MAYDAY,MAYDAY,

MAYDAYMAYDAY,,

MAYDAY!MAYDAY!BY A/C KEN WHITMOREBY A/C KEN WHITMORE

Adapted from the NFA DVD “Calling the Adapted from the NFA DVD “Calling the Mayday”Mayday”

Taught by the Southwest WA FOOLSTaught by the Southwest WA FOOLS

COURSE OBJECTIVESCOURSE OBJECTIVES Define a mayday Define a mayday

situationsituation Identify why firefighters Identify why firefighters

fail to or delay calling a fail to or delay calling a mayday mayday

Importance of calling a Importance of calling a mayday earlymayday early

Radio proceduresRadio procedures To give you permission To give you permission

to call a maydayto call a mayday Follow up with hands Follow up with hands

on experience with the on experience with the Mayday ParametersMayday Parameters

WHAT IS A MAYDAY WHAT IS A MAYDAY SITUATION?SITUATION?Pierce County Operational Guideline Pierce County Operational Guideline

MAYDAY TransmissionsMAYDAY Transmissions

A MAYDAY A MAYDAY shallshall be transmitted with any of the be transmitted with any of the following hazards:following hazards:

• Separated from and unable to locate your crew in 30 seconds.Separated from and unable to locate your crew in 30 seconds.• Disoriented and unable to locate an egress in 30 seconds.Disoriented and unable to locate an egress in 30 seconds.• Fallen through a floor, roof, or other confining structure.Fallen through a floor, roof, or other confining structure.• Tangled, pinned or trapped and unable to self-extricate in 30 sec.Tangled, pinned or trapped and unable to self-extricate in 30 sec.• Low air alarm has activated and not at an egress in 30 seconds.Low air alarm has activated and not at an egress in 30 seconds.• Primary egress is blocked or cut off.Primary egress is blocked or cut off.• Caught in a dynamic smoke or fire event (flashover, backdraft, Caught in a dynamic smoke or fire event (flashover, backdraft,

etc.)etc.)• In zero visibility and have no contact with wall, rope, hose, etc.In zero visibility and have no contact with wall, rope, hose, etc.• Personnel’s protective equipment is not performing as designed.Personnel’s protective equipment is not performing as designed.

AVOIDABLE DEATHSAVOIDABLE DEATHS

EVERY YEAR FIREFIGHTERS DIE AS A RESULT EVERY YEAR FIREFIGHTERS DIE AS A RESULT OF BEING DISORIENTED / LOSTOF BEING DISORIENTED / LOST

FROM BECOMING TRAPPED OR ENTANGLEDFROM BECOMING TRAPPED OR ENTANGLED

WHAT'S THE COMMON DENOMINATOR????WHAT'S THE COMMON DENOMINATOR????

THEY RUN OUT OF AIR!!!THEY RUN OUT OF AIR!!!

““I FOUND MYSELF I FOUND MYSELF DISORIENTED AND UNABLE DISORIENTED AND UNABLE TO FIND MY WAY OUT, BUT I TO FIND MY WAY OUT, BUT I

WAS TOO AFRAID OF WAS TOO AFRAID OF LOOKING FOOLISH IN FRONT LOOKING FOOLISH IN FRONT OF THE OTHER COMPANIES OF THE OTHER COMPANIES

THAN I WAS OF DYING”THAN I WAS OF DYING”

TOM WESTMAN, LT. FDNYTOM WESTMAN, LT. FDNY

WHY DO FIREFIGHTERS FAIL TO WHY DO FIREFIGHTERS FAIL TO OR DELAY CALLING FOR HELP?OR DELAY CALLING FOR HELP?

• PridePride• We are the “fix it” people, we are there We are the “fix it” people, we are there

to help not call for helpto help not call for help• Loss of situational awareness (lose Loss of situational awareness (lose

track of time)track of time)• Disregarding ROAM principleDisregarding ROAM principle• Denial (I can’t believe this is happening)Denial (I can’t believe this is happening)• Fear of retribution (ridicule) Fear of retribution (ridicule) • Lack of knowledge (training, policies)Lack of knowledge (training, policies)

THE PROBLEMS WITH MAYDAY THE PROBLEMS WITH MAYDAY IN THE FIRE SERVICEIN THE FIRE SERVICE

•There are very few “Mayday” standardsThere are very few “Mayday” standards

•There is very little “Mayday” training being There is very little “Mayday” training being donedone

•There aren’t clear “Mayday” parametersThere aren’t clear “Mayday” parameters

• We do not have enough Recognition We do not have enough Recognition Primed Primed Decision making experience (RPD)Decision making experience (RPD)

RAPIDRAPID INTERVENTION??? INTERVENTION???

• WHEN PHOENIX FIREFIGHTER BRETT TARVER DIED WHEN PHOENIX FIREFIGHTER BRETT TARVER DIED IN MARCH 2001,THERE WERE 12 ADDITIONAL IN MARCH 2001,THERE WERE 12 ADDITIONAL MAYDAYS CALLED BY RESCUERS DURING THE RIT MAYDAYS CALLED BY RESCUERS DURING THE RIT OPERATION OPERATION

• WHEN HOUSTON FIRE CAPTAIN JAY JAHNKE DIED IN WHEN HOUSTON FIRE CAPTAIN JAY JAHNKE DIED IN OCTOBER 2001, THERE WERE 4 ADDITIONAL OCTOBER 2001, THERE WERE 4 ADDITIONAL MAYDAYS CALLED DURING HIS ATTEMPTED RESCUEMAYDAYS CALLED DURING HIS ATTEMPTED RESCUE

• WHEN PHOENIX FIRE STUDIED THE EFFECTIVENESS WHEN PHOENIX FIRE STUDIED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF RAPID INTERVENTION WITH MORE THAN 200 OF RAPID INTERVENTION WITH MORE THAN 200 RIT DRILLS (Down FF 150’ hose line 40’ off the line) RIT DRILLS (Down FF 150’ hose line 40’ off the line) THEY CONCLUDED THE FOLLOWING…THEY CONCLUDED THE FOLLOWING…

• MAYDAY TO RIT ENTRY WAS 3 MINUTESMAYDAY TO RIT ENTRY WAS 3 MINUTES• RIT CONTACT WITH DOWNED RIT CONTACT WITH DOWNED

FIREFIGHTER WAS 6 MINUTESFIREFIGHTER WAS 6 MINUTES• TOTAL TIME INSIDE THE BUILDING FOR TOTAL TIME INSIDE THE BUILDING FOR

EACH TEAM WAS 13 MINUTESEACH TEAM WAS 13 MINUTES• TOTAL TIME FOR RESCUE WAS 22 TOTAL TIME FOR RESCUE WAS 22

MINUTESMINUTES• TAKES 12 FIREFIGHTERS TO RESCUE 1TAKES 12 FIREFIGHTERS TO RESCUE 1• 1 IN 5 RIT MEMBERS WILL GET INTO A 1 IN 5 RIT MEMBERS WILL GET INTO A

MAYDAY THEMSELVESMAYDAY THEMSELVES• WHAT SHOULD THIS TELL US???????WHAT SHOULD THIS TELL US???????

DON’T BE A STATISTIC, DON’T BE A STATISTIC,

CALL EARLYCALL EARLY

WE HAVE A LOT OF TOOLS WE HAVE A LOT OF TOOLS AT OUR DISPOSALAT OUR DISPOSAL

• HOOKS, IRONS, AXES, SAWS, ETC.HOOKS, IRONS, AXES, SAWS, ETC.• T.I.C.’S, SEMS, GPS, TECHNOLOGY ETC.T.I.C.’S, SEMS, GPS, TECHNOLOGY ETC.• MUTUAL AID, AUTOMATIC AIDMUTUAL AID, AUTOMATIC AID• BASICALLY - WHATEVER WE NEED, BASICALLY - WHATEVER WE NEED,

WHEN WE NEED IT, WITHOUT ANY WHEN WE NEED IT, WITHOUT ANY REPERCUSSIONREPERCUSSION

• WHY SHOULD CALLING A MAYDAY BE WHY SHOULD CALLING A MAYDAY BE ANY DIFFERENT!!ANY DIFFERENT!!

HOW MANY RIT’S HAVE HOW MANY RIT’S HAVE ANY REAL EXPERIENCE?ANY REAL EXPERIENCE?

Is that a problem?Is that a problem?

PERMISSION TO CALL PERMISSION TO CALL MAYDAYMAYDAY

•SOMETIMES FIREFIGHTER MENTALITY IS SOMETIMES FIREFIGHTER MENTALITY IS •IF I CALL MAYDAY I DID SOMETHING WRONGIF I CALL MAYDAY I DID SOMETHING WRONG

•IF I CALL A MAYDAY I MIGHT GET IN TROUBLEIF I CALL A MAYDAY I MIGHT GET IN TROUBLE

•IF I CALL A MAYDAY I MIGHT GET RIDICULEDIF I CALL A MAYDAY I MIGHT GET RIDICULED

•IF I CALL A MAYDAY IT PUTS OTHER FIREFIGHTERS AT RISKIF I CALL A MAYDAY IT PUTS OTHER FIREFIGHTERS AT RISK

HOWEVER. . .HOWEVER. . .

THE SOONER YOU CALL THE THE SOONER YOU CALL THE SAFERSAFER IT IS IT IS FOR FOR EVERYONEEVERYONE!!

WE NEED A CHANGE IN OUR CULTURE!WE NEED A CHANGE IN OUR CULTURE!

NOW THAT WE KNOW WHAT NOW THAT WE KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE… THE PROBLEMS ARE…

We can build a system to fix itWe can build a system to fix it

• ParametersParameters• PermissionPermission• ProceduresProcedures• TrainingTraining

Fighter pilots and ejection parameters Fighter pilots and ejection parameters (RPD)(RPD)

U.S. NAVY FIGHTER PILOT U.S. NAVY FIGHTER PILOT EJECTION PARAMETERSEJECTION PARAMETERS

• NAVY PILOTS FIT THE SAME MACHO PROFILE NAVY PILOTS FIT THE SAME MACHO PROFILE ALL FIREFIGHTERS HAVE ABOUT ALL FIREFIGHTERS HAVE ABOUT THEMSELVES… THEMSELVES…

• SOLUTION? DECIDE BEFORE YOU FLY…SOLUTION? DECIDE BEFORE YOU FLY…

• THE NAVY CAME UP WITH SET EJECTION THE NAVY CAME UP WITH SET EJECTION PARAMETERS THAT PILOTS WILL “WITHOUT PARAMETERS THAT PILOTS WILL “WITHOUT HESITATION” EJECT FROM THEIR AIRCRAFT, HESITATION” EJECT FROM THEIR AIRCRAFT, THUS ALLEVIATING THE PRIDEFUL DECISION THUS ALLEVIATING THE PRIDEFUL DECISION OF TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM.OF TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

WOW!!!!!!WOW!!!!!!• THEY HANDLED CRASHING A MULTI-THEY HANDLED CRASHING A MULTI-

MILLION DOLLAR PLANE MUCH THE WAY MILLION DOLLAR PLANE MUCH THE WAY WE WOULD HANDLE BUYING A GALLON OF WE WOULD HANDLE BUYING A GALLON OF MILK.MILK.

• HOW DO THEY STAY SO CALM?HOW DO THEY STAY SO CALM?

Recognition Primed Decision Recognition Primed Decision MakingMaking

RPDRPDGary Klein Ph.D.Gary Klein Ph.D.

Military/Fire Service Military/Fire Service

Experience vs. InexperienceExperience vs. Inexperience

Slides in your slide traySlides in your slide tray

RepetitionRepetition

CALLING A MAYDAYCALLING A MAYDAY

• BASIC INFORMATIONBASIC INFORMATION• STRUCTURED FORMATSTRUCTURED FORMAT• CONTACT COMMANDCONTACT COMMAND• L.U.N.E.L.U.N.E.

– LocationLocation– UnitUnit– NameName– EmergencyEmergency

AFTER THE MAYDAYAFTER THE MAYDAYYou called a MAYDAY… Now what?You called a MAYDAY… Now what?• GRAB LIVESGRAB LIVES

• G – GAUGE (CHECK AIR) G – GAUGE (CHECK AIR) • R – RADIO (MAYDAY)R – RADIO (MAYDAY)• A – ACTIVATE (PASS)A – ACTIVATE (PASS)• B – BREATHING (CONTROL)B – BREATHING (CONTROL)

• L – LOW (STAY LOW)L – LOW (STAY LOW)• I – ILLUMINATE (FLASHLIGHT)I – ILLUMINATE (FLASHLIGHT)• V – VOLUME (MAKE NOISE)V – VOLUME (MAKE NOISE)• E – EXIT (FIND A WAY OUT)E – EXIT (FIND A WAY OUT)• S – SHIELD AIRWAY (HOOD OR GLOVE)S – SHIELD AIRWAY (HOOD OR GLOVE)

SUMMARYSUMMARY

• FIREFIGHTERS THINK IF THERE IS A FIREFIGHTERS THINK IF THERE IS A MAYDAY CALLED, WE WILL BE ABLE TO MAYDAY CALLED, WE WILL BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT LIKE WE WILL HANDLE HANDLE IT LIKE WE WILL HANDLE ANYTHING ELSE.ANYTHING ELSE.

• PRACTICE, WITH YOUR RADIOS, AND YOUR PRACTICE, WITH YOUR RADIOS, AND YOUR TOOLS.TOOLS.

• TALK ABOUT THIS WITH YOUR CREWS.TALK ABOUT THIS WITH YOUR CREWS.• DECIDE WHEN YOU WILL CALL A MAYDAY DECIDE WHEN YOU WILL CALL A MAYDAY

BEFORE YOU NEED TO.BEFORE YOU NEED TO.• STICK TO IT.STICK TO IT. CLICK MECLICK ME

PRACTICE TIME• Location• Unit• Name• Emergency

– Command from Search Team 2…•MAYDAY! MAYDAY! MAYDAY!

– Second Floor! – Search Team 2! – Whitmore! – Ceiling collapse – I’ve lost my partner!