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PURPOSE

To establish a fully equipped rescue team on scene and in a ready state to immediately act to rescue missing, injured, or trapped fire department personnel. This protocol will be implemented at all hazardous incidents and working structure fires.

PROCEDURE

• Initial Operations — Two-In/Two-Out
  • Prior to engaging firefighters in IDLH atmospheres, the Incident Commander will ensure that an adequate number of personnel are available to safely conduct emergency scene.
  • Firefighters operating in IDLH atmospheres will operate in teams of two or more.
  • During initial operations, when only one team is operating in the IDLH at a working structure fire, a minimum of four individuals is required — two individuals working as a team in the IDLH, and two individuals present outside the IDLH for assistance or rescue at emergency operations.
    • Two-In utilizes the buddy system and ensures that contact is maintained between interior team members so they can monitor each other's situation.
    • Two-Out requires two people outside the structure to ensure that adequate personnel are immediately available to monitor and account for those team members on the interior team and to initiate rescue and call for additional back-up personnel.
  • Of the Two-Out team members, one member's sole responsibility will be for maintaining a constant awareness of the number and identity of members operating in the IDLH, their location and function, and time of entry.
  • Initial attack operations will be organized to ensure that if upon arrival at the emergency scene initial attack personnel find an imminent life-threatening situation where immediate action could prevent the loss of life or serious injury, such action will be permitted without the establishment of a Two-Out team. Immediate entry can be made without the Two-Out team if a credible report of a life-threatening situation exists (e.g., firefighters see or hear victims, family members verify occupants are still in the threatened structure) and the structure can be safely searched by two firefighters (e.g., residential structures).
  • Except in the case of the existence of a credible report of a life-threatening situation, a Two-Out team must be maintained at all times that firefighters are operating in the IDLH until a RIT team is assigned. If for any reason a team assigned to Two-Out is unable to continue to perform its duties, a second team should be assigned to the Two-Out function before the first team us reassigned to a new task.
• Sustained Operations - Rapid Intervention Team (RIT)
  • When an incident escalates beyond the incipient stage, or when there is significant risk to firefighters due to the magnitude of the incident, the Incident Commander will assign a newly-arrived, ‘fresh’ team to RIT that consists of a minimum of two dedicated, fully equipped, and trained firefighters. Once a RIT is staffed, the Two-Out team should be reassigned other operations tasks.
  • RIT must build their contingency plans based on the AWARE concept: Air, Water, A Radio, Extrication.
  • Initial activity
    • Obtain required equipment.
    • Closely monitor the tactical radio at all times for the activities and status of working companies. RIT will maintain knowledge of all company locations.
• RIT Activation
  • RIT will be activated as part of a confirmed Mayday incident response.
  • The Incident Commander will designate a new RIT anytime the current RIT is activated.