chief concerns richard marinucci

One of the areas that has gotten much more complex as organizations expand their missions is the preparation needed for technical rescue response.

Some of this involves the ever-increasing cache of equipment needed to do the job properly and safely. There is no one tool that can address all the potential challenges present during technical rescues. There are a couple of considerations: carrying the equipment and conducting sufficient training to ensure responding firefighter competence.

Organizing Equipment

For example, consider the most common technical rescue for most departments: automobile extrication. To be ready for most extrication challenges, organizations need hydraulic tools, power tools, hand tools, struts, and shoring—just to start the list. Where and how these are carried help determine deployment efficiency and effectiveness. The equipment must be easily and quickly accessed once arriving on any scene requiring their use. This sounds simple but will depend on the entire cache of equipment on apparatus. Many times engine companies and the like are asked to perform a variety of technical rescues from the same vehicle required to carry the basics of structural firefighting. Occasionally, if the special equipment is not routinely used, it gets buried farther into the apparatus as time goes by.

Space considerations and assigning equipment to specific vehicles should be a well-thought-out endeavor. There are new developments in tools all the time, and it is necessary for departments to evaluate each piece of equipment’s benefit. As part of the evaluation, organizations need to consider which compartments on which trucks are the best option. There may be cases where everything cannot be held on just one vehicle. This can lead to challenges to ensure that the right equipment arrives on the scene when needed. It also means that those personnel assigned to the truck are properly trained and maintain their competence through routine practice with the equipment. In some instances, it will also mean that fill-in personnel also need to be familiar if they are working on a vehicle that is not their regular assignment.

Low-Frequency Incidents

The equipment issues get more complicated with other types of special rescue. These responses require additional training and certification. As such, many departments create specialized teams for these rare responses. The fact that these events’ frequency is low usually means that the bulk of the equipment is not carried on front-line apparatus. There may be a specialty vehicle, trailer, or reserve piece that is utilized (or any combination of these). The placement of the equipment will influence usage and deployment. The experts on this will be the individuals who have received the extra training and have additional information that will dictate certain aspects of equipment storage and mounting.

There are more requirements from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, standards, and regulations for technical rescue response. Some involve training, and others apply to operations. One such is the necessity for a safety officer on these calls. The safety officer must be minimally trained in the specialty. With thi