On September 21st, 2024, a heroic rescue unfolded in Wheatfield when the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station Fire Department’s Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) was called to action during a structure fire involving the Frontier Volunteer Fire Department. The situation escalated when a MAYDAY call was issued for a firefighter who had gone down inside the burning building.
The RIT, specifically trained for such emergencies, quickly arrived on the scene. Just four minutes after arriving, the call went out about the downed fireman. The team mobilized, locating the downed firefighter and executing a swift extraction from the hazardous environment.
Lt. Mike Siejka, a member of the RIT, emphasized the team's critical role in such situations.
“The Rapid Intervention Team has a specific purpose to set stage near a burning structure and help downed firefighters while other companies are fighting the fires. Our job is to do exactly what we executed that day,” he explained.
During the recovery operation, Lt. Joseph Bowman was positioned at the firefighter's head, Capt. Aaron Walker at his torso, and Firefighter Jared Hicks at his feet. This rescue marked a poignant moment for Hicks as it was his final shift with the fire department.
“It’s like a fog. There’s so much adrenaline that hits you at one time when the chief yells that MAYDAY call,” Walker recalled. “It happened so fast, but that’s where our training comes in because the community relies on us for RIT.”
This incident was significant as it was the first time the RIT had been activated for a downed firefighter and the first MAYDAY call in Niagara County in over a decade.
“It’s almost like you blackout. You don't even have to think,” Bowman said. “At that point, everything becomes second nature.”
The success of the rescue was attributed to the strong camaraderie and training among the team members.
“What’s so great about the crew is we’ve worked and trained together numerous times, so we know each other pretty well,” Walker noted. “We knew exactly what we were going to do and we accomplished everything flawlessly.”
Lt. Siejka reflected on the evolution of mutual aid in the fire service, stating, “The first 10 years I was here we didn’t do much mutual aid at all. The way it was ran we worried about here and only here. Now, it is completely different, which is really cool and great for us and the local community.”
The Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station Fire Department is committed to serving the community, not only by responding to emergencies but also by training with local fire departments.
The Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station Fire Department is ready for any situation that may arise.
“For us to get out of our station within 90 seconds and be on the road, that's huge for locals because they know we're coming,” Walker concluded.
Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station Fire Department Saves Downed Firefighter