On Saturday February 20th at approximately 4:22 pm the City of Hudson was requested under automatic mutual aid to Stuyvesant Falls with a F.A.S.T. (team) for a possible structure fire at 12 Oak Leaf Drive. Stuyvesant Car 1 arrived on scene and confirmed a working fire. Chief Anthony DeMarco Jr., 2nd Asst. Chief Nicolas Pierro, and Engine/Rescue 27-42 responded to the scene with a crew of 10.

City of Hudson firefighters arrived on scene and established two F.A.S.T. crews that staged at the front and rear of the residence. Additional manpower was also utilized to assist with firefighting operations. The fire was extinguished and crews assisted as needed.

Many of our followers have asked, "What is a F.A.S.T. team?". The acronym F.A.S.T. stands for Firefighter Assist and Search Team. It is also known in other areas as a R.I.T. or R.I.C. (Rapid Intervention Team or Crew). A F.A.S.T. (team) is a crew of usually four or more firefighters dedicated solely to the search and rescue of firefighters that need assistance. These firefighters are experienced firefighters that have received additional advanced training in search and rescue as well as survival techniques. Other additional training includes advanced forcible entry techniques, S.C.B.A. emergencies, and victim removal techniques.

Firefighters face many dangers when entering a burning structure and are faced with rapidly changing conditions. Firefighters have become disoriented, trapped by falling debris, or experience equipment malfunctions. The F.A.S.T. (team) is then deployed to go in and locate, assist, and remove those firefighters needing assistance. Once a fire has been deemed " under control" or is extinguished. the team is often utilized to assist with overhaul, salvage, and any other duties assigned by the incident commander.

The City of Hudson Fire Department is requested often with a F.A.S.T. (team) to many of our surrounding communities including Stuyvesant, Greenport, and Catskill. The F.A.S.T. (team) however is available to assist any department that request our assistance.

For more information on F.A.S.T. (teams) check out the article below by Fire Engineering magazine, or reach out to us!