What Equipment Does YOUR F.A.S.T.eam Carry?

[x129K 1,393]

Ok...we've all seen the pics of the FASTeam standing by, guys all ready, a ton of gear on the Stokes basket, masks on, waist straps fastened , ready for assistance...

My question is - on the typical residential house fire, WHAT gear do you bring with you, and WHY?

Has your team ever been pressed into service for FAST situations?

[robert benz 344]

Ok...we've all seen the pics of the FASTeam standing by, guys all ready, a ton of gear on the Stokes basket, masks on, waist straps fastened , ready for assistance...

My question is - on the typical residential house fire, WHAT gear do you bring with you, and WHY?

Has your team ever been pressed into service for FAST situations?

a second part to this question is what dont you carry and / but expect it to be on the scene already? example engine responds as FAST but the trucks carry the saws/ stokes basket/ tic etc.

[x129K 1,393]

Very good. Thanks!

[xchief2x 79]

Our team responds with an engine and has been equipped over the years as money allows with the standard engine equipment plus truck equipment, all the standard irons and we carry 3 saws, a TIC and a gas meter. In addition we caryy ropes & webbing and aan scba for the downed FF. Thankfully all our calls have been successful and by that I mean we have yet to go to work as a FAST to get a brother. We have numerous times been put to work at a scene but not working as a fast. We do request when asjed to go to work (Non-FAST) that another team be called and if manpower allows maintain a core team until the additional team arrives. Most of our original members were trained by Captain Benz!

[CG206 29]

Mohegan FD FAS-Team

[Guest aussiegeorge]

over here in sydney australia we respond a rescue pump(we call engines, pump over here)they are the same as a fdny squad they respond on all 2nd alarm or greater fires with 2 responding on 5th alarms and a further 1 on every 2 alarms after,ie we had a 9th alarm wharehouse fire 2 days ago and we had 4 rescue pumps respond(we have 14 in the city out of 95 pumpers in sydney).they each have first due areas so respond as a normal engine most of the time but carry a lot of extra resuce tools as they also respond to rescues(ie mva persons trapped etc)with a heavy rescue in a wider response area.they respond to fires as the firefighter down pump(engine)as this is what we call the f.a.s.t.

[ex-commish 490]

Ok...we've all seen the pics of the FASTeam standing by, guys all ready, a ton of gear on the Stokes basket, masks on, waist straps fastened , ready for assistance...

My question is - on the typical residential house fire, WHAT gear do you bring with you, and WHY?

Has your team ever been pressed into service for FAST situations?

Take it a bit furthur....what kind of training do FAST members have? Do teams in the county require the FAST class or equivelant? How about other specialized rescue training.

[markmets415 524]

Mohegan FD FAS-Team

excellent page thanks for sharing

[abaduck 123]

Take it a bit furthur....what kind of training do FAST members have? Do teams in the county require the FAST class or equivelant? How about other specialized rescue training.

Don't take this as gospel, but if I recall correctly, to be considered for membership of our FAST, you have to (obviously!) be an active member of our department, and must have:

1. FF2, Truck Ops, FAST.

*and*

2. A minimum of five years firefighting experience.

[Remember585 815]

Our FAST Boss (xchief2x) pretty much hit it. We've got it down to a good science now of what equipment gets pulled from the rig and what stays behind based on the building type and occupancy.

Residential Jobs

Irons

Sledge

Hooks

TIC

QuickVent chain saw

K12 w/ wood blade

Search ropes

Man Down SCBA

Commercial Jobs

Irons

Sledge

Hooks

TIC

Saw w/ metal blade

Hydra-Ram

Search ropes

Man Down SCBA

Extra Equipment Carried

Holmatro Manually powered Combi-Tool

2 Sawzalls (1 battery powered)

Multi-Gas meter

EMS / O2 bag

AED

3:1 Rope bag

Crow bars & Pry bars

K-tool

Bolt cutters

Training

Firefighter I (or Equivalents)

FF Survival

FAST

CPR

Truck Company Ops

Haz-Mat First Responder

Confined Space Awareness & Safety

Minimum of 2 years Active Membership (Most have over 10 years)

Everyone on the team has more then this training, many of which have the equivalent of the Career guys required training (229?). The team drills at least once a month, and is willing to drill with anyone any time.

Edited January 22, 2009 by Remember585

[Paul J DeBartolomeo 0]

Remember 585,

By commercial are you reffeing to taxpayers, store, etc. If so why is a hydra ram a specific tool. Correct me if Im wrong but the majority of doors on commecial bldgs are outwad opening Narrow stile storefront doors, and the rear doors are also most definately outward opening. Just curious thats all.

[Remember585 815]

Remember 585,

By commercial are you reffeing to taxpayers, store, etc. If so why is a hydra ram a specific tool. Correct me if Im wrong but the majority of doors on commecial bldgs are outwad opening Narrow stile storefront doors, and the rear doors are also most definately outward opening. Just curious thats all.

Apartment buildings with the heaiver steel doors and other buildings with them. I guess I could of been a little more specific... I was trying to say that we don't tend to grab it for private dwellings since they generally have wooden doors.

Edited January 22, 2009 by Remember585

[EXrider1044 5]

One thing we carry that I haven't seen mentioned here is a light rope. Usually one of our team members will carry this rope bag with 100' of lighted rope from the door to where the downed firefighter is and it leaves a lighted trail back to the door. We haven't had an opportunity to use it at a call yet but we've drilled with it a bunch of times and it's worth its weight in gold.

[xfirefighter484x 234]

What about something as simple as ground ladders????

Probably the one item I did not see mentioned, and IMHO, one of the GREATEST assets. The first mode of survival, is saving yourself. If the metaphorical brown stuff hits the metaphorical rotating blades, I want to have the advantage of a cleared window frame, with a ladder of SOME sort awaiting (on any above ground level window). Every FASTeam should strive to not just stand around and look pretty for the cameras, standing at the #1 side, but should split up a couple members, and go around and throw up ladders to every possible exit.

One recent reminder was Photounit's shot of a guy at a fire in East Fishkill, where a Village of Fishkill FASTeam member leaned out a window, and is caught mid-sentence:

"Hey,,,,,,,,I want a ladder right here"

As in keeping with what 'robert benz' said, look at what resources you have available already. Any group that goes as a FAST, should they be an outside agency to the requesting one, should have some sort of a plan, pre-plan, bonding, whatever you want to call it, with the agency they are responding to ahead of time. Get to know their apparatus, and tools located on them. Especially ladders. One of the least thought of things in the initial phases of most structure fires. Take the ladders off the first couple engines, or ladders o/s. You don't even have to utilize your own!!

[Tanker 10eng 140]

Ground ladders are a good point, but they are nothing our FAST team brings with them... yes, we have some on the engine, but ladders along with a hose line are the only tools we think of using from our host department... ( we do not plan on using their hand or power tools, because when you really are going to need them, they will either be in use or low on some thing.. )

[xchief2x 79]

Regarding the comment on ground ladders, our team will use ground ladders fromt he host department and try to ladder all 4 sides of the building if possible. Also members are to conduct a 360 of the bldg andd try to get a head count as to how many ff's are in the bldg and on what floor. In addition to the NYS training I mentioned in my original post we also trained extensively with the Mohegan FAST under the direction of George & Ray. I believe that Moheagn and us were 2 of the 1st teams in northern westchester.

[x129K 1,393]

Regarding the comment on ground ladders, our team will use ground ladders fromt he host department and try to ladder all 4 sides of the building if possible. Also members are to conduct a 360 of the bldg andd try to get a head count as to how many ff's are in the bldg and on what floor. In addition to the NYS training I mentioned in my original post we also trained extensively with the Mohegan FAST under the direction of George & Ray. I believe that Moheagn and us were 2 of the 1st teams in northern westchester.

An excellent point, and something that can easily be confused by an inexperienced* IC as "freelancing"... The "general assumption" is that the FASTeam comes in and STANDS fast in the yard...

Being proactive and actually throwing ground ladders can be seen as NOT "standing fast".... it is all about education and a close working relationship with your M/A departments...

By inexperienced it can mean a young Officer, or an older, seasoned Officer who is not familiar with FAST operations. Again, they are NOT common place in MY area....yet!

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Some other things to keep in mind and to accomplish...

Every member of a FAST team should read "rapid intervention isn't rapid" that was published in Fire Engineering. Some of the things I'm going to mention here came from me reading that and it also changed some things in the way I teach FAST.

How long does it take you to get your equipment staged and "ready." Is this coordinated and do you utilize a check sheet to ensure all equipment based on your policy is there.

How many members do you have on scene with you? 6 will generally not cut it according to the drills Phoenix performed as they found on average it takes 12 to rescue 1. Also 1 in 5 FAST members will need assistance themselves.

Also I mentioned policy. Does your department have a policy? Has it been updated consistently? And more important do you actually follow it? For example if your policy says to meet at the station...do you or your "management" allow members to report directly to the scene? And if members do go to the scene how do you ensure coverage if they apparatus arrives but you don't have a full compliment of personnel on scene yet?

[x129K 1,393]

Also 1 in 5 FAST members will need assistance themselves.

Wow.....something to keep in mind for sure!~

[Guest SQUADco119]

ALSfirefighter funny you mention that you will need a dozen or so FFs to get the job done and thats if its just 1-2 FFs down. We used to get asked all the time by mutual aid departments why do you bring so much manpower you damn buffs, thanks for mentioning that and clearing up why we bring so many LOL. FFs in some cases are still uneducated about FAST ops and how it works, it amazes me. Also that thread you are talking about, I read it and its highly reccomended by me as well.

* Everyone hit the nail on the head from my department about what we carry and our goals as a FAST team are. Just to add if you see us moving around your scene and doing things its not freelancing were doing it for your SAFETY being proactive not reactive!!!!!!

[xchief2x 79]

Tommy as usual you make some excellent points and yes that article was read by myself and most of my team and discussed at one of our meetings. ALthough I am called an old fart by some I do keep up with changes in the fire service. Our FAS Team is proactive when we respond, we consider ourselves to be the safety officer (collectively). We do have a policy on fast and a seperate policy for our fast operations. ANd 129 you are quite right there are alot of officers, Chiefs included that do not undertsand what a FAST does, I won't go into details regarding questions I have been asked on calls. If you wouldlike to ask me more PM me or hit me at optonline.net same name as here.

[x129K 1,393]

Thanks Chief...I'll keep you in mind for sure....unfortunatly, VERY unfortuanatly - the departments in my area are so hurting for manpower, establishing a FASTeam that could committ enough qualified members on a daily basis would be a difficult task at best.

I would LOVE to see that day though...it is something to strive for. I don't mean just 2 guys to satisfy 2 in/2 out...I mean a well trained, well equipped team.

However, myself, I would have NO problem pulling a team from across the county if I really neede done...and was in the position of an IC. Do any northern Putnam departments have FASTeams? Soemthing to keep in mind...

I have one question...well always have questions, but...one in particular - the stokes basket...obviously a great tool for carrying the gear up - but if and when the team is deployed - what do you do with it? Bring it in? Stage it outside the door?

[xchief2x 79]

Our stokes is staged outside the door.

[ny10570 745]

Anyone carry skeds? A bit cumbersome, but lighter than a stokes and especially on stairs can be a lot easier than bumping that bottle along.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

I've found that a stokes only works in a few situations. Not discounting it, all our tools have a place but have ended up not using it more then using it in scenarios. I have used the steel hook "stretcher" often for stairs. SKED's have their place as well, use them also in my tac medic ops. The only thing that I've had in my mind is the amount of time it takes to deploy and get a person secured into it. It takes time as a tac medic...and that doesn't include the FF gloves. I more prefer direct hands on for FAST with the SCBA harness.

[firefighter-70 27]

We require a TIC along with some hand lights and a 24 FT extension ladder to be carried from the FAST Engine. The Stokes has all the standard equipment for a rapid intervention which is on our first due trucks in front of the building, its pulled from the truck by the FAST engine.

[x129K 1,393]

Guys - THANK YOU for all of the input....

[EJS1810 7]

However, myself, I would have NO problem pulling a team from across the county if I really neede done...and was in the position of an IC. Do any northern Putnam departments have FASTeams? Soemthing to keep in mind...

Brewster & Lake Carmel in northeastern Putnam have FAS Teams

[Tanker 10eng 140]

Anyone carry skeds

We tried them a couple of years ago, with removal of a DFF from a basement ( in the VA ), and found them great for sliding and moving the vic, but still to long and rigid for making your way up stairs...

We also looked into getting the half sked, as it offered the patient packaging as the shed, just did not go past the waist, which allowed the Down Fire Fighter to be flexible around turns and stairwells... but I think it was cut out of the budget by the Chief, so we never got it...

maybe one day soon.... 2083 is all for getting the right stuff...

[x129K 1,393]

Brewster & Lake Carmel in northeastern Putnam have FAS Teams

Thank you