Every day of the year, somewhere in the United States, our brothers and sisters are responding to emergency incidents. As professional emergency responders, we go to the scene with the intention of doing right because we were trained right. We received the proper information and we follow the appropriate procedures. Yet we still are getting injured. Inherently, we know that our job is dangerous, and that the unexpected does occur. But we also need to be cognizant about the dangers that exist in our training.

Do we need to knowingly be exposed to obvious hazards in controlled environments by "experienced" instructors, either within or outside of our ranks? I have heard a phrase that goes something like this: "Fifty miles and a briefcase can make you an expert." It is time to check inside these briefcases. What we need to find in these and our departments' briefcases are the answers to the above question.

Identification of the national and local standards regarding confined-space incidents will create a strong foundation to build upon. Some of the standards with which we should re-familiarize ourselves include those related to the National Fire Protection Administration (NFPA), Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), and the Public Employees Occupational Health and Safety Act (PEOSHA), to name a few. PEOSHA states, such as New Jersey, develop standards in the absence of a federal standard, or in some cases make existing standards more stringent.

Specific standards that cover confined-space responses include NFPA 1670, which addresses rope rescue (chapter five) and search and rescue (chapter seven), OSHA 29 CFR 1910.146, which regulates permit-required confined-space entry and procedures, and OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134, which regulates respiratory protection, defines recognized terminology to be used in such responses, recommends the establishment of a written policy and record-retention procedures, and identifies specific training and testing considerations, such as respirator fit-testing, respirator types and the limitations of each.

Each agency has its own recommendations regarding how to respond and the procedures to follow depending on the type of emergency. These same recommendations also should be applied to training protocols. In other words, we should practice as we play, and play as we practice. The following are recommendations concerning a confined-space incident that you might consider:

• Obtain a copy of the confined-space permit.
• Establish continuous communications with those inside the space.
• Incorporate proper lock-out/tag-out procedures that isolate the vault.
• Have a competent and dedicated rapid intervention crew, with their own cache of equipment,
• on location.
• Have a rehabilitation station with proper fluids and enclosures to combat weather conditions.
• Identify the incident management team for a confined-space emergency response. This would include the agency or other entity that owns the site, a site supervisor, and your chief officers.
• Ensure proper air monitoring, including the presence of a back-up unit. A dedicated hazmat technician (or similarly trained individual) should record the oxygen and gas levels throughout the exercise and continuous mechanical fresh-air ventilation of the space should be provided.
• Have a dedicated EMS crew on location throughout the incident.

Prior to an incident, the following also should be considered:

• The need for continual communication (quarterly, biannually, or annually) to update contact information within the agencies that have confined spaces. These agencies may include municipal utilities (water and sewer, for example), communications companies (e.g., telephone and cable), and the public works department, to name just a few.
• Know how often these sites are entered.
• The need for an updated list of locations where confined-space rescue may be necessary. This could include any obvious or abandoned vaults, pits, and cisterns left behind by companies that have moved on.
• Specific site features.
• How much equipment, if any, do these agencies have to assist your department? Is it rated? Is it maintained and accessible? Are there competent employees trained to the level of your members?
• What are some of the safety issues at this and other sites? For example, are cages needed around pump shafts to prevent entanglement of rope, gear, hands and feet?
• Are ladder and stairs rusted or corroded? Are they secured properly?
• Is there available emergency lighting after the space has been locked out/tagged out?
• How accessible is the space? What type of encumbrances and hazards are within the space?
• What additional equipment does your department need for such an emergency?

During these trim-the-budget times, are these agencies or companies able to purchase this needed equipment for you? It doesn't hurt to ask. Are you aware that you may be the confined-space response team in your area? Has your department ever been approached by a contractor or other agency requesting that you provide staffing of standby rescue personnel? Are you prepared?

Are you also aware that statistics show that one in 10 reported confined-space incidents include one fatality? In addition, for every fatality, there are almost two deaths of people trying to execute a rescue. Many are professional rescuers themselves. Ultimately, each rescuer and the department's officers are responsible and accountable for a safe incident or operation. Do not become a statistic. Train like you play.

Dale Gentek is a Wildwood, N.J., Fire Department captain with 28 years of service. He also has 24 years of service as a volunteer in the Erma Fire Company in Lower Township, N.J., and is a member of New Jersey Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue, Squad 5. In addition, Gentek is a New Jersey Level 2 instructor, rapid-intervention instructor and a member of the New Jersey FOOLS, South Chapter.

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