The meat and potatoes!  This sets up all hands-on skill stations.  We learn how to save other firefighters (R.I.T.) and how to save ourselves (Firefighter Survival), by watching compelling live fatality vides and discussing case studies.  This teaches R.I.T. Responsibilities for the tailboard firefighter up to the commanding officer.  Also discussed will be:

•  Survival Size-Up
•  Proactive Tasks of the R.I.T.
•  Tools and Equipment,
•  Search Patterns
•  Assessment, Packaging, and Drags
•  Firefighter Extrication
•  Mayday! What it is and how to use it
• Radio Communication
•  SCBA Emergencies
• Reorientation Techniques
•  Self Rescue/Bailout Techniques

 

Lecture also includes:

 

Physiology of Self Preservation

 

During survival stress, hormonal induced tachycardia will overwhelm you; your fine and complex motor skills as well as your rational thinking will not be active without the proper training.  Through case studies and documented research I will discuss how we can train our midbrain for success when we feel death is imminent.

As the average of firefighter fatalities continues to rise each year, we have to ask ourselves, are we training the right way?  Do you know what you will experience or be capable of accomplishing when you feel that you or a fellow brother/sister firefighter is going to die?

Deadly encounters in the arenas of law enforcement, special ops, and firefighting, which branched out to other disciplines, have provided data that explains how the body reacts in a predictable manner when we are under Survival Stress no matter what the environment!  This program discusses the difference between physical tachycardia (tachycardia- increase in heart rate) and hormonal induced tachycardia.  Many of us focus on our physical health being that’s the leader of fatality in our industry.  But how many training organizations neglect the presence of our hormonal or fear induced tachycardia (fight/flight).  I discuss the advantages and disadvantages of hormonal induced performance and strength gains.  As our sympathetic nervous system continues to release needed components into our bloodstream to achieve unbelievable feats for survival we pay a price of being dumb.  While transitioning from our forebrain to our midbrain our actions change.  Our survival and R.I.T training needs to change to train for this predicable behavior.  I will discuss how perseverance is extremely common under certain stress levels and how this is not always beneficial.  This is the repeated action of one behavior until success or one dies trying.   Combined with sensory gaiting, this program also explains the real reason why we don’t teach knot tying as an option in a life or death episode.

All of these psychological and physiological responses are concluded with training tactics needed to overcome and/or manage them in the time of need.  With stress inoculation of the midbrain we learn how to prepare for the worst day in any firefighters life.  Also discussed are the benefits of “chunking of information” and how we can increase the myelination around our neural pathways to create faster reaction times for needed R.I.T/Survival techniques under survival stress. Stressed firefighters will only do what they’re trained to do; you do not rise to the occasion.  You sink to the level of your training.

This compelling program, which includes videos and pictures, ties all studies together with all traditional R.I.T and Survival drills (Ex. Entanglement, bail-out, breaching, Nance, packaging, etc.)   I will explain how we can alter our training programs for success and eradicate bad muscle memory based on science and the academia of Rescue.

 

Hands on Training

 

            R.I.T.                                                                                                                                                                          

• “ABCD” –  F/F Packaging
•  Hot mask Change-Over
• FF Drags
• High Anchor
• Denver Drill
• Up/Down Stairs
• Cork Screw Lower
• Victim Window Lifts and Ladder Carries
• R.I.T Deployment
• Peaked Roof Removal
• Flat Roof Removal
• Burglar Bar Removal
• Door Removal
• Enlarging Openings
• Nance Drill (sub-floor rescue)
• Team Search
• Lifting Station
• Basement Window Fulcrum

 

Firefighter Survival

• Naked SCBA Drill
• Reorientation Techniques
• Disentanglement
• Reading Couplings
• Skip Breathing
• Wall Breaching
• Low Profile Maneuvers
• Rope Slide
• Window Hang
• Head First Ladder Bail Out

 

Advanced R.I.T. course – Firefighter Rescue & Firefighter Survival

In this class we add advanced skill stations and a brief classroom refresher and then we jump right into pulling it all together.  Accomplishing practical scenarios while focusing on command structure, radio application, air management, and all previously learned techniques.