Firefighters, fire officers, and instructors from across the West Coast and Mid-West traveled to sunny San Diego for the 2005 Firehouse World Conference and Exposition. This year’s conference once again featured two days of hands-on training and over fifty interactive presentations from some of the most well-known speakers in the fire service including TES² Instructors Jeff Seaton (Large Area Search Operations) and Tim Sendelbach (RIT Fact or Fiction and 10 Step Action Plan for a Safer, More Effective Interior Fire Attack). TES² Instructors Curtis LeGrotte, Jeff Seaton, Todd Heil, and Tim Sendelbach teamed up with Jim Crawford and several members of Rapid Intervention Training Associates (RITA) to present the now infamous RIT Combat Drills. Over 50 firefighters ventured to San Diego Fire Department Training Academy to be challenged both physically and mentally by this very intense Rapid Intervention Training program. The RIT Combat Drills program (developed by Lieutenant Jim Crawford (Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire) and Chief Tim Sendelbach (Savannah Fire & Emergency Service) offers participants 8 hours of intense scenario based instruction detailing the challenges of Rapid Intervention Operations. Phase I – Jim Crawford and the RITA Instructional staff present a multi-part block of instruction that includes detailed instruction on air bags, lifting, shoring, etc. This segment is then followed by the well-known Pittsburgh Drill, which requires participants to navigate 50’ through a number of obstacles (reduced profile opening, up and over, and reduced profile craw) to retrieve a victim located at the nozzle. Upon locating the downed firefighter, participants are required to retrace their steps and remove the victim to safety. Part II – The TES² staff provide a detailed block of instruction using a version of the well-known Search Line Survival Course to teach the basics of Firefighter Survival in the use of Search Lines. Following this block of instruction, participants are then provided with a scenario-based evolution to enhance their skill sets in Search Line Deployment, Objective Based RIT Deployment Operations, and Air Management. Upon completion, each student is brief in the importance of RIT operations and the need for a more proactive approach to Firefighter Safety & Survival Training. On behalf of TES² and the entire RITA staff we would like to express our since thanks to Harvey Eisner, Marty Walsh and the staff of Firehouse World for their gracious support this year. We are truly honored to have the opportunity to offer this class to the many who were in attendance.