Consider this scenario: Your team is dispatched to a report of a victim trapped in a shaft–a confined space with a vertical component that will require additional personnel, equipment and skill sets. In this article, I’ll discuss managing confined space rescue incidents (with vertical access) and some of the position assignments that may help.
Training & SOGs
Most often when conducting training, due to the number of personnel on site and time constraints, we stage a victim or dummy, review the simulated scenario with the team and then say “go.” Within a few minutes (unlike in the real world), 10—20 rescuers are on site, and an overwhelmed officer, senior rescue tech or assigned rescue group supervisor is attempting to make assignments. In reality, the first responders on scene may constitute a two- or three-person engine company or EMS unit.
Do you have written SOGs for how you want these personnel to perform upon their arrival? Do you provide your personnel with training in hazard recognition? Providing first responder personnel with training and SOGs prior to an incident will help to ensure a good outcome. Following is a list of tasks that initial responders can be trained to perform:
- Ensure adequate resources are on scene or en route
- Assign technical rescue incident management positions
- Begin confined space entry permit
- Perform atmospheric monitoring and ventilation
- Ensure utilities are controlled and identified
- Establish communication with logistics area and entry team leader, entry team and others as required
- Ensure that all entrants are wearing appropriate PPE
- Develop operations plan to include an incident action plan (IAP)
- Brief all personnel on IAP
- Provide updates to IC
- Provide for de-watering systems as necessary
- Ensure EMS transport unit is on scene or has been dispatched
- Rotate personnel as needed
The Role of the RGS
The initial-arriving rescue technician may be faced with a chaotic rescue scene. There may be many responders on scene, but the levels of training and experience in this particular discipline may be limited. Although the urge may be great to “jump in” and begin making a rescue, the rescue tech must first check in with the incident commander (IC) and their personnel to find out what the situation is and what’s been done, and confirm that they will initially be assuming the position of rescue group supervisor (RGS). Using a checklist such as the one below will help them make assignments for present and arriving personnel:
- Assign technical rescue incident management positions
- Begin confined space entry permit
- Perform atmospheric monitoring and ventilation
- Develop operations plan to include an incident action plan (IAP)
- Ensure adequate resources are on scene or en route
- Brief all personnel on IAP
- Establish communication with logistics area and entry team leader, entry team and others as required
- Provide updates to IC
- Rotate personnel as needed
- Provide for de-watering systems as necessary
- Ensure utilities are controlled and identified
- Ensure that all entrants are wearing appropriate PPE
- Ensure EMS transport unit is on scene or has been dispatched
As rescue technicians arrive, the RGS can make position assignments based upon the IAP.
Position Assignment Descriptions
Below are assignment descriptions for all positions. Note: Depending on the incident and personnel on scene, you may have to make adjustments to your own position assignments.
RGS: This may be the first rescue tech on scene, as mentioned above, or a pre-qualified and recognized individual. The RGS works for the IC, keeping them up to date on the status of the rescue. All requests for personnel and equipment go through the IC. The RGS position is a “hands off” position. Although they may need to wear a harness and utilize a travel-limiting device, they should not be running a system, as there are many tasks going on at the same time that they need to monitor. They are also responsible for overseeing the completion of the confined space entry report.
TR Safety: The technical rescue (TR) safety officer is also a rescue tech. Unlike the incident safety officer who has general knowledge at a rescue incident, the TR safety is familiar with the rigging and pre-entry procedures, and understands the hazards specific to this type of incident. Often at the start of an incident, the RGS may perform both duties until sufficient personnel are on scene. The TR safety reports to the RGS and together, they determine the appropriate PPE and respiratory protection needed for the entry team members based upon the hazards found. The TR safety basically serves as the eyes and ears of the RGS, helping to ensure that all personnel are wearing appropriate PPE and are following rescue response SOGs properly.
Hazard Control: The hazard control (HC) position reports to the RGS, and it should be filled by someone who is a confined space rescue technician. They can oversee a rescue company, engine company or crew while the crew is performing atmospheric monitoring, ventilation, lock out/tag out procedures, and identifying and addressing other hazards. They may initially be assigned to begin the confined space entry permit as they are performing atmospheric monitoring. Additional assistance with the functions may be provided by operations-level personnel.
Entry Team Leader: The entry team leader also reports to the RGS, as they are responsible for overseeing the safety and coordination of the entry team, back-up team and the air system/communications positions. If you have a small rescue team and a simple entry problem, this position may be filled by the RGS initially or until the completion of the rescue. Other positions that this leader will oversee include the entry team, the back-up team and victim attendants.
Entry Team: Based upon the type of PPE required for the entry, the entry team will gather their equipment and prepare to enter the space. Their mission is to access the victim when possible and remove them from the space. Prior to entry, there needs to be a back-up team on standby.
Back-up Team: Wearing the same PPE as the entry team, they are fully dressed and ready to respond to assist the entry team if needed.
Attendants: Attendants are responsible for helping rescue techs don their PPE, setting up entry equipment and performing line tender duties as personnel enter the space. Back-up attendants often will be drafted into other immediate duties until the back-up team is called to enter the space. Attendants must be familiar with the entry equipment in order to properly assist rescue technicians.
Rigger: The rigger reports to the RGS. They are responsible for the rigging of a tripod and/or an artificial high-directional anchor, and the rigging and operation of any and all rigging systems. Working for them will be rescue technicians who are rigging and running main lines and belay lines. The rigger is also responsible for making sure that a system is in place to remove the victim from the space.
Air Systems Manager: The air systems manager (ASM) also reports to the RGS. They are responsible for setting up the air system manifold (if a supplied air breathing apparatus system will be used for entry). Prior to setting up the system, the ASM will confer with the RGS to select a position that will be appropriate for the incident. Note: The ASM may need assistance from a runner who can gather additional air cylinders as needed if a large enough supply has not been staged prior to entry. The ASM will also be responsible for setting up the hardwire communications system. Once both systems are up and running, responsibility for maintaining the confined space entry permit may be given to the ASM, since they are in a fixed position, and they are in communication with the entry team leader and the entry team members via the hardwire communications system.
What to Expect
It’s rare to arrive on the scene of a rescue with more than 20 rescue techs and all their equipment (although it did recently happen to me). More than likely, as previously mentioned, first responders will arrive on scene prior to the arrival of rescue team personnel. Having a pre-established list of tasks for first-arriving responders will help set the tone for the incident and help inform arriving rescue team members.
Upon arrival of rescue team members, the RGS will meet with the IC and initial responders to determine the IAP. Remember: It’s not unusual to be dispatched to one type of incident and arrive on scene to find that it’s something very different. Prior to deploying personnel, confirm the type of incident and find out what the initial responders have already done about it.
What Happened?
So what happened to the guy who fell down the shaft? After atmospheric monitoring was performed and it was determined that there was no atmospheric hazard, a rescuer was lowered into the space as the rigging team set up a tripod and ventilation system. The victim appeared uninjured, so the rescuer put him in a harness and he was raised with a 4:1 pre-rigged haul system; the rescuer was raised on the same system. The victim was then transported to a local hospital and released later that day. The shaft was in fact a hand-dug well that was 35 feet deep and filled with 7 or 8 feet of water, which changes rigging and PPE requirements. I’ll discuss the changes in a future article.
Sidebar: CSR Equipment Storage & Deployment
A confined space rescue (CSR) with or without a vertical component may involve a large amount of equipment being spread out over a small area. As a result, the rescue work area may very quickly become crowded, resembling a rats’ nest of ropes, airlines and rigging gear. In addition to general rescue equipment, CSR incidents require other, specific equipment that must be brought to the scene quickly, such as air manifolds, SABA units and airlines, which can be cumbersome. Have sufficient personnel available to help shuttle equipment. To maintain organization of all this equipment, and to help ensure its rapid deployment, proper storage is critical.
Storage & Labeling
If possible, store all your CSR equipment on one vehicle. This will make it easier when employing non-rescue personnel to shuttle equipment for you. Label all gear bags and boxes, as they all look the same until opened. But don’t just label them with a name; attach a detailed inventory list as well, so that if someone is looking for a particular item, they can just check the list to determine its location. (This will also make it easier to re-inventory your gear.) And label the shelves where certain items are kept. This will help to ensure that all items return to the same place after use. If an item is missing, there should be an empty space where it should be stored. Color-coding your gear bags and boxes will further help with organization. One department I worked for kept all patient equipment in orange bags and boxes.
Bags or Boxes?
Which to choose: bags or boxes? I like hard-shell storage boxes because they’re waterproof and stack well. That said, carrying them for a great distance isn’t much fun, so I don’t store equipment in them that I anticipate carrying for long distances. Air manifolds, communication systems, air monitoring devices and even a pre-rigged haul system are all items that store well in hard cases.
When shuttling bags or boxes from the rig to the scene, a hand truck is a useful tool. Tip: Pre-plan moving your boxes with a hand truck and get rigging straps to secure them in place so you don’t drop them.
Deployment
At least initially, someone should be at the apparatus to keep track of what’s being offloaded. This will save time when someone is looking for an item that’s already been removed, particularly if they aren’t familiar with the apparatus or equipment. (It’s not uncommon for multiple people to go to the rig looking for a piece of equipment and not being able to find it.) It will also alert you to the need for additional resources with specific equipment.
Staging
Take a moment to figure out where you want to stage your on-site equipment cache. Often, you’ll be unable to drive the equipment all the way to the scene. So rather than running back to the rig for every item, move gear to an area that’s close but out of the way. Tip: Lay all equipment on a tarp to help identify the equipment staging area. Also, train personnel to take only the equipment that they need, rather than taking the entire equipment bag with them if all they need is a carabiner and a pulley. Too much time can be spent looking for gear.
Remember: Neatness counts. If your equipment is laid out well, it’s easier to use and less likely to get fouled up. Ropes and air lines should be laid out so that they won’t kink when they deploy. As ropes and air lines are pulled back from an entry space, pull them out of the way to keep the entry area clear. If performing a vertical access entry, consider running air lines through a pulley suspended above the opening to keep the entry area clear of equipment. If using an umbilicus with an air line, communications line and rope in one sleeve, consider using a knot-passing pulley.
