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Policy/Procedure

1. Any member that becomes, or simply believes they have become, trapped, injured, lost, or believe they, or another member, are in a life-threatening situation they cannot correct on their own while operating at any emergency scene, shall verbally signal “MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY” on their portable radio and shall, if possible, transmit at least “WHO, WHAT and WHERE”. Get as much information to Command as possible before letting go of the broadcast button.

• Note: If the situation allows, transmitting a LUNAR (Location, Unit affiliation, Name, Air supply remaining, and Resources needed) would be the most helpful.

• If not acknowledged, the member shall, if able, repeat the MAYDAY. If unable to or still unacknowledged after the 2nd attempt, then activate the radio’s orange emergency button, located on top of the radio directly next to the base of the antenna and on top of the radio microphone.

• The MAYDAY firefighter(s) should manually activate their SCBA PASS alarm only when unable to verbally communicate face to face or over the portable radio, or at the request of RIT and/or the IC as this alarm sound dramatically interferes with communications. *Remember- the SCBA PASS alarm will sound automatically after the member is motionless for 20-30 seconds rendering it still useful in locating the member should verbal communication cease.

Scenario: If a firefighter named John Smith were to become entangled in wires used to support a dropped ceiling, his Mayday transmission should be broadcast in the following manner: “MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY. This is firefighter John Smith, Engine 9. I’m stuck in wires in the basement at the alpha/bravo corner, I’m low on air”.

2. Additional Examples of when a “MAYDAY” shall be declared (list not all inclusive):

• Immediately upon a firefighter becoming lost or disoriented and unable to exit an IDLH (immediately dangerous to life and health) environment;

• Immediately upon the sounding or detection of a firefighter’s low air alarm when the member cannot promptly exit an IDLH environment;

• Immediately upon a firefighter becoming trapped or entangled to the point of requiring assistance;

• Immediately upon a firefighter falling through a floor or roof;

• Immediately upon a firefighter sustaining an injury that impairs his or her ability to exit an IDLH environment;

• Immediately upon personal protective equipment (PPE) failure that poses a substantial threat of harm where a firefighter is unable to exit an IDLH environment;

• Immediately upon discovery that crews primary exit is blocked by fire or collapse, and they are not able to reach a secondary exit within 10 seconds;

• Immediately upon discovery of other emergency personnel experiencing any of the above situations.

3. Command shall, upon hearing the MAYDAY, transmit the following message:

• “All crews! Emergency Traffic, Emergency Traffic, clear this channel for a MAYDAY.”

• Note: All other operating crews shall now MAINTAIN RADIO SILENCE unless they have “Urgent” or “EMERGENCY TRAFFIC”. More on this can be found in Emergency Traffic C-30.

• Acknowledge the MAYDAY firefighter(s) response & coach them as necessary.

• Immediately consider interior crews that may be able to conduct/assist the rescue effort.

• Deploy RIT if necessary

• Note: RIT should be deployed with a rapid face-to-face briefing of expectations from the IC.

4. Fire ground Operations following a “MAYDAY” Announcement:

• All operating crews shall maintain current operational assignments unless re-directed by the IC.

• Common sense dictates that if an operating crew recognizes they are close to the MAYDAY member(s), and can quickly resolve the issue in a coordinated, disciplined manner, and without jeopardizing the overall operation, then that action should be taken along with immediately notifying the IC of such plan, followed up with frequent Progress Reports. More on Progress Reports can be found in TFRD Fireground Tactics C-119.

• All personnel shall also remain on the original fire ground radio channel.

• Additional channels may be utilized for use by the “Command Team” that is assembled at the Command Post as the MAYDAY Rescue Operation unfolds (this channel will allow the “Command Team” to communicate with dispatch and other entities as needed without interfering with the original fire ground channel). However, it is understood that all original fire ground operations, including the MAYDAY Rescue Operation, will remain on the original fire ground channel for the duration of the incident. A Command Aid for Operations is highly recommended.

• All crews, upon hearing the MAYDAY ALARM, shall conduct a silent PAR of their crew(s). Only a missing firefighter(s) or those experiencing their own emergency should be reported over the radio to the IC.

5. If the MAYDAY firefighter does not respond to the IC:

• The IC shall continue radio communications with the MAYDAY firefighter(s) assuming the MAYDAY firefighter(s) can still hear. In some cases, the MAYDAY firefighter(s) may be trapped or out of air and/or just unable to key their microphone.

• The RIT, when deployed, shall announce their entry point and how many members are making entry.

• RIT shall notify Command when the firefighter(s) have been located, and provide frequent Progress Reports.

6. Dispatch Operations Following a “MAYDAY” Announcement:

• It is critical to acknowledge the role Dispatch will have in the resolution of a MAYDAY. A significant component of the over-all, hazard-zone, management system and firefighter safety is the contact between the IC and Dispatch, no matter the size of the incident. The scene-integrated dispatcher acts as additional ears for the IC. The Dispatch Supervisor responsibilities during a Mayday are as follows:

• Control emotional response to the situation…Stop, Breath, Organize, Act.

• Immediately upon hearing a “MAYDAY” declaration, first, ensure the IC has acknowledged it, and if they have not, immediately announce “Emergency Traffic, Command you have a MAYDAY from Engine X.” Immediately transfer information to the IC.

• Do NOT transmit any tones on the fire ground channel once the MAYDAY has been transmitted, unless directed to by the Incident Commander. Tones and any unnecessary “chatter” must be eliminated to maximize airtime between the Mayday firefighter(s) and the IC to transmit critical Progress Reports.

• Immediately change the Problem Nature to MAYDAY. Dispatch the recommendation (equivalent to a second alarm compliment), and the E.M.S. Plan 1 alarm (4 additional ALS transport units and 2 Additional ALS apparatus).

• Activate the Major Incident Notification List (MINL)

• It is the responsibility of the Dispatch Supervisor to quickly determine, and relay to the additional units the location of the Level 2 Staging Area. All additional alarm companies are to be directed, by Dispatch, to report to the Level 2 Staging Area, and to maintain radio silence once transferred to the fire ground channel.

• The First Engine in the MAYDAY response will be assigned as “RIT 2” (RIT for RIT), and prepare for immediate activation.

• One Dispatcher and one Dispatch Supervisor shall monitor the MAYDAY channel exclusively. The fire ground and MAYDAY Rescue Operation shall remain on the original fire ground channel unless otherwise directed by the IC or higher authority.

• If any additional channels are added by higher authority, a Dispatcher shall be assigned to each added channel (as available).

• The IC and any supplemental command staff that arrive, and ultimately make-up the on-scene Command Team, shall direct and control all radio traffic. It is the Dispatch Supervisor’s responsibility to assist in ensuring strict radio discipline is maintained.

7. Terminating the MAYDAY:

• Once the MAYDAY firefighter(s) have been removed from the hot zone, the RIT team leader shall immediately conduct a PAR of his/her crew, then immediately announce to the Operations Chief that the RIT rescue is complete, and that RIT has PAR.

• The Operations Chief shall acknowledge the “RIT rescue complete” announcement.

• The IC shall ensure the EMS sector is responding to the needs of the downed member(s), then cause a scene-wide PAR of all crews to be completed.

• Once a scene-wide PAR has been completed, with all operating crews having been accounted for, the IC shall transmit the benchmark “MAYDAY Terminated”.

• Once the MAYDAY has been terminated then time checks can resume.

• At this point, the Command Team shall cause a “regroup” meeting to occur to re-establish accountability, strategy, tactics, assignments needed to continue/complete mitigation of the remainder of the incident.

• The Command Team shall be responsible for quickly getting on-scene crews relieved and securing the scene for immediate investigation of the incident, if necessary.

See Also: