SOP 205.10 TWO (2) IN TWO (2) OUT
Purpose:
To establish
procedures that insure the highest level of fire ground safety when operating
in an atmosphere that is immediately dangerous to life and health as found in
interior structural fire fighting.
Definitions:
Entry
Team: A minimum of two (2)
firefighters with SCBA'S, working together as a team, maintaining voice or
visual contact, performing rescue and or fire fighting operations in the
interior of a structure. (May also be referred to as a group
with an assigned group leader.)
Incipient
Stage Fires: A fire in the initial or
beginning stage which can be controlled or extinguished by a portable fire
extinguisher, Class II standpipe or small hose without the need for protective
clothing or SCBA.
Rapid
Intervention Crew (RIC): A minimum of
two (2) firefighters equipped and trained on standby outside the structure to
provide assistance or perform rapid rescue. One of the exterior crew members
must be free of all other tasks in order to account for personnel and initiate
a rescue of entry teams inside the structure. The second exterior crew member
may perform other tasks such as safety officer, or equipment operator, etc.
Rapid
Intervention Crew Leader: A
firefighter assigned by the incident commander to be in charge of the Rapid
Intervention Crew. This person shall be referred to as RIC Leader.
"Mayday": A universal term used to call for help.
Policy:
Prior to
initiating interior fire fighting operations, a minimum of four (4) firefighters
shall be on the scene, unless entry is made while a fire is in the incipient
stage. If the fire is past the
incipient stage and an entry team is required to initiate interior structural
fire fighting operations, a Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC) shall be created by
the incident commander. The incident commander shall name a RIC leader and
designate a location for the RIC to stage. If at all possible, the RIC should
be staged at the command post assigned to monitor the radio frequency for a "'Mayday"
call. A "Mayday" call
shall trigger immediate silence on the radio so command can communicate with
the caller in distress. The RIC shall not be assigned any other task that would
take them away from their primary duty as an emergency rescue crew. The incident commander may increase the
size of the RIC as conditions and personnel warrant it. If the RIC is deployed
into the building, the incident commander shall create another RIC, if
possible.
Example of Four
Firefighters on the scene requiring an Interior Fire Attack: Engine 915 is the first unit on the scene of a
structure fire. The Lieutenant will become the incident commander and RIC leader, the pump engineer will become the other RIC member.
The two firefighters will become the entry team.
Exception
to the Policy:
When arriving personnel find a known life hazard or known rescue situation and
immediate action could prevent the loss of life or serious injury, deviation
from this policy is permitted with the following guidelines.
The incident
commander shall notify all other responding units that entry is being made with
less than four firefighters.
After
completing a search of the structure or rescue of the occupants, firefighters
are to withdraw from the structure until 2 in - 2 out can be implemented.
All
deviations of the 2 in - 2 out policy shall be documented and a written report
submitted to the Fire Chief.
Responsibilities:
Incident Commander:
Responsible to create a rapid intervention crew,
appoint a crew leader and create a RIC Accountability Tag Board.
Rapid Intervention
Crew Leader: Responsible for directing and coordinating the RIC activities,
securing tools and equipment for rescue (see tool list below),
ensuring that all RIC members have turned in name tags for accountability to
the command post.
The following is a
list of the minimum tools and equipment needed by the RIC. This list shall not
limit the RIC leader in securing additional equipment as the situation
dictates.
Search
rope, axe, pry tool
Full protective
clothing and SCBA
Portable
Radio
Thermal
imaging camera