Two In / Two Out

• Definitions:
• Area of Immediate Danger to Life and Health (IDLH)
• Structural: The area immediately inside the structure involved.
• All personnel responding to potential or existing IDLH situations must be dressed in full PPE, to include SCBA.
• All personnel working inside an IDLH must operate in teams of at least two fire fighters.
• Personnel in each team must maintain voice or visual contact with each other while operating in the IDLH.
• Using radios as the sole means of contact between members of a team is not permissible.
• Two fire fighters in full PPE must be assigned outside the IDLH to serve as a rapid intervention team (RIT), prepared to rescue fire fighters if necessary.  They cannot effect a rescue without approvals of the Incident Commander.
• A driver/ operator may be used to comply with this requirement during initial response.  Once a second team enters the IDLH, it is considered a full response, and a dedicated team of two members shall be assigned outside the IDLH.
• Probationary fire fighters may never be assigned to the RIT.
• Deviations from this SOG may only be made during a situation with a known life-hazard, not including standard search and rescue activities.
• Rescue Situation: A known rescue situation is one where there is a compelling factor beyond a reasonable doubt to start an interior rescue before all required personnel have arrived on scene.

April 2001