Mayday
Mayday events can stop an incident in its tracks, as the team refocuses efforts on locating a downed, trapped or disoriented firefighter. Firefighters are encouraged to call a mayday whenever they feel they need help from fellow crewmembers and not wait until it is too late to be reached. The FireRescue1 Mayday resource page provides essential information on how to train for mayday events, video on how to prevent mayday events, details of the rapid-intervention team, plus news of mayday events and Rapid Response analysis of mayday incidents.
The Campton-Thornton Fire Rescue firefighter fell waist-deep through a second-floor collapse, was freed by nearby crews
Deputy Chief John Russell likened the reason to “a salmon swimming upstream” as dozens of firefighters were moving in, and the injured firefighter was trying to get out
A Fort Worth firefighter sustained multiple injuries and was flown to Parkland Health in Dallas
“I made the promise that I’m not going to come back onto the line until I know I’m ready,” said Manchester Captain Steve DesRuisseaux
The Beardstown firefighters got lost, declared a mayday and exited the building from a second-floor window, falling about 21 feet, the report states
About 30 firefighters from nine departments responded to the blaze
We need to apply our fireground mayday training to our mental health and personal stressors
Fellow firefighters issued a mayday call, but the crewmember was able to remove himself
The firefighter was trapped for a minute after a wall collapsed, but rescued by crewmembers
Investigators cited multiple errors made on the scene of the Dec. 4 fire that contributed to Sterling Lt. Garrett Ramos’ death from asphyxiation
A joint statement from Sterling and Rock Falls says the report contains errors plus suggestions for improvement that the Sterling Fire Department has begun
Report: Command didn’t know the home had a basement, the fire was mistakenly said to be controlled, and flaws in responding to Lt. Garrett Ramos’ mayday call
“I saw a dark spot which looked like a road,” said Jim Carr, Sevier County Fire Department’s maintenance chief
EMS providers treated the firefighter on site, and crews from multiple counties assisted in putting out the fire
Fires in expansive structures – in this case 1.2 million square feet – can quickly overwhelm fire protection systems and crews
During initial operations, Oakland firefighters heard two of their own were down and managed to retrieve them from the apartment building
4 were blown off a porch in a possible flashover, Chicago Fire Department Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt said
John McMaster is now “conscious and alert” following the partial rowhome collapse that killed three fellow firefighters
What makes January such a deadly month for the fire service – and what can we learn from recent incidents, like Baltimore?
What the data shows about how, when and why mayday incidents occur, plus the 16 most common phrases heard on the radio prior to a mayday call
ICs need training reps to practice strategic deployment of resources, backup plans and communication skills
A Nashua, N.H., mayday underscores the importance of a quick mayday call and swift RIT response
Many firefighters started calling a personal mayday years ago – it’s time to turn the tide
While self-rescue drills are vital, so too is mayday prevention training focused on fire dynamics, building construction, case studies and technology
Key questions to help determine if your department has the documentation needed – and whether your members are prepared
Your job is to make sure that you have put all the pieces in place to address a mayday before, during and after the incident
Buffalo Firefighter Eric Whitehead cited his radio, being left alone in the attic and his “acting up” status as factors that led to his distress during the incident
Radios serve as a critical communications and safety tool on any hazardous scene
The checklist incorporates both the simple Who-What-Where for the person announcing the mayday and LUNAR for the IC
Download your copy of the Guide, featuring a BC’s mayday experience, mayday training resources, and guidance for running command at a mayday event
“How many times does it take for a chief to hear near-misses before they recognize there’s a systemic problem?”
Bashoor and Cebollero discuss staffing storages, apparatus and ambulance safety, the COVID-19 vaccines, ET3 and telehealth, the use of ketamine, and much more
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