighters from each department would be called onto the same scene, said Kubacki.
Wegner said that RIC crews have been around since 2003 and were devised because so many firefighters were killed because other firefighters were not prepared to save one another; instead they were focused on saving others while putting out fires.
In order to become a crew member, firefighters must have Firefighter 1 status and a minimum of one year in the fire service. All members must be approved by their respective Chief, attend trainings and must complete a six-month probationary period before being sent into a fire.
“We’re a team that we hope we never have to use, because that means one of our brothers or sisters is down,” explained Kubacki.
Training for the real thing
Last week, crew members met at the Blott house on Highway NN in Mukwonago. According to Wegner, the house was donated to the fire department by the Blotts and will eventually be burned for a practice burn.
Although the house was not on fire for last week’s training session, real-life scenarios were simulated to give crew members a feel for the real thing.
Black plastic garbage bags covered the firefighter’s eyes to emulate a smoke-filled building. One-hundred and 80-pound mannequins were fully uniformed and equipped and represented a firefighter in need. Crew members each carried oxygen tanks, which would run out of air just as they would in an actual fire.
Crew members worked in teams to follow a long rope toward their fellow firefighter. Each firefighter wears a PASS Device (personal accountability safety system), which is built into their air packs and beeps once they become motionless. Crew members have to listen for the sound of that pass device to take them to the fallen firefighter. Eventually, they found and rescued their colleague. However, getting to them was no easy task. When visibility was impossible, crew members were bumping into walls and stumbling on one another and had to use their senses and communication skills to get the job done. Despite the daunting task, crew members worked together with their teammates and effectively communicated in order to carry out their mission.
All crew members attend at least eight trainings a year.
“We train to stay systematic,” explained Wegner.
According to the RIC Web site, www.mukwonagofire.org/RIT, “It is the hope of the team that we are always ready to be activated, with never the need for a firefighter to request our help. Everyone’s job is to stay safe so that we all go home.”
Copyright 2009 Journal Sentinel Inc.