During the week of November 16th, 2009 the Eastpointe (MI) Fire Department conducted its annual Rapid Intervention Training. This is the 8th year that the Department has done this training; the goal was to provide a refresher to the members of the Department on procedures of RIT operations. Conducted over a three day period each shift was able to practice many procedures in locating and rescuing a trapped or injured firefighter.

Each shift was able to perform the following drills:
• Mayday
• Denver Drill
• Victim Extrication utilizing a single pulley
• Ladder Bailouts
• Self-extrication from a second floor window

Each year the Department studies new techniques for RIT and practices putting them into practical use, normally this training is done onsite at the Fire Station, however this year they were fortunate enough to secure a vacant dwelling scheduled for demolition to use for this year’s training. With the use of the vacant dwelling, Department members were able to train in more “real world” conditions.