Different Views On Rit

[CAPT8005]

OVER THE YEARS I HAVE ATTENDED MANY DIFFERENT R.I.T,SAFETY AND SURVIVAL AND SAVING YOUR OWN TRAININGS AND ALSO HAVE BEEN TO TRAIN THE TRAINER IN ALL THESE SUBJECTS. IT IS OBVIOUS YOU WILL LEARN DIFFERENT METHODS TO EVERY PROCEDURE IN EVERY CLASS YOU TAKE. BUT IT HAS COME APPARRENT TO ME THAT MANY OF THESE INSTRUCTORS ONLY TEACH THERE METHOD AND WOULD RATHER NOT KEEP AN OPEN MIND ABOUT OTHER TECHNIQUES OF DOING THINGS. IM SAYING ALL ARE THIS WAY. AS AN INSTRUCTOR MYSELF I KNOW YOU HAVE TO BE FOCUSED ON THE SKILL YOUR TEACHING YET I ALSO WELCOME ANY DIFFIRENT IDEAS AND HOW OTHERS MAY DO IT. LIKE THEY SAY IF IT WORKS IT ISNT STUPID. ESPECIALLY IF YOUR INSTRUCTING FF'S FROM VARIOUS PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
TO GET TO THE POINT I FEEL IT IS BETTER TO KNOW 50 WAYS OF DOING SOMETHING THEN JUST ONE. JUST BECAUSE YOUR INSTRUCTOR TAUGHT YOU ONE WAY TO DO SOMETHING DOESNT MEAN IT WILL WORK IN EVERY SITUATION. WHEN YOU HAVE A BANK OF 50 METHODS TO COMPLETE A TASK ONE OF THEM WILL PROBABLY WORK FOR YOUR EMERGENCY SITUATION.
JUST WANTED TO GET SOME THOUGHTS FROM ALL OF YOU ON HOW YOUR TRAININGS GO AND WEATHER YOU HAVE BEEN TAUGHT ONE WAY AND THATS THE WAY TO DO IT BECAUSE "I SAID SO"

[CAPT8005]

MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE READ THIS BACK BEFORE I POSTED IT.

I MEANT THAT NOT ALL INSTRUCTORS ARE LIKE WHAT I HAD DESCRIBED I GUESS I LEFT OUT THE WORD "NOT". AND THIS WAS REALLY FIRE DEPARTMENT FOCUSED RATHER THAN PRIVATE TRAINING COURSES AND FACILITIES. WHEN I HAD POSTED THIS I HAD RECENTLY SPOKEN WITH A FRIEND ABOUT HIS OWN RIT TRAINING AT HIS DEPARTMENT HE HAD RECENTLY TAKEN A RIT COURSE FROM A PRIVATE TRIANING FACILITY THAT I HAD ALSO TAKEN. WE LEARNED SEVERAL NEW TECHNIQUES AND WAYS TO MAKE THE RIT TEAM PROCESS MORE SIMPLIFIED. HIS DEPARTMENT DID A DEPARTMENT RIT TRAINING AND HE STATED THEY DIDNT WANNA VEER AWAY FROM ANY OF THERE OLD METHODS AND REALLY WERENT INTERESTED IN THE NEW TECHNIQUES HE HAD LEARNED. THIS IS THEY WAY THEY HAVE DONE IT FOR YEARS AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO DO IT THAT WAY. I SUPPOSE THIS ISNT ALL BAD IF YOU HAVE A WAY OF DOING THINGS AND IT WORKS. BUT LIKE MY DEPARTMENT IF YOU HAVE NEVER ACTUALLY HAD TO USE THE RIT TEAM ON A REAL FIRE (ATLEAST SINCE IVE BEEN THERE)WHAT WORKS AT TRAINING MAY NOT ALWAYS WORK AT THE REAL THING. I DONT THINK ITS WORTH TAKING A CHANCE OVER.

[blancety]

Capt,

"More tools in the toolbox".

The only problem I can see is that the more ways you learn may limit your proficiency in any one method. It is also important that as a Department your people are all on the same page. We did some search/rit training the other night, and it was difficult enough without having 3 people offers 6 ways of doing the same thing.

I think that the reason instructors get rooted in one way is that they are comfortable in teaching and doing that method.

Dave

[hfdgrp17]

One of the things about RIT training that is often forgotten from both a student and instructor standpoint is...get the downed firefighter out, no matter how ugly it may be.

Yes, as hfd66truck mentioned instructors become rooted in a form of teaching because of the familiarity they have with the subject. And as you stated 50 different ways are better then 1.

The real thing to keep close to the top of the tool box - so to speak - are the basics. Entry and Egress plans, Air Supply for the member or members, etc. The one thing that I find very disturbing and a bad trend beginning is that we are trying to make RIT a specility in the fire service. Remeber most of our initial training. Simple and effective.

If a department is stuck on a particular method of RIT then they obviously are in need of further education to the comcept. It's not ment to be negative but it should be a signal of it's own weight. Has this department even tried these practices under live fire scenarios? As we know...fire, heat and smoke can make even the most simplest task difficult. And if the department has tried it, did they use experienced members who do the instruction or are they using personnel who think training is sitting in a room listening to someone while they pass the time until coffee? I think that you would have a better measure of a particular skill if the...more unexcited members...of the department tried these skills.

Some of the classes that I have attended usually strated with the comcept, attempted and when things were done the instructor usually followed it up with stating that this is just a beginning, try it...modify it...but don't forget the basic pretense of the training....

GET THE DOWNED FIREFIGHTER OUT.

[TOMalley482]

thoughts on RIT training

I retired 2 years ago. Currently teaching at local CC, Firefighter I & II. Teaching RIT to new young folks is a learning experience for the instructors...the students have figured it out already.........
"GET THE FIREFIGHTER OUT...it is okay if it ain't pretty!!!!!"

I agee with two opinions: in any training session hearing a few new ideas how to do the job is okay and may give options when the real moment comes....but any training session be it private or department has to have a core lesson plan to be taught, drilled and learned.

some of us have been able to adapt respond and overcome without a lot of worry about the exact correct method to do the job...we are supposed to be able to adapt a standard operating plan to new & different incidents...always preferred challenging calls to routine.

others need a SOP with little variation during real calls...safety in learning drilling and using the same approach all the time...

all of us do the job...different approaches just make the kitchen table a fun chat room sometimes...just don't upset the cook of the day too much(hated cold food or eating supper at midnite)

changing any departments approach to new ideas has always been challenging in the Fire Service...you are talking about RIT now, anyone remember when 2in/2out began & the engineers were told to put their ppe on with SCBA as part of IRIC until RIT was established...
some engineers needed new PPE as they had been folded in the compartment for so long the creases broke when unfolded

Eat until you are tired, sleep all nite or have a great fire!!

[rfdffpm]

RIT Training

After attending several RIC/RIT training sessions and learning different methods, that some instructors are very impartial to thier pereferred methods and are not open for suggestion. How many firefighters actually take the time when back at the station practicing these methods, along with running calls, studying for haz-mat, ems, fire, promotional, watching television, and different activities.

The time has come where RIC/RIT has become a specialty and needs to have a dedicated team who can train in RIC/RIT methods. A team who responds to all fire calls (box alarms). A team who is trained in Advanced RIC/RIT techniques.

The remainder of the personnel would be trained in the basics of RIC/RIT. There needs to be a NFPA standard on RIC/RIT and finally address the number of personnel this team should compose of, training standards, and testing standards.

[Resq14]

Find them for removal, protect their surroundings during removal, ensure adequate air supply during removal, REMOVE.