1. MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY! BY A/C KEN WHITMORE Adapted from the NFA DVD “Calling the Mayday” Taught by the Southwest WA FOOLS

2. 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  Follow up with hands on experience with the Mayday Parameters

3. WHAT IS A MAYDAY SITUATION? Pierce County Operational Guideline MAYDAY Transmissions A MAYDAY shall be transmitted with any of the following hazards: Separated from and unable to locate your crew in 30 seconds. Disoriented and unable to locate an egress in 30 seconds. Fallen through a floor, roof, or other confining structure. 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. Primary egress is blocked or cut off. Caught in a dynamic smoke or fire event (flashover, backdraft, etc.) In zero visibility and have no contact with wall, rope, hose, etc. Personnel’s protective equipment is not performing as designed.

4. AVOIDABLE DEATHS 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!!!

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

6. WHY DO FIREFIGHTERS FAIL TO OR DELAY CALLING FOR HELP? PridePride We are the “fix it” people, we are there to help not call for helpWe are the “fix it” people, we are there to help not call for help Loss of situational awareness (lose track of time)Loss of situational awareness (lose 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)

7. THE PROBLEMS WITH MAYDAY IN THE FIRE SERVICE There are very few “Mayday” standardsThere are very few “Mayday” standards There is very little “Mayday” training being doneThere is very little “Mayday” training being done There aren’t clear “Mayday” parametersThere aren’t clear “Mayday” parameters We do not have enough Recognition Primed Decision making experience (RPD) We do not have enough Recognition Primed Decision making experience (RPD)

8. RAPID INTERVENTION??? WHEN PHOENIX FIREFIGHTER BRETT TARVER DIED IN MARCH 2001,THERE WERE 12 ADDITIONAL MAYDAYS CALLED BY RESCUERS DURING THE RIT OPERATIONWHEN PHOENIX FIREFIGHTER BRETT TARVER DIED IN MARCH 2001,THERE WERE 12 ADDITIONAL MAYDAYS CALLED BY RESCUERS DURING THE RIT OPERATION WHEN HOUSTON FIRE CAPTAIN JAY JAHNKE DIED IN OCTOBER 2001, THERE WERE 4 ADDITIONAL MAYDAYS CALLED DURING HIS ATTEMPTED RESCUEWHEN HOUSTON FIRE CAPTAIN JAY JAHNKE DIED IN OCTOBER 2001, THERE WERE 4 ADDITIONAL MAYDAYS CALLED DURING HIS ATTEMPTED RESCUE 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…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…

9. MAYDAY TO RIT ENTRY WAS 3 MINUTESMAYDAY TO RIT ENTRY WAS 3 MINUTES RIT CONTACT WITH DOWNED FIREFIGHTER WAS 6 MINUTESRIT CONTACT WITH DOWNED FIREFIGHTER WAS 6 MINUTES TOTAL TIME INSIDE THE BUILDING FOR EACH TEAM WAS 13 MINUTESTOTAL TIME INSIDE THE BUILDING FOR EACH TEAM WAS 13 MINUTES TOTAL TIME FOR RESCUE WAS 22 MINUTESTOTAL TIME FOR RESCUE WAS 22 MINUTES TAKES 12 FIREFIGHTERS TO RESCUE 1TAKES 12 FIREFIGHTERS TO RESCUE 1 1 IN 5 RIT MEMBERS WILL GET INTO A MAYDAY THEMSELVES1 IN 5 RIT MEMBERS WILL GET INTO A MAYDAY THEMSELVES WHAT SHOULD THIS TELL US???????WHAT SHOULD THIS TELL US???????

10. DON’T BE A STATISTIC, CALL EARLY

11. WE HAVE A LOT OF TOOLS AT 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, WHEN WE NEED IT, WITHOUT ANY REPERCUSSIONBASICALLY - WHATEVER WE NEED, WHEN WE NEED IT, WITHOUT ANY REPERCUSSION WHY SHOULD CALLING A MAYDAY BE ANY DIFFERENT!!WHY SHOULD CALLING A MAYDAY BE ANY DIFFERENT!!

12. HOW MANY RIT’S HAVE ANY REAL EXPERIENCE? Is that a problem?

13. PERMISSION TO CALL MAYDAY SOMETIMES FIREFIGHTER MENTALITY ISSOMETIMES 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... THE SOONER YOU CALL THE SAFER IT IS FOR EVERYONE! WE NEED A CHANGE IN OUR CULTURE!

14. NOW THAT WE KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE… We can build a system to fix it ParametersParameters PermissionPermission ProceduresProcedures TrainingTraining Fighter pilots and ejection parameters (RPD)

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

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

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

19. CALLING A MAYDAY BASIC INFORMATIONBASIC INFORMATION STRUCTURED FORMATSTRUCTURED FORMAT CONTACT COMMANDCONTACT COMMAND L.U.N.E.L.U.N.E. –Location –Unit –Name –Emergency

20. AFTER THE MAYDAY 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)

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

22. 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!