MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY!

COURSE OBJECTIVES Define a mayday situation Identify why firefighters fail to or delay calling a mayday Importance of calling a mayday early Radio procedures To give you permission to call a mayday Hands on experience with the Mayday Parameters

WHAT IS A MAYDAY SITUATION? Disoriented? Disoriented for 30 seconds? Disoriented for 60 seconds? Entangled in wires? Entangled for 30 seconds? Entangled for 60 seconds? Separated from your partner? Fall through a roof, floor? Primary exit blocked by fire, collapse etc.? SCBA malfunction? SCBA malfunction that you correct?

AVOIDABLE DEATHS THEY RUN OUT OF AIR!!! EVERY YEAR FIREFIGHTERS DIE AS A RESULT OF BEING DISORIENTED / LOST FROM BECOMING TRAPPED OR ENTANGLED WHAT'S THE COMMON DENOMINATOR???? THEY RUN OUT OF AIR!!!

“I FOUND MYSELF DISORIENTED AND UNABLE TO FIND MY WAY OUT, BUT I WAS TO AFRAID OF LOOKING FOOLISH IN FRONT OF THE OTHER COMPANIES THAN I WAS OF DYING” TOM WESTMAN, LT. FDNY

WHY DO FIREFIGHTERS FAIL TO OR DELAY CALLING FOR HELP? Pride We are the “fix it” people, we are there to help not call for help Loss of situational awareness (lose track of time) Denial (I can’t believe this happening) Fear of retribution (ridicule) Lack of knowledge (training, policies)

THE PROBLEMS There aren’t any “Mayday” standards There is very little “Mayday” training being done There aren’t clear “Mayday” parameters We do not have enough Recognition Primed Decision making experience

RAPID??? INTERVENTION WHEN PHOENIX FIREFIGHTER BRETT TARVER DIED IN 2001,THERE WERE 12 ADDITIONAL MAYDAYS CALLED BY RESCUERS DURING THE RIT OPERATION WHEN HOUSTON FIRE CAPTAIN JAY JAHNKE DIED, THERE WERE 4 ADDITIONAL MAYDAYS CALLED WHEN PHOENIX FIRE STUDIED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF RAPID INTERVENTION WITH MORE THAN 200 RIT DRILLS (Down FF 150’ hose line 40’ off the line) THEY CONCLUDED THE FOLLOWING…

MAYDAY TO RIT ENTRY WAS 3 MINUTES RIT CONTACT WITH DOWNED FIREFIGHTER WAS 6 MINUTES TOTAL TIME INSIDE THE BUILDING FOR EACH TEAM WAS 13 MINUTES TOTAL TIME FOR RESCUE WAS 22 MINUTES IT TAKES 12 FIREFIGHTERS TO RESCUE 1 1 IN 5 RIT MEMBERS WILL GET INTO A MAYDAY THEMSELVES WHAT SHOULD THIS TELL US???????

DON’T BE A HERO, CALL EARLY

WE HAVE A LOT OF TOOLS AT OUR DISPOSAL THERMAL IMAGING CAMERAS HOOKS, PIKES, AXES, SAWS, ETC., ETC. MUTUAL AID, AUTOMATIC AID BASICALLY WHATEVER WE NEED WHEN WE NEED IT, WITHOUT ANY REPERCUSSION WHY SHOULD MAYDAY AND RIT BE ANY DIFFERENT!!

Who has launched their RIT? Anyone? How many times? How many RIT’s have any real experience? Is that a problem?

The sooner you call the safer it is for everyone! CRYING WOLF SINCE OTHER FIREFIGHTERS ARE PUT AT RISK WHEN SOMEONE CALLS A MAYDAY. THE DECISION TO CALL A MAYDAY IS EXTREMELY CONSEQUENTIAL. However. . . The sooner you call the safer it is for everyone!

NOW THAT WE KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS… We can build a system to fix it Parameters, Policy, Permission and Training Navy fighter pilots and ejection parameters

U.S. NAVY FIGHTER PILOT EJECTION PARAMETERS NAVY PILOTS FIT THE MACHO PROFILE ALL FIREFIGHTERS SEEM TO HAVE ABOUT THEMSELVES… SOLUTION, DECIDE BEFORE YOU FLY… THE NAVY CAME UP WITH SET EJECTION PARAMETERS THAT PILOTS WILL WITHOUT HESITATION, EJECT FROM THERE AIRCRAFT THUS ALLEVIATING THE THE PRIDEFUL DECISION OF TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

WOW!!!!!! THEY HANDLED CRASHING A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR PLANE MUCH THE WAY WE WOULD HANDLE BUYING A GALLON OF MILK. HOW DO THEY STAY SO CALM?

Recognition Primed Decision Making RPD Gary Klein Military/Fire Service Experience vs. Inexperience Slides in your slide tray

SUMMARY FIREFIGHTERS THINK IF THERE IS A MAYDAY CALLED, WE WILL BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT LIKE WE WILL HANDLE ANYTHING ELSE. PRACTICE, WITH YOUR RADIOS, AND YOUR TOOLS. TALK ABOUT THIS WITH YOUR CREWS. DECIDE WHEN YOU WILL CALL A MAYDAY BEFORE YOU NEED TO. STICK TO IT. CLICK ME