Heavy Rescue or not?

[POC1813]

Here's how I see it:
If someone says, "We have A heavy Rescue" Then they have a BIG truck.

Here is what Indiana uses as definitions for type "A" and "B", Light and Heavy rescue:
All EMS equipment to be cert'd as BLS (at least non-transfer, this basically means you have a defib.)
Type A (light) needs....
DOT guidebook, Flares, Rescue and Cloth blankets, Flashlights, Extinguisher, 2-1/2gal water extinguisher, forcible entry bar, wedges (4x4, 2x4), single blade fire axe, cribbing (4x4, 2x4), Heavy Duty com-a-long, port-a-power, air chisel, 5'& 12' HD chains, 4# hammer, bolt cutters, hex-head wrench set, tool kit (I don't know what that means...???), ropes ([email protected]'), life vests (2), bale hook, tin snips, needle nose pliers, channellock pliers, standard screwdrivers, phillips screwdrivers, linoleum knife, center punch, hacksaw w/ blades (duh), open or box end wrenches, air cylinders, 1/2" drive sockets, duct tape, 7" or 10" vise grips, wheel chocks, floor dry, push broom, shovel.
Whew! That seems to be a lot...but wait there's more!

TYPE B (Heavy) Rescue...
All the above...plus...1 pr. binoculars, 2-100' cord reels, 2 telescoping lights, generator and 2 portable lights, 1 add. come-along with 3 handles (I'm not sure what that means..), another 2-1/2 gal water extinguisher, more 5' and 12' chains, jumper cables, 1 chain saw, 2 air bags (10 ton min.), 36" bolt cutters, 1 stokes basket, 8# sledgehammer, 6' pike pole, rubber mallet, 8" adjustable end wrench, 10 ton ram, 1 hydraulic spreading device blah..blah...

So, that is what Indiana considers Heavy and Light rescue.

Patrick

Can some people start listing the tools that they think are needed to be a heavy rescue company? Or simply just rescue?

Our engines are Rescue Engines because they have a preconnect spreader and cutter. Doesn't mean it is a "Rescue". There are two rescues in my town....one volly and one career. The career guys won't admit to ours having rescue capability.

Currently we have a combo spreader/cutter, a cutter, a ram, 6 air bags, chain saws, circular saws, cribbing, 6' wood for hi/lo lifts, portable hydraulic generator, cascade, rescue rope bags, lots of lighting, 5-min dive tanks for underwater (closed body), two electric ventilation fans, several extinguishers, ems equip, stokes basket, backboard, collars, CIDs, come-a-long, chains, 12-ton winch (I think that is the weight), 4 SCBA, and full body harnesses for lowers.

We don't have tools necessarily for trench rescues and large scale confined space rescue, but we have enough to start the task, I think. My station also specializes in the only marine unit in town, so we also have the water rescue capability in which our rescue rolls with the boat.

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William McCorkle
CHFD / MLFD
CHEMS / RUEMS

G'day from down under, my department has three types of rescue configeration so to speak, fire rescue pumper- carries a minimum rescue gear inventory to carry out recue, heavy rescue- is a dedicated heavy rescue which carries wide variety of gear including a 50 tonne ram giving heavy rescue status, technical support vehicle- is a back up vehicle,usar vehicle and technical rescue vehicle, it carries usar equipment,extra rescue gear and everything required for rescue or nearly everything. Stay safe Guy.

The NC Association of Rescue Squads has developed voluntary standards for differing levels of "rescue". These standards cover both eqt. and personnel. A squad is inspected to ensure compliance prior to designation. I suggest contacting them simply by searching for NC Association of Rescue and EMS on the web. Hope this helps!

Heavy Rescue is definatly defined by the equipment carried on the truck. Our county has everything from a 4 door pick-up cab with a utility body to an old converted box delivery truck to an E-1 Special Service Truck.

My comment on this topic....

The term Heavy Rescue SHOULD be reserved for those units that carry the equipment, possess the training and knowledge and the capabilities to do Heavy Rescue tasks. It should not be designated by the size of the vehicle. Just because we have a BIG truck doesn't mean we can do BIG things.

You really need to define the term "heavy rescue" and then determine if your dept has the resources to perform those tasks. If you do... then "Heavy Rescue" may fit your dept but not neccesarily one vehicle.

In my County, it is dependent on what equipment the vehicle carries. I do believe the apparatus manufacturers do use GVW, however, in their classifications. Pennsylvania is now looking to have a voluntary rescue certification which will be broken down into classifications, based on equipment AND personnel qualifications.

Maybe someone out there can clear this question up for me.In my county there is always a big debate to what classifies a Heavy Rescue truck. Many people have different ideas from it depends what you carry to if it has a crane on it. I always believed it was based on the GVW (gross vehicle weight).Example being a Ford chassis on a box body is a light rescue and your typical size rescue being a heavy rescue. What do you think?