What does the law say? OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1910.146 outlines several requirements of a rescue team that include: proficiency with skills, equipment, CPR/first-aid certification, etc. On the surface this sounds like your local fire department, and it would appear to be the perfect solution to serve as your confined space rescue team.
But not so fast. OSHA’s standard 29 CFR 1910.146(k)(1)(iii)(A) says that a rescue team: