A Study on Determinants for the Efficient Operation of RIT - Focus on F.G.I.

This study analyzes the necessity of the Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) and thefactors determining its efficiency for its introduction into South Korea's firefighting system. The concept of RIT originated from the emergency response teams in the United Kingdomand developed into the Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC) in the United States. In South Korea,RIT operations and naming conventions varied across fire departments and stations; however,in 2023, the National Fire Agency established unified regulations under the name “RapidIntervention Team” and initiated pilot operations, marking the beginning of its nationwideimplementation. To identify the key factors determining the efficiency of RIT operations, expert Focus GroupInterviews (FGI) and importance analysis using the Likert scale were conducted. The analysisrevealed that among the 12 key factors, search and rescue skills, training and education, andRIT resource allocation were the most critical. This underscores the need for systematicimprovement in RIT operations. This study aims to propose a sound policy direction to ensurethe stable establishment and enhanced efficiency of RITs within South Korea's firefightingorganizations. It is hoped that these efforts will contribute, even in a small way, tosafeguarding the lives of firefighters who risk their own lives to protect the public.