Glossary of Firefighting - R

R

• Radiant extension: fire that has transferred ignition heat to adjacent materials across open space. One reason some city fire codes prohibit windows facing each other in adjacent warehouses.
• Rapid entry team: See FAST.
• Rapid Intervention Crew/Group/Team (RIC, RIG, or RIT): This is a standby crew whose purpose is to go in for the rescue of firefighters in trouble. While all of these versions of the name for a firefighter rescue crew either have been used or continue to be used in several areas, the National Incident Management System (NIMS) has adopted the term Rapid Intervention Crew/Company, ("RIC") to be the standard in the Incident Command System (ICS). Currently, U.S. federally required training programs, from DHS and FEMA, are in the process of standardizing many terms and procedures under NIMS. See: FAST
• Ready team: A company of firefighters waiting to relieve another company.
• RECEO: RECEOVES stands for Rescue, Exposures, Containment, Extinguish, Overhaul, Ventilation, Environment, Salvage. This is used at structural fires internationally, as a guide to objectives.
• Recovery: Location and removal of deceased victims. Also, the time needed for a firefighter to spend in rehab before being considered ready to continue working the incident.
• Reflash, re-kindle: A situation in which a fire, thought to be extinguished, resumes burning.
• Reflash Watch: A person assigned to observe and monitor an extinguished fire, to ensure that it does not reflash or re-kindle. Aka "Fire Watch."
• Rehab, Rehabilitation sector: An area for physical and mental recuperation at a fire scene, usually equipped with beverages, and chairs, isolated from environmental extremes (cold, heat, noise, smoke). This rest area enables firefighters to relax, cool off (or warm up) and regain hydration by way of preventing injury. An EMT may be assigned to monitor firefighter vitals when they enter and leave rehab. See: Fire department rehab
• Rescue: Physical removal of a live person or animal from danger to a place of comfort.
• Rescue company: Squad of firefighters trained and equipped to enter adverse conditions and rescue victims of an incident. Often delegated to a truck company.
• Residential sprinkler system: A sprinkler system arranged for fire suppression in a dwelling.
• Residual pressure: When a pumper is taking its water supply from a hydrant the engineer must make sure the pump is not taking every last bit of the pressure the hydrant is able to provide. Some residual pressure must be allowed to remain to provide a buffer so the pump does not accidentally over-draw the hydrant and potentially damage or collapse the water mains leading to the hydrant. It may also refer to the water utility boosting water pressure in the area of a working fire so that "residual pressure" remains in the entirety of the municipal water system despite the water being drawn for fire-fighting.
• Retained firefighter: (U.K.) Retained firefighters are part-time firefighters, so called because they are paid a 'retainer' every year, along with a call-out fee every time they respond to an emergency call, and a training fee for the hours of training/drill they attend. They have set 'on-call' hours, during which they must respond to emergency call-outs. Retained brigades are typically based in rural areas or large villages/small towns where there is no real need for a wholetime brigade. A retained crew may respond to a call where only they are in attendance, or they may be part of a response to a larger incident along with wholetime crews.
• Reverse lay: The process of stringing hose from a fire toward a source of water, e.g., a fire hydrant.
• Rollover: The ignition of ceiling-level fire gases. Contrast Flashover, above.
• Roof sector (Roof group, Roof division): A crew, typically a ladder company, assigned to the roof of a structure, most often for purposes of vertical ventilation during a fire. May also be assigned to check roof-mounted equipment, HVAC, etc., for fire or malfunction.
• Run card system: A system of pre-planning for fire protection in which information about specific detectors, hazards, or other emergency response plans is indexed by location, for rapid reference during an alarm.
• Running Call: A call, 'Shout', with persons reported.