RIT DRILL

On the evening of October 25th members of New Canaan Fire and the career staff held at drill at Headquarters for dealing with fallen firefighters. The rescue of fallen firefighters is referred to as RIT or Rapid Intervention Teams. The members of New Canaan Fire spend a great deal of time training on this subject matter because it could happen at any fire scene at anytime. The Denver Drill is based on the 1992 death of Engineer Mark Langvardt of the Denver Fire Department in Colorado. While working a commercial structure fire Langvardt reportedly became separated from his crew when a floor collapsed trapping him in a small storage room on the second floor. The room measured approximately six by eleven feet but cabinets and equipment along the walls reduced the room to an aisle only twenty-eight inches wide. At the end of the aisle was an exterior window with a drop of 42 inches from sill to floor. Firefighters entering through the window had to crawl over Langvardt who lay face down with his head against the wall below the window. There was only room for one rescuer to attempt lifting the victim to the windowsill and this after multiple efforts proved impossible. Firefighters recovered Langvardt nearly an hour later after breaching a wall to remove him but the rescue came too late to save Langvardts life. The Denver Drill was designed in response to this tragedy and is taught in fire schools throughout the United States.