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PURPOSE

To establish a fully equipped rescue team on scene and in a ready state to immediately act to rescue injured and 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. The other member may be assigned to other duties.
  • 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 with less than four personnel. These conditions fall into one of two categories
    • Confirmed rescue. Life threat is obvious through initial observations (e.g., firefighters see or hear victims, family members, neighbors, or coworkers verify occupants are still in the threatened structure) and the structure can be safely searched by two or three firefighters (e.g., small commercial or residential structures).

      Action — Immediate entry can be made without the Two-Out providing that communications have been relayed to other responding companies that rescue operations have begun without back-up. The use of District approved search aids (e.g., search lines, hose line) is strongly recommended.

    • Possible rescue. Based on size-up indicators, the Incident Commander judges that an imminent life-threatening situation exists.

      Action — Company officers confirm with responding duty chief that, based on judgment, an imminent life-threatening situation exists and immediate entry must be made.

      • If the company officer cannot reach the responding duty chief by radio, then confirmation may be made with a secondary responding company officer.
      • If unable to reach a secondary responding company officer, confirmation can be made with other team members.
      • Prior to entry, communications must be relayed to other responds companies that rescue operations have begun without back-up.
  • Priority will be given to subsequent arriving resources to ensure that the Incident Commander position is fully functional, Two-Out established, and back-up safety lines are in place.
• 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 upgrade the Two-Out team to a full RIT that consists of a minimum of two dedicated, fully equipped, and trained firefighters.
  • The assignment of RIT will be clearly verbalized on the tactical channel.
  • RIT must build their contingency plans based on the AWARE concept: Air, Water, A Radio, Extrication.
  • Initial activity
    • Obtain required equipment
    • Check-in

      Report to the Incident Commander and determine the approximate operating position of working teams/companies.

    • Size-up

      RIT will perform a 360 reconnaissance of the fire building to determine means of access to, and egress from, operating areas.

    • Monitor

      The RIT team lead must closely monitor the tactical radio channel(s) at all times for the activities and status of working companies. RIT will maintain knowledge of all company locations.

  • The Incident Commander may assign more than one RIT, depending on the magnitude of the incident.
• RIT Activation
  • RIT will be activated primarily for the following two situations
    • Receipt of a Mayday radio message.
    • Trapped or missing firefighter. The Incident Commander will assume that an individual is lost, trapped, or missing until that individual or team is accounted for.
  • Upon activation, RIT will be assigned to the firefighter rescue branch as the firefighter search group.
  • The Incident Commander will designate a new RIT anytime the current RIT is activated.