Greg Jakubowski & Mike Morton

It's too late to learn rapid intervention techniques when a firefighter becomes lost! It's important to consider integrating rapid intervention into your operations. Are you prepared to deal with a sudden collapse or missing firefighter on the fireground? Is your department being asked to perform rapid intervention for neighboring communities, but you are not quite prepared? If your fire department personnel currently performs rapid intervention duties, how ready are they?

If you are unable to confidently answer each of these questions, you need Rapid Intervention Teams, written by firefighters who have been implementing and teaching these concepts since 1995.

The authors have worked in rural and urban environments and provide cost-effective solutions for your department. This book takes a hard look at the safety issues facing today's fire service. As a bonus, web references are provided for additional resources to improve a fire department's operations.

Sample SOP's and drills are included to raise the performance level of your department. Numerous photos and diagrams demonstrating how procedures should, and should not be done, will assist all readers.

Rapid Intervention Teams will:

• take you through the reasons you need to justify a rapid intervention program in your fire district
• assist you in understanding sudden, unexpected events that can disrupt a fireground and bring tragedy to a community
• help guide you through the regulations and standards that apply to rapid intervention
• give you options for implementation and dispatch of rapid intervention teams
• provide equipment lists for rapid intervention work, and show how work can be performed using existing equipment and training
• show a two-team concept that can provide the resources needed to handle the majority of rescue situations