Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Mayday Guidelines

• This document outlines the standard operating guideline for Mayday situations within Palm Beach County Fire Rescue.
• Issue Date: 05/21/2018
• Effective Date: 06/21/2018
• The purpose of the guideline is to provide general and emergency radio procedures during training or emergency incidents.
• This guideline applies to all Emergency Operations personnel.
• The authority is the Fire Rescue Administrator.

Mayday Definition

• "Mayday" is used when a firefighter is lost, trapped, disoriented, seriously injured, experiencing an air emergency, or in need of immediate help.
• Any Fire Rescue personnel can use "Mayday" for themselves or others.
• If personnel experiences a "Mayday", their entire company must exit the IDLH.
• During a Mayday operation requiring an additional TAC channel, the Mayday operation remains on the original channel, and fire suppression or tactical activities switch channels.

Dispatcher Responsibilities

• Upon declaration of "Mayday," the Dispatcher follows Emergency Traffic in SOG 210-01 Communications and in the event the Incident Commander does not, calls for "Emergency Traffic".
• The dispatcher must relay pertinent information to the Incident Commander or Mayday firefighter.
• The dispatcher must notify the Fire Operations Officer and Dispatch Supervisor and put Trauma Hawk on stand-by.

Incident Command Responsibilities

• During a Mayday, Incident Commanders need to maintain: a strong command presence, composure, self-control, and self-discipline.
• Once a "Mayday" is declared, incident commanders: call for "Emergency Traffic", obtain a LUNAR from the Mayday firefighter, consider an additional Alarm, and activate the Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC) or Rapid Intervention Group (RIG).
• Incident Commanders must also conduct a Personnel Accountability Report (PAR) with face-to-face preferred, restructure the Incident Objectives to prioritize firefighter rescue, designate another Chief Officer for Mayday management (ISO preferred), and position additional personnel outside windows and doors to listen for the Mayday firefighter, and determine if an additional TAC channel is required.

Incident Safety Officer Responsibilities

• The Incident Safety Officer should consider requesting an Assistant Safety Officer(s) when a "Mayday" is declared. Reference SOG 200-03 Safety Officers.

Rapid Intervention Company (RIC)

• Once a "Mayday" is declared, the deployment of the RIC/RIG should be sufficient in number to safely locate and extricate each missing firefighter.
• Refer to SOG 420-04 Rapid Intervention Crew SOP.

Company Responsibilities (Non-RIC/RIG)

• Personnel not actively engaged in the Mayday emergency should exercise radio silence
• The exceptions are: Incident Commander, the Mayday firefighter(s), RIC/RIG, RIC Supervisor, and other companies involved in rescue efforts.
• Personnel assigned to other tasks (i.e., Fire Attack, Ventilation, etc.) must overcome the desire to get involved in the Mayday firefighter(s) rescue.

Firefighter Responsibilities Declaring Mayday

• Once a "Mayday” is recognized it should be declared
• Activate the orange emergency button on the portable radio, push and hold the orange emergency button for 4 seconds (either the portable or remote speaker mic).
• The activation sends an emergency alert to all Communication Center consoles and initiates 20 seconds of an open mic.
• Announce “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday” on the TAC channel.
• Report critical information in a LUNAR format

LUNAR Format

• Location (last known position).
• Unit (person was assigned to).
• Name (name of Mayday firefighter).
• Air (supply remaining).
• Resources (what is needed or reason for emergency).
• Manually activate their PASS device and leave on until located by the RIC/RIG. If it interferes with communications, turn it off temporarily, then manually reactivate it after communications.
• Attempt Self-Rescue, as appropriate.

Self-Rescue

• Mayday firefighters should try to stay with their company to increase their chances of being found.
• Consciously control breathing to conserve air supply as well as avoid nonessential talking and physical activity. The firefighter must control and pace physical exertion activities.
• If the SCBA air supply is depleted, as a last resort, the firefighter can use a particulate filter or their Nomex hood. Do NOT remove the SCBA facepiece.
• If physically able, Mayday firefighters should search for an exit, should not abandon a hose line, and should attempt to follow the hose line out of the structure.
• If firefighters cannot find an exit, they should attempt to find an exterior wall, then search for doorways, windows, and hallways.
• An Area of Safe Refuge is a protective area free from hazards and when a Mayday firefighter cannot find a way out, but there is an Area of Safe Refuge, personnel should take advantage of this location and advise the Rescue operation.
• In an Area of Safe Refuge, firefighters should be next to a wall, doorway, or hallway to increase the chances of a quick discovery by the RIC, assume a horizontal position on the floor to maximize the audible effects of the PASS device, position a flashlight toward the ceiling to increase how visible the light is, and make tapping noises to provide audible alerts to rescuers.

Ending the Mayday

• The TAC channel can be released in accordance with Emergency Traffic in SOG 210-01 Communications, once the Incident Commander determines the Mayday mission is complete.

Post Incident

• Refer to SOG 430-01 After Action Review.
• Due to the potential impact of MAYDAY events, the Incident Commander should consider activating the CISM team. Refer to Critical Incident Stress Management (PPM FR-T-501) and Crisis Mitigation Program (PPM FR-T-502).