Ah yes, back to the coalface...
I'll try to stay away from the training discussion and slam all of that into the other Structure Fire training thread.
As I said previously, it's great to see that people are thinking outside the box and starting to equip themselves appropriately.
I would propose that CFS doesn't train to think beyond the straight and narrow. eg why don't we learn on our BA course to start grabong axes, haligans and other tools to be ready. it is jsut Get ba set and hose and guideline...
It's more that the Operate Breathing Apparatus, Open Circuit course is merely that. It teaches you to operate an open circuit breathing apparatus. Its not a Suppress Urban Fire course. It's CABA plus some safe working practices in low visibility. Really, this is not the fault of the CFS, its hard to pack much more into the weekend and we can't forget that some people struggle with the basics of putting an airset on, let alone the rest of the firefighting gig. Urban firefighting needs to be expanded, but there are numerous barriers to that occurring.
A knife, that will not help too much.
Now if you had a Leatherman will Pliers, it might help some more.
On cutting/self rescue tools, I carry a knife and a set of 10" Cable cutters. The knife is for Rescue work, or a last ditch effort to cut my CABA harness; the Cable cutters rip through anything else. I'm not a huge fan of relying on a small multi tool to perform rugged work with structural gloves on. My multi tool sits tucked away on my suspenders.
Well i have noting in my normal gear that would help me. mainly because i am not one to put my own $$ into buying cool knives and tools to be carried on the person. Not to mention tools carried on the person seem to be generally discouraged in CFS.
Some call them "cool knives and tools" but frankly, they're there to serve a lifesaving purpose and from numerous personal experiences, I'd rather have them on me than not. I'm yet to see personal tools discouraged in CFS, whats happened that you've noticed? Sure you might cop a bit of stick, but its your life that it's going to save, no?
you work for Fire and Rescue Australia and are trying to flog their Structural Collapse procedural trainer?? 
Haha, I wish! But let's not forget that structural collapse (USAR) and downed firefighter rescue are two totally different things
Pumprescue is on the mark, one of the biggest hassles I have seen in your standard domestic house fire is the amount of air-conditioning duct cwire that get tangled around everything.
Your helmet torch and the cylinder valve assembly make great points for this stuff to attach itself to. I used my Leatherman at a job a month a go to cut my partner free, it aint no Cunnos $2 special, but it still worked.
Exactly, ducting is a pain in the arse. I'm also surprised that more brigades aren't moving to a helmet torch mounted under the brim (far less entanglement hazard), given the number of options that are often cheaper than the current "standard" UK torch mounting options.
...why doesn't the CFS do what the Mets do, and use designated RITs?
My question is "what do METS have in place in regard to RIT"? We first need hard evidence of what we should have, or be doing before we can request a change by the CFS Management. If METS have a formal training package that covers RIT I'd be interested to know why CFS brigades that also have an urban response don't have access to it. What makes our lives less valuable! Because really, that's what it comes down too.
Call me crazy, but why do we have to follow the lead of SAMFS? There are other agencies in Australia that have a decent RIT setup, although nowhere near what is being implemented around the US. Why don't we look at how the Yanks run their RIT operations?
Its not hard to have an assigned crew who then get the required equipment and standby only for firefighter rescue.
