By Michael Lee
Featured Columnist for FireRescue1.com

When discussing rapid intervention, the initial introduction requires a step back to discuss briefly the “two-in/two-out” concept introduced to the fire service as a requirement by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

This administrative regulation was originally designed to be applied to a larger arena in that protection was required to protect from illness and injuries associated with hazardous environments that require respiratory protection.

While initially this procedure was a requirement for hazardous material environments, OSHA soon correctly interpreted that the environment contained by interior firefighting is an IDLH (Imminently Dangerous to Life and Health) situation, consequently assigning the same two-in/two-out regulations to the firefighting process.

This regulation requires that the employer shall ensure:

1. At least 2 FFs enter the IDLH environment and remain in visual or voice contact with one and another at all times.
2. At least 2 FFs are located outside the IDLH environment.
3. All FFs engaging in interior structural firefighting use SCBAs.

The OSHA standard also allows for one of the two individuals located outside the IDLH atmosphere be assigned to another role, such as “incident commander or safety officer as long as this individual is able to perform assistance or rescue activities without jeopardizing the safety or health of any firefighter working at the incident” (29CFD1910.134, paragraph 1 (g).)

Another paragraph (2 g) states that “nothing in this section is meant to preclude firefighters from performing emergency rescue activities before an entire team has assembled.”

Read the full column on FireRescue1.com.