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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSOG 202.02 REVISED 3-2013_ MAYDAY202.02 — Reporting & Responding to a MAYDAY Effective. 9/5/2009 Revised: 3/5/2013 Replaces: I. Guiding Philosophy We recognize that a MAYDAY situation involving a trapped or lost member is a critical time at an emergency incident. Our ability to effect a safe and timely rescue operation in these situations depends heavily on our personnel following an established process for both reporting the MAYDAY and responding to it. The use of this standard procedure is vital to achieving the best possible outcome during an extraordinarily stressful and difficult situation. II. Purpose The purpose of this policy is to communicate the standard actions that responders and support personnel should take when reporting a MAYDAY situation themselves, or when responding to a MAYDAY that was called by another firefighter in distress. III. Goals The goals of this policy are to: A. Define the personnel accountability and scene responsibilities assigned in an emergency incident. B. Describe the general MAYDAY guidelines. C. Detail the process for declaring a MAYDAY. D. Detail the process for responding to a called MAYDAY. E. Discuss the special considerations for a MAYDAY situation. F. Provide an example of a MAYDAY transmission. IV. Definitions A. Distressed Firefighter — The lost, trapped, injured, or missing firefighter who needs assistance. B. Emergency Alert Tones — a series of i`.ur. I��. f) tones broadcast by a Fire Dispatcher to announce emergency radio traffic. C. MAYDAY — the term broadcast by a firefighter in distress or in the event of a missing firefighter. D. PAR — acronym for Personnel Accountability Report. E. RIG — acronym for the Rapid Intervention Group. V. Personnel Accountability & Scene Responsibilities A. These guidelines shall apply to all on -scene personnel. B. Generally, MAYDAY situations are critically time sensitive and an immediate response must be implemented to take advantage of the limited time element facing firefighters in distress. C. Each member on the emergency scene has a duty to ensure their own safety as well as the safety of those around them. 1. The Incident Commander is responsible for overall scene safety and implementing a MAYDAY response when necessary. 2. Division/Group Supervisors are responsible for the activities occurring within their assigned area. These activities include: a. Maintaining crew integrity. b. Maintaining focus and discipline for the assigned function/area for their group/division in the event that a MAYDAY is broadcast. 3. Company Officers are responsible for: a. Maintaining crew integrity. b. Immediately reporting to the Incident Commander in the event a crew member becomes lost, trapped, or missing from the crew. 4. Every individual working on the emergency scene is responsible for: a. Maintaining crew integrity. b. Watching and reporting dangerous conditions that may develop in their work area. c. Knowing how to properly report and respond to a MAYDAY scenario as established in this guideline. VI. General MAYDAY Guidelines A. The term "MAYDAY" shall be reserved exclusively to report a firefighter in distress at an emergency incident. B. Any member on the fire ground may make a MAYDAY transmission if they feel it is warranted. Situations where a MAYDAY broadcast would be mandatory include but are not limited to: 1. Any situation where firefighters get in trouble on the emergency scene. a. Members become disoriented or lost. b. Members find themselves trapped. c. Members run critically low on air or have an S.C.B.A. malfunction within an IDLH atmosphere. 2. Any situation where a member witnesses another member who meets the MAYDAY criteria previously listed. 3. Any situation where a crew cannot account for an assigned member while working within the hazard zone. C. There are some basic rules that should be followed to ensure that each emergency scene is as safe as possible to help prevent the need for a MAYDAY being called. 1. Firefighters entering the hazard zone must only do so as part of an organized crew. SOG 202.02 — Reporting and Responding to a MAYDAY Page 2 of 6 2. Each crew entering the hazard zone should be assigned to that operating position and function by the Incident Commander, and be supervised by a designated Officer. 3. At a minimum, crews operating within the hazard zone will consist of at least two members that remain intact (within touch, visual, or voice contact of each other) the entire time they are operating within the hazard area. 4. Members must constantly monitor hazards within the environment in which they are operating, and must provide updated hazard information to the Incident Commander in the form of progress or exception reports as their situational status changes. 5. Supervisors/Crew Leaders are responsible for responding to PARS requested by the Incident Commander. A response to a PAR acknowledges that all crew members are intact (within touch, visual, or voice contact of each other) and in no current distress. D. In most MAYDAY situations, the rescue of the distressed firefighter is critically time sensitive due to limited air supply and the possibility of the hazard zone conditions worsening. The survival of the firefighter is dependent upon a combination of: 1. Early notification that a firefighter or a crew is missing or in trouble. 2. Predictable self -survival actions by the lost or trapped individuals. 3. Action by the Incident Commander and the RIG members that is standardized, prioritized, and prompt. 4. Each member or crew continuing to perform their assigned tasks as directed by the Incident Commander. a. Refraining from the natural emotional response to immediately try and join the MAYDAY response. Focus instead, on maintaining your own crew's integrity and working on the tasks assigned only by Incident Command. b. Relaying any pertinent information that you might have to Command about the MAYDAY situation. VII. Declaring a MAYDAY A. When a firefighter or other crew member is lost, trapped, disoriented, injured, or in need of critical assistance, he/she shall (if possible) transmit a verbal message on the fire ground tactical radio channel to Command statingAIA, lVDA'1111 ) B. In an effort to make the distressed firefighters actions predictable, the member should then complete the following steps if at all possible: 1. The individual should report as much of the following information as possible: a. Who -Name & assigned radio number (i.e. Joe Smith, Portable 413) b. What—Your current assignment in the hazard zone (i.e. fire attack, search, etc.) c. Where—Location within the hazard zone (i.e. alpha, bravo, charlie, delta, division 1, etc.) 2. Activate the PASS device. SOG 202.02 — Reporting and Responding to a MAYDAY Page 3 of 6 3. Push the Emergency Identifier Button (EIB) on your portable radio if accessible. 4. Remain together if you are with a crew or another individual. 5. Attempt to find any key indicators that would aid the RIG in locating you or the distressed firefighter. a. Building construction such as windows, doors, columns, or unique features. b. Furniture, fixtures, or building equipment near you. 6. Stay close to a wall if possible. 7. Draw attention to yourself by using a hand tool to strike the wall or floor. DO NOT OVER EXERT YOURSELF—Try to conserve your air supply! 8. Shine your flashlight up to the ceiling to illuminate your location when smoke conditions are light or visibility is improving. Shine your flashlight at floor level if smoke conditions are heavy or visibility is poor. 9. Seek an area of refuge if hazard zone conditions are worsening. 10. Consider air conservation efforts such as "skip breathing." C. While any MAYDAY event is understandably emotionally stressful, try and remember that your best chance for survival and a positive outcome rests with keeping your thoughts and actions as focused and rational as possible. VIII. Responses to a Declared MAYDAY A. Incident Command's Response to a MAYDAY 1. Command will maintain an awareness of the locations of the firefighters on the fire ground primarily through the accountability system and by tactical assignments. 2. Upon declaration of a MAYDAY, the Incident Commander shall transmit, "� ' eadilitart rs, Emergemj" ql i0n,1 'on the assigned tactical channel so that all personnel will cease normal radio traffic. a. C1 Dk�:DWS SI101TLD SI S PD,P1111D AP L L DP A, D1:0 1 T P' ,,A 11111 AI i " S1 O111�1 A111111) 11 D D, FACE-TO-FACE t 1� �P� P1 wIU 1C 11 AS POSSIBLETO AI V11111 AI i.����iZ E DP A.D 1O b. The Rapid Intervention Group, Incident Safety Officer, and the distressed firefighter(s), will remain on the original frequency for the MAYDAY response. c. Radio discipline MUST be maintained throughout the MAYDAY response! The Incident Commander must respond with a verbal transmission acknowledging the declaration of a MAYDAY situation. a. Transmit the MAYDAY information back to the distressed firefighter for verification. b. Reassure the firefighter that the RIG is being deployed and that help is on the way. 4. The Incident Commander will request an additional alarm. SOG 202.02 – Reporting and Responding to a MAYDAY Page 4 of 6 5. Any additional alarms will be designated an alternate channel and deployed to a staging area. 6. The Incident Safety Officer will be placed in charge of the MAYDAY response and the Rapid Intervention Group to begin immediate rescue efforts. 7. Notify Fire -EMS Communications that the RIG has been deployed. 8. Immediately conduct a PAR on the new assigned operating channel for non MAYDAY operations. 9. Assign a new RIG and a new Safety Officer to replace the ones deployed in the MAYDAY response. 10. The Incident Commander will immediately notify Fire -EMS Communications when the MAYDAY activation has been resolved. B. Incident Safety Officer's response to a MAYDAY 1. The Incident Safety Officer will take charge of the RIG and the MAYDAY response operation. 2. Consult with the Incident Commander and the distressed firefighter to determine exactly what type of situation that has developed. 3. Commit the RIG to begin operations at the most appropriate site to initiate the rescue. 4. Establish a Safety Officer within the MAYDAY response crews. 5. Keep the Incident Commander updated with progress reports and consult with Command for any needed changes in fire ground resources. C. Dispatcher's response to a MAYDAY (See SOG 503.02) IX. MAYDAY Soecial Considerations A. Crew Officers or individual firefighters who suspect a firefighter is missing must notify the Incident Commander immediately. B. The Incident Commander must always assume the missing firefighter is lost in the hazard zone until the member is found. C. Do not abandon firefighting positions during the MAYDAY response. 1. If possible, Command and fire suppression crews should take measures to protect the trapped or missing firefighters from the fire. a. Concentrate efforts on reinforcing existing positions and keeping the fire from spreading to the rescue. b. Provide appropriate lighting and ventilation to the rescue area if possible. D. Follow RIG SOGs and training for proper RIG response. E. Coordinate and control the search efforts. 1. Do not let the emotionally charged situation degrade into members freelancing or creating self assignments. 2. Close coordination of all search efforts is critical to eliminating duplicate searches and wasted time. SOG 202.02 — Reporting and Responding to a MAYDAY Page 5 of 6 3. All areas must be searched thoroughly. F. Watch carefully for the structural stability of the building throughout the rescue effort. G. Careful consideration of the department's Risk Management Plan should be given if the situation worsens. IX. Example of a MAYDAY Transmission Distressed Firefikhter: "Portable IB to Command, MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY. " Incident Commander: "Command to all units, emergency traffic has been declared. Go ahead portable IB. " Distressed Firefikhter: "Portable IB to Command, this is firefighter John Brown with interior fire attack. I am on Bravo side of the structure near the living room. I fell through the floor and can't free my leg. " Incident Commander: "Command has received your MAYDAY. You are entangled near the living room on the Bravo side of the structure. We are dispatching the RIG to come to your assistance. Activate your PASS device and remain calm, help will be there shortly. 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