During an out-of-air situation with a partner, who should connect to the EBSS?

• A. Non-distressed member
• B. Distressed member
• C. Incident Commander
• D. Bystander

Answer: (A)

In an out-of-air scenario with a partner, the person who still has air must take the lead and connect to the EBSS to supply air to the distressed teammate. The EBSS is designed for buddy breathing: the donor (the firefighter with air) attaches the EBSS to the distressed partner’s mask or regulator and delivers air from their own cylinder. The distressed member is not in a position to safely perform the connection due to limited air, impairment, or panic, so relying on them to connect would risk losing breathing and losing control of the situation. The Incident Commander or a bystander isn’t typically the one handling the actual air transfer in this moment; their roles are scene management and support, not the physical connection. So, the non-distressed member—who still has air and can safely manage the connection and monitor the partner—is the correct person to connect to the EBSS.