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ABBET-RIT is an acronym for Allegheny, Beaver, Butler (Counties) Emergency Teams - Rapid Intervention Teams. Firefighters from these three Counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania began to get together in 1999. It all started when Firefighters from Beaver County and Firefighters from Butler County met at an establishment that is known for it's wings! The firefighters, being the Brotherhood that we are, started talking and telling each other what their Department was doing and some of the ways they were doing them. The main thing these guys discussed was Accountability. The guys from Beaver County were using a system that is similar to the system that Jim Crawford and his crew use in their classes. They had been using the system for about a year and had made changes in the system to make it work for them. Accountability was new to those of us in this area at this time. So, the Firefighters shared their information with their new found friends from Butler County, to get their perspective on the system. It was their turn to work with this system and make changes. As Rochester Twp. and Cranberry worked together on this, word spread as to what they were doing. Soon other firefighters from Marshall Twp. in Allegheny County, Monaca Stations 58 & 56, New Brighton, Harmony Twp., Baden, Conway in Beaver County and Zelienople, Harmony Boro and Middlesex Twp in Butler County joined the discussions.

Cranberry made some changes that seemed to work for them. Some of us agreed to use this changed system. The firefighters that attended these informal gatherings were instrumental in shaping our Accountability System in to what we are using today ! In 2000 we decided to become a little more organized. Part of that organizing was that we were going to use a common Accountability System with in our little group. We have found that by using a common system you can eliminate most of your problems that occur when different Departments use different systems. Accountability should be quick and easy to initiate for it to work for those of us with limited manpower.

We began to meet on a monthly basis and these meetings would be rotated around the three Counties. This gave everyone the opportunity to explore ideas, procedures and friendship outside your own little world. We stressed early on that everyone that came would be encouraged to voice their opinion freely. There were many other Departments represented, other than those listed above, in the first few months. Some are still with us, some are not. The first "official" meeting was held at Harmony Boro VFD in Butler County. We hadn't even come up with a name yet!

Rapid Intervention was the next issue we took on. Rochester Twp. and New Brighton had been working on putting Rapid Intervention Teams together for about a year or so. Using their information as a basis and the training program that Jim Crawford and his crew put together, as our standard. The Organization has been able to help each other and numerous other Fire Departments in our area either to start a RIT, or at least be able to make a more informed decision as to what to look for in the Department that provides RIT for them. Some of the things that we discussed were staffing, training, SOG's, insurance, communications and mutual aid agreements.

We have also developed a helmet qualification marking system. There are nine markers, each signifying a firefighter's qualifications. The IC or Staging Officer can tell at a glance what a particular Firefighter is qualified to do. We have let each Chief decide when their Firefighters are qualified to wear a particular sticker. The nine are: Interior Firefighter/ SCBA qualified, Vehicle Rescue, EMS, RIT, Haz-Mat, Safety Officer, Engine Operator, Aerial Operator and Firefighter 1.

In late 2000 and early 2001, the Firefighters decided that we should take steps to become a bonafide Organization. At the May 2001 meeting at Indianola VFD, Representatives from each of the counties signed the adoption of By-laws and the Incorporation papers for ABBET-RIT. In October 2001, we held our first election. The Officers took office at the January 2002 meeting at Cranberry.

Today we have 22 Fire Departments/Companies from the three counties as members of our Organization. When we started, no one imagined that firefighters from one county, let alone three, would be working together to help each other solve problems, share ideas and develop friendships, the way the firefighters of this Organization have. Please allow us to express that the procedures, systems and ideas are working for US. Some of the things we do may not work for everyone. If anyone can use our information, you are welcome to it. Use it as part of your research into what may work for you. All we ask is that if you use our information, and make changes to fit your needs, that you share your ideas back to us.

We have sponsored numerous training classes over the past two years for our members and other Firefighters in our area, including Rapid Intervention Crew Exercises (Basic and Extended), and Accountability. Our Training Committee schedules quarterly classes, our Research and Development Committee is active evaluating new products and ideas and our Newsletter Committee publishes a quarterly Newsletter with the help of our first Corporate Sponsor - MSA.

It is our opinion that with the changes and technological advances that have occurred in the Fire Service in the last few years, it is time to be more proactive in our approach to the way we provide our service and to better taking care of each other. We hope to continue to exchange ideas and work together to help each other solve problems.

"In God We Trust . . . In RIT We Depend, If You Can't Come Out, We're Coming In"

The Member Fire Departments / Companies of ABBET-RIT Inc.:

Allegheny County Bauerstown Ben Avon Crescent Twp. Elfinwild Emsworth Etna Marshall Twp. Indianola West Deer No. 3

Beaver County Big Knob Monaca No. 5 Rochester Twp.

Butler County Callery Cranberry Twp. Evans City Harmony Boro Mars Middlesex Penn Twp. Valencia Winfield Twp. Zelienople