Mayday Procedures PDF

Standard Operating Guideline (SOG) Mayday Effective Date: 08/01/2010 Procedure Number 04-06A Revised Date: 07/01/2019 Number of Pages 04 1. Overvi...

Standard Operating Guideline (SOG) Mayday Effective Date: 08/01/2010 Procedure Number 04-06A Revised Date: 07/01/2019 Number of Pages 04 1. Overview Due to the nature of fire service activities and emergency responses, fire department members may be called upon to operate in hazardous environments. All members shall take every precaution to safeguard themselves and their crewmembers at all times during emergency scene operations and training evolutions. If any member becomes lost, trapped, injured or in any way requires immediate assistance while operating in an Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) or other hazardous environment, this standard shall be followed. 2. Definitions Emergency Traffic: The term “Emergency Traffic” shall be used to alert all operating personnel of an on- scene emergency, imminent danger or otherwise significantly hazardous situation. Any member operating in or around the incident can request Emergency Traffic. During Emergency Traffic communications, radio traffic is limited to the use of Command and those individuals communicating the situation/hazard. When the Emergency Traffic communication is complete, Command should state “All clear, resume normal radio traffic.” Mayday: The term “Mayday” shall be reserved ONLY to report members in imminent danger. All reports of Mayday shall receive priority radio traffic. Radio traffic and communications during a Mayday transmission are limited to the use of Command and those individuals communicating the Mayday. To ensure that the message is transmitted and received, the term “Mayday” should be repeated at least three (3) times over the radio (e.g. “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday”). Member: A person involved in performing the duties and responsibilities of a fire department, under the auspices of the organization. Personal Accountability Report (PAR): A report quested by and communicated to the Incident Commander from fire crews operating at the scene as to their location and situation. Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC): A dedicated crew of firefighters who are assigned for rapid deployment to locate and rescue lost, distressed or trapped members. The RIC shall consist of at least four (4) members designated and equipped to perform an immediate search and rescue operation. 3. Guideline During emergency operations and training evolutions, members may become lost, trapped, injured, run dangerously low on air or have another type of emergency that requires immediate action. The following procedures are intended to address and mitigate these life-threatening situations. The following guidelines do not necessarily need to be accomplished in the order listed below: A. Mayday Member Personal Survival Procedures Members who become lost, trapped, injured, run dangerously low on air or have any other type of emergency while operating in IDLH atmospheres/situations should take the following general steps: 1. Recognize and understand that they are in trouble. 2. Take immediate, corrective self-rescue actions if able. 3. Move to a safer, more secure location if at all possible.  4. If unable to move, assume the Firefighter Survival Position. 5. As soon as possible, initiate a Mayday communication via the radio (mic and/or Emergency Alert Button. 6. Activate their SCBA PASS Alarm. Turn on all personal light sources. 7. Practice air management techniques/procedures. B. Mayday Communication Procedures Mayday situations require clear, concise communications on the part of all parties involved. 1. Member-Initiated Maydays should be communicated in the following situations: a. By the member(s) who are lost, trapped, injured, run low on air or otherwise in trouble. b. By the Company Officer, Group/Division Supervisor, or any member who cannot account for another member(s) operating in the Hazard Zone. c. By a member who witnesses or has discovered a trapped or injured member in trouble. 2. Command-Initiated Maydays should be announced when: a. Command receives a face-to-face report of member in distress. b. Alerted by Dispatch that a member operating on-scene has declared a Mayday on a different operating/tac channel. c. Alerted by Dispatch that they have received a confirmed and verified activation an Emergency Alert Button from a member operating on-scene who is in distress. 3. The member declaring the Mayday should repeat the Mayday call a minimum of three (3) times in quick succession (e.g.: “Mayday…Mayday…Mayday…”). Following acknowledgement of the Mayday by Command, the following transmission from the Mayday member should include the minimum information listed below: a. Who: Engine/Truck number and seat position. b. What: Situation and conditions. c. Where: Current location and position. d. Air: SCBA air supply (e.g.: low air alarm sounding or not sounding). If the Mayday report does not include all of the above information, Command will request the information from the Mayday member. If a Mayday declaration is not immediately acknowledged by Command or Dispatch, the Mayday member shall retransmit the Mayday declaration a second time. If the Mayday declaration is still not acknowledged, the Mayday member shall attempt to verify that they are transmitting of the proper frequency. If it is unknown or unclear which frequency the member’s radio in on, the member shall turn the channel selector knob all the way clockwise or counterclockwise and retransmit the Mayday declaration on Channel 1 or 16. 4. Mayday Communications example. While each situation is unique, the following example demonstrates the potential flow of communications between the Mayday member and Command. a. The member in need keys the mic or activates the Emergency Alert Button and declares, “Mayday…Mayday…Mayday.” b. Upon hearing the declaration of Mayday or the recognition of a missing or distressed member (Command-Initiated), Command shall immediately gain control of the assigned fire ground frequency by announcing Emergency Traffic to acknowledge the Mayday and alert all personnel working at the incident  (e.g. “Command copies a Mayday…Emergency Traffic… repeat… Emergency Traffic only… go ahead Mayday”). c. The member calling the Mayday gives a report including the Who, What, Where, Air of the situation (e.g.: “Truck Two Delta, I’ve fallen through the first floor. I’m pinned and injured…heavy smoke, zero visibility, moderate heat. I think I’m somewhere in the basement in the middle of the room…I can’t move. My low air alarm is sounding.”) d. Command will follow up with further communication based on the situation. See Section C. 5. Dispatch Procedures a. On any and all Working Incidents, Dispatch shall monitor the primary operational channel as well as Channels 1 and 16.When a Mayday call is transmitted, upon the direction of Command, Dispatch shall activate the alert tone 2 and repeat the Mayday declaration on all fire ground channels. b. Dispatch will sound alert tone 2 (warble) twice for two seconds and broadcast “Emergency Traffic, Emergency Traffic, Command (Unit ID*) has declared a Mayday. c. Dispatch shall give the Mayday priority over other tasks as needed. d. Ensure that an additional alarm and ambulance are dispatched in accordance with Command Procedures. e. If command does not copy the Mayday member’s transmission, Dispatch will initiate alert tones and follow section b. above and ensure command copies the mayday. f. If there is a Mayday declaration on any fire ground/tac channel that is not directly monitored by Command, Dispatch shall keep the Mayday member on that frequency and advise Command immediately. Command shall determine the best channel to operate the Mayday on. C. Command Procedures 1. Upon receiving and acknowledging the Mayday declaration, Command shall confirm the Mayday report, attempt to get more information if needed, and give further direction and support if possible. Additional information requested or direction given by Command may include: a. Are others trapped/lost or is the member alone? b. Last known assignment, position and/or operating area? c. Can the member hear anything (fans, saws, air-horns, radios, etc.)? d. Direct the member to activate their PASS and flashlight. e. Ascertain if the member is staying in place or initiating their own self-rescue. f. Direct the member to a doorway, window or wall. g. Provide positive calming/emotional support. 2. If multiple tac channels are in use on the fire ground, Command shall transmit the Emergency Traffic declaration on all channels as soon as possible. Command my direct Dispatch to make that announcement. 3. Verify the status of the Mayday member’s crew. 4. Determine if companies/members nearby can initiate a rescue attempt. 5. Deploy the RIC. See SLCFD SOG 04-07A. 6. Consider radio channel options. See SLCFD SOG 04-07A, Section F. 7. Assume or assign RIC Command, Division or Group Supervisor. Based on that decision, retain or pass Command of the fire incident. 8. Request the next higher alarm. All apparatus 10-39 to staging. 9. Request additional ground ambulances and consider placing a medical helicopter  on standby. 10. Conduct a PAR of all companies operating on the fire ground when the situation and radio traffic allows. 11. Support the RIC operation with additional crews and specialized resources if necessary. 12. Assign additional RICs, one for the fire suppression operation and one for the Rapid Intervention operation. 13. Keep the fire operation going. Make sure crews do not abandon firefighting positions already in place. Hold the fire in check while rescue efforts are being accomplished. 14. Remove non-essential personnel to staging and/or create a manpower pool. 15. Build and expand the Command Team as needed. 16. Anticipate and prepare for additional Maydays. 17. If the Mayday is a result an injury or exposure, follow SLCFD SOP 06-36. D. Mayday Termination 1. The Mayday/rescue operation shall be terminated upon the direction of Command. 2. Upon the direction of Command, Dispatch shall broadcast the termination of the Mayday on all fire ground channels. 3. At the discretion of Command, units may be switched back to the original incident channel and a PAR performed. 4. At the conclusion of the incident, Command shall notify the Department Safety Officer and prepare a PIA. 5. Peer Support and CISD shall be made available to all members involved.