Richard Marinucci

If you look at the number of events requiring technical rescue-whether a hazmat response, search and rescue, trench rescue, or any other special incidents-and compare this to the cost of preparing for such incidents, it does not make much sense. Statistically, there are not many technical rescue incidents (fortunately for those who require a response), which makes for some challenges convincing those who control the funding.

Another way to put this is to ask the question, "What is a life worth?" Although some may say it is priceless, my boss likes to remind me that we put a price on life all the time through our budgeting process. It is not a conscious decision; I don't think that policymakers view it this way. They mostly look at the amount of money they receive, mostly through taxes, and apportion the funds as they deem most beneficial to their community. Although most preach that public safety is essential, their actions indicate they do have a limit on what they will spend. This is OK, but rarely is it discussed as bluntly as this.

Unique Skills

The response to unique events still requires those who are dispatched to have knowledge and competence. They need tools. They need to stay current and train. From a purely statistical view, it probably does not make sense to fund this preparation for the typically low run volume to be expected. But as we should all know in this business, we cannot operate and prepare purely on a statistical basis. The challenge is to know the benefits and be skilled in explaining why the investment is important.

A community may ask its technical rescue team to prepare for high-angle, rope, trench, ice, swiftwater, dive, industrial or farm machine, collapse, confined space, and hazmat responses. That is a lot of responsibility to do it properly. Further, organizations that prepare for most, if not all, of the items on this list need people, time, and money. A simple cost/benefit analysis would indicate that this is a losing proposition. To many of the bean counters in government, it doesn't make sense to make this investment. And the public expects the fire service to be ready for whatever it might face-even if the incidents are rare.

But, public safety doesn't work that way. Fire service personnel will take whatever they can get and do the best they can. Although this is admirable, it may sometimes create more challenges in that those who control the resources know and understand this and may therefore not adequately provide the needed resources. Then when an emergency occurs, there is an expectation that crews' capabilities will magically appear. This is one reason to continually fight for the needed resources.

Keep Them Informed

Departments must assess the potential for certain types of incidents to occur. Based on their findings, they need to inform the policymakers of the risk and get as much support as possible to prepare for these events. Special rescue scenarios can be very complicated and have specific requirements. There are mandatory Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards and National Fire Protection Association standards that may imply requirements. Regardless, involvement at special incidents requires preparation of personnel to acceptable standards and a cache of equipment related to the duties expected to be performed. Organizations must understand this and make the appropriate investment.

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By Alan M. Petrillo

The types of rescue craft being used range from fireboat-size craft of 30 feet or more down to zodiac-size small boats. The variety of craft being made for water rescue meet the specific needs of the departments that use them.

RIBCRAFT USA

The Boston (MA) Fire Department runs a 30-foot RIBCRAFT rescue boat with twin 250-horsepower Evinrude E-tec outboard motors. Steven Murphy, the Boston Fire Department's marine pilot and dive master, says the department was looking for a boat "that could get from point A to B quickly and safely with eight to 10 divers with gear." Murphy notes the RIBCRAFT has "plenty of room and is rugged enough to withstand storm conditions."

Murphy points out that the RIBCRAFT's low profile to the water makes it easy to deploy divers and retrieve victims or divers with full gear. "In an emergency situation, one pull and the diver is in the boat with all his gear on," Murphy says.

Matthew Velluto, director of business development for RIBCRAFT USA, says RIBCRAFT started operations in Europe in the late 1980s building rescue patrol boats and has been building such craft in the United States for 14 years. "The boats we build are mission and operationally specific," he says. "They are built as a tool for search and rescue for fire departments and for patrol by military and law enforcement agencies."

Velluto notes that in the past several years there has been a growing need for fire departments to address responses on the water, whether it's ocean coastal towns or towns on large lakes or rivers. "They are using them for search and rescue, recovery operations, and vessel assistance," he says. "Those towns on smaller bodies of inland water are doing mostly search and rescue where a durable, stable craft is required."

RIBCRAFT USA offers boats from 14 to 30 feet long. "Our fully inflatable style boat has inflatable floor and sides and comes in the 14- to 16-foot range," Velluto notes. "Our deep-vee fiberglass hull and deck model is designed for surf rescue. It's highly maneuverable and stable in open waters but small enough to launch from a trailer and store in a station bay."

Velluto adds that the 19-foot model is the company's most popular with fire departments because of its versatility. "It's easy to use, has plenty of space on deck for a Stokes or dive team, and is rated for up to 10 people, although most fire departments crew it with three persons."

Lake Assault Boats

Jerry Atherton, founder and director of product development and sales for Lake Assault Boats, says most rescue boats he sells are used for both rescue and fire suppression. "Most of our boats have fire pumps on them, and they make a good fire boat, dive boat, and rescue-and-recovery boat," Atherton says. "The landing-craft-style boats we make are the most popular, typically in the 30- to 32-foot range."

Atherton points out that Lake Assault Boats are being used on many of the

Carl J. Haddon

For those of you who may not know, I presently live and serve in the Northern Rocky Mountains of Idaho, where winter temperatures are known to regularly dip into the -20 to -30°F range. We traditionally battle the winter weather with things like CAFS units, pumps, hoses, and the expected gamut of equipment and apparatus that we use on a regular basis.

To keep this piece from being about me, I put the question about the effects of severe winter weather on hydraulic rescue tools out to departments from various parts of North America where the winter weather is an issue. The responses I received were generally similar. One common response was the effect of the cold on hydraulic fluid viscosity (thickening), causing the tools to run slower. The longer the hydraulic hose length, the greater the frequency of reports of this issue. Additionally, as with other gasoline-powered tools, respondents reported hard starting power units in extreme cold as an issue.

1 Two common cold-weather issues affecting hydraulic rescue tools are transporting the tools from the apparatus to the vehicle, which is often off the roadway, and oil viscosity issues (thickening), which cause the tools to operate more slowly. Consider having a way to mount tools to a backboard or Stokes so you can lower them with a rope to a vehicle's location. For viscosity issues, there isn't a lot departments can do short of cycling the tools at full throttle from fully closed to fully open positions a number of times to help warm the fluid in the system. (Photo by author.)

Oil and Fuel Issues

Although there typically isn't much that can be done about the cold-related viscosity changes to the hydraulic fluid-short of cycling the tools at full throttle from fully closed to fully open a number of times to help warm the fluid in the system-there are a couple of things that departments can do to help gasoline power unit performance, most notably using specialized fuels and fuel additives. Be sure to check with rescue tool manufacturers before adding fuel additives or specialized fuels.

Small engine fuel (SEF) has been around for a while but is gaining in popularity and use in the fire service. SEF is typically a high-grade gasoline that is free of ethanol, which is known to cause issues with small gas engines and is proven to degrade faster than ethanol-free fuels. Additionally, SEF is typically a higher octane (100 to 104) than that which you can get at your local gas station.

Tool Transport

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By Debbie Bolduc

The rescuers, dressed in heavy gear, were physically drained from pulling themselves out of the icy water time and again. Visibility was nil, and communications failed as radios became waterlogged.

After successfully pulling the ice fisherman from the frigid waters, the men still had a long haul back to shore through the same crumbling ice conditions. If not for the Maine State Game Warden's air boat meeting them part way, the outcome could have been very bad. "I feared my members might not make it back alive," recalls Bosse. "It was a sickening feeling."

The Solution

It was then that Bosse realized there had to be a better way. He began an extensive search for a solution. It wasn't until he attended the annual Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) a few months later that he started to see the light at the end of the tunnel. That's when he became acquainted with WISE (Water, Ice, Snow Equipment) Technology and the Amphibious Ice Rescue (AIR) Responder, an amphibious vehicle capable of carrying multiple people-up to 900 pounds combined-across solid and broken ice as well as open water. The vehicle virtually eliminates the risk to rescue personnel who, using traditional methods, may otherwise become victims themselves, as was nearly the case for the Poland crew that evening.

Bosse made arrangements to have WISE Technology demonstrate the versatility of the AIR Responder over the course of months in a variety of cold water conditions. Meanwhile, the rescuers, those who would eventually be using the vehicle, were able to offer some valuable input. It was a win-win collaboration. WISE made improvements to the prototype, and the end result was delivered to the Poland (ME) Fire Department in July 2014.

"We are very excited to be the first in the world to have this valuable lifesaving vehicle. It can go across water, across ice, and anything in between in situations where you can't safely put another piece of equipment out there," adds Bosse.

Powered by an unmodified snowmobile, there is almost no learning curve to operate the vehicle. It is so easy to remove the snowmobile that Bosse expects to also use it alone as needed.

The AIR Responder's specialized features result in reduced rescue time and increased safety for all involved. Its Kevlar®-reinforced fiberglass hull; foam-filled, high-density plastic bottom; and very low center of gravity render the AIR Responder virtually unsinkable. The vehicle is capable of reaching the victim in a fraction of the time of conventional methods, reducing the likelihood of hypothermia. Any necessary medical care can begin as soon as the victim is onboard while the vehicle returns to shore to the waiting ambulance.

Company History

After seeing media accounts of rescue personnel walking gingerly on, or often sprawled across, icy bodies of water to get to a victim, Roger Bailey of Gilford, New Hampshire, thought, "There has to be a better way." He founded W