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Training Bulletin 02

MAY-DAY/URGENT Radio Guidelines

Recent events over the past few years have required fire departments from all over the country to revisit current practices and procedures regarding firefighter safety. In a serious attempt to bring awareness to the increased number of firefighter deaths in 2005, organizations led by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) formed a “National Firefighter Safety Stand Down” to bring awareness to the concerns. In an attempt to bring recognization to the increased number of firefighter injuries and fatalities, departments were asked to take steps to review, evaluate, and revise procedures and guidelines in an increased attempt to enhance firefighter safety.

Once such document and procedure that was recently revisited by the Jersey City Fire Department was their MAY-DAY and URGENT radio guideline and operating procedure. Through this review and evaluation, members of the fire department’s training division decided to update the procedure and implement a training and evaluation process to ensure understanding and use.

RESEARCH and EVALUATION:

The review and evaluation process with this procedure began with the establishment of a Research and Evaluation Team (RET). This is a group of individuals within the department that are solicited from both staff and line positions with two distinct responsibilities. The first is research about the subject area from any resources available. Research often includes other fire departments policies and procedures, text from accepted standards and practices, as well as recognized publications and web-sites all in an attempt to eliminate “re-inventing the wheel.”

The second responsibility within the research and development process is gathering input and analysis from members in the street. Firefighter and fire officers who will be responsible for utilizing and carrying out the specifics of the procedure, must be part of the developmental process. This is a necessary requirement of any new or revised procedure within the JCFD that has proved to a valuable step for a number of reasons.

First and foremost, we felt our members have to buy into the procedure from the point of being practical and measurable. If it doesn’t make sense, or if it creates or presents an unrealistic set of goals and objectives, members will never fully absorb it, therefore never really use it. This is a simple fact of life, don’t ignore it. The second reason is the level of experience and knowledge that your members possess. You have to tap into this. We are very big believers in the concept of “experience.” One of your best resources is going to be your people, most notably in the procedure to be described. When we send out a rough draft or proposal for review on a specific subject, we always ask and receive input back from our members. The feedback from your members is invaluable. In the case of our MAY-DAY/URGENT guideline, it became an integral part of the completed document.

This approach can be further justified from research that shows the continued difficulties with identifying parameters, and the need to eliminate the negative stigma associated with transmitting a MAY-DAY. It is without doubt that these two areas had to be addressed, and why wouldn’t we include street firefighters and fire officers into the decision-making process? The subject area demanded that we do.

DEFINITION: Is there a difference between a May-Day and Urgent message?

The answer is, yes, there should be. Research from a number of fire departments around the country on this subject area has shown that there are different interpretations of the words May-Day and Urgent. For many, the use of the word May-Day signifies that a firefighter is specifically in trouble and needs help. In others, we found that the use of the word MAY-DAY could have multiple meanings. Not only can the word identify that a member is in trouble, it could also identify a potential building collapse, a loss of water in a hoseline, or even the need to bring attention to a change in fire conditions. What quickly became evident from this research was our need to keep the definition and its use simple by establishing ease with procedural knowledge and recognition. More specifically; eliminate multiple definitions, situations, and the need to interpret under the distress.

This approach could be further emphasized by reviewing past May-Day incidents. By studying previous events it quickly becomes evident that May-Day radio transmissions will often occur at the worst possible time in your incident. An escalating or deteriorating incident, accompanying radio traffic, combined with the anxiety and confusion that could come from hearing either a whole, or partial emergency radio transmission requires that your MAY-DAY and URGENT radio transmissions not only have a clear definition and association, it also requires that you have a clear and easily recognizable set of parameters. Lack of procedural knowledge or confusion with procedure design under distress, is a recognized difficulty with when and how to call a MAY-DAY.

What follows is a suggested guideline for a MAY-DAY and URGENT procedures.

MAY-DAY OPERATING GUIDELINE

DEFINITION: MAY-DAY/URGENT radio use:

* Use of the word MAY-DAY will identify that a firefighter/fire officer has become lost, trapped, seriously injured, or exhausted his/her breathing air at the scene of an emergency incident. Specifically, a firefighter is in need of immediate help.

MAY-DAY PARAMETERS: This is a critical part of an operational procedure, most notably for a procedure that outlines how to confront time pressure changing conditions. It is critical when developing a parameter list, that your list stay true to the outlined definition. It is also important in your design to eliminate the documented difficulties and consequences of interpreting time, channeled attention, and loss of situational awareness commonly associated with the May-Day.

A firefighter/fire officer will transmit a MAYDAY if any of the following conditions exist:

  • If you become lost, trapped, or have sustained a serious or life threatening injury.
  • When a serious or life-threatening injury to another member has occurred.
  • If you discover a lost, trapped, seriously injured or unconscious firefighter.
  • If you become tangled, pinned and unable to free yourself after the first attempt.
  • If your low air alarm is activated and you are unable to find an exit.
  • If there is zero visibility, have no contact with a hoseline or search rope, and you do not know where the exit is.
  • If your primary exit is blocked by fire or collapse, and you cannot locate an immediate secondary exit.
  • If you fall through a floor, roof, staircase, or down a shaft.
  • f you are caught in a rollover condition and cannot find an exit.
  • If you are caught in a flashover.
  • Other situation(s) that fit the definition of a MAY-DAY

MAY-DAY RADIO PROCEDURE:

  1. Activate the EIB (emergency identifier button) on your portable radio
  2. Members are to utilize and follow the MAY-DAY procedure as outlined in this document. In an attempt to send out as much useful information as possible in the shortest amount of time, remember the acronym M-WWW as a retention guide.M – MAY-DAY (to be announced three times)
    Who: Identify your radio designation (Ladder 10 Alpha, Engine 20,etc)
    What: Give your situation – (lost, trapped, injured, etc.)
    Where: Give your location. Give floor, side, other (3rd floor, Side C, etc.)Example:
    “MAYDAY – MAYDAY – MAYDAY
    LADDER CO. 10 ALPHA
    I’M TRAPPED under a CEILING COLLAPSE
    3RD. FLOOR SIDE C”
  3. The member transmitting the MAY-DAY must pause after each message and then repeat the message until acknowledged by the Incident Commander.
  4. The FD Fire Dispatch Center must relay any MAY-DAY messages that are not immediately acknowledged by the Incident Commander.
  5. Members are also required to activate their PASS device in between each message and after acknowledged. IMPORTANT: If the PASS device remains activated during the transmission of the MAY-DAY message, it will cause significant background noise making the message unreadable.

MAY-DAY RADIO ACKNOWLEDGMENT:

  1. It is critical that all members at the scene of an emergency scene understand that MAY-DAY transmissions will take priority over all other transmissions, including URGENT messages. NO exceptions!
  2. When a MAY-DAY transmission has occurred, the Incident Commander must attempt to clear the air of all other radio traffic and establish contact with the lost, trapped or injured member(s). Once contact is established, the Incident Commander should attempt to obtain more specific information that may assist in the rescue attempt if it proves necessary.Example:
    “COMMAND TO ALL UNITS, CLEAR THE RADIO
    FOR A MAYDAY MESSAGE”……………..
    “COMMAND TO LADDER 10 ALPHA, GO WITH YOUR MAYDAY”……….
    “LADDER 10 ALPHA, COULD YOU PROVIDE US WITH ANY OTHER INFORMATION” ?
  3. The requesting of other or more specific information will be determined by the amount of information originally transmitted in the MAYDAY, the square footage and layout of the building, and the needs of the Incident Commander and/or Rapid Intervention Crew. Information requests could include but are not limited to:
    • Can you tells us the best/closest access route to you?
    • Can you hear a hose stream or saw operating nearby?
    • Are you near a stairway, shaftway, wall, or other building feature?
    • The condition of the injured member(s)
    • Tool and equipment needs
    • Other/useful information

MANAGING A MAY-DAY:

May-Day events that involve a lost, trapped or injured firefighter or fire officer will tax the resources and management of any incident. Incident management could be further taxed when multiple MAY-DAYs are transmitted and the incident is still evolving. Incident Commanders must maintain control and continuity of the incident by any means available to them. Options that are available to all commanders include but are not limited to are:

  • Use of multiple Rapid Intervention Crews for deployment and replacement.
  • Transmitting of an additional alarm – This is an option for the Incident Commander at anytime during the incident but is an advisable option when the fire is still NOT under control and there are no additional units in reserve or Staging.
  • Designating a separate radio frequency for the rescue “or” fire operation.
  • Conducting a Personnel Accountability Roll Call (PAR) to determine to who and how many are missing.
  • Collecting Accountability Tags and Riding Lists to determine who and how many are missing.
  • Reviewing Tactical worksheets and Command boards to identify the company/members last assigned location.
  • Establish and support a Rescue Group/Operation within your incident management.
  • Verify that fire suppression operations are continuing.
  • Remove all non-essential personnel.
  • Eliminate free-lancing and establish control.
  • Requesting any additional resources and equipment that may be needed.
  • Other

URGENT OPERATING GUIDELINE

URGENT Radio guideline defined:

To give further clarity to the use of the URGENT reference, the enclosed guideline has identified its use when a situation at the scene of an emergency incident produces a life-threatening situation. Although situations will vary with each individual incident, some of the more common that may fit this category will include a potential collapse feared from a wall, roof, or total building failure. A loss of water on the fire floor with firefighters working above. Another may include the release of a pressure relief valve on a pressurized tank involved or exposed to fire. In either case, the objective of this identification is to provide early notification to our members in an attempt to prevent an injury or a death.

* The use of the word URGENT will be used to identify that a life-threatening situation has developed that could effect fire fighter safety.

URGENT TRANSMISSION PARAMETERS:

A firefighter/fire officer will transmit an URGENT message if any of the following conditions exist:

  • A serious/deteriorating change in fire conditions.
  • If an interior attack is going to be discontinued and exterior attack is being prepared.
  • Discovery of a structural problem indicating a potential or imminent collapse.
  • If fire is discovered entering an exposure building to a degree that any delay may considerably enlarge the fire problem.
  • A loss of water, which would endanger members.
  • An excessive wind condition on the fire floor which could rapidly extend the fire, endangering members.
  • A downed electrical wire on the fireground or on a fire apparatus.
  • When an unconscious, trapped or disoriented civilian is located.
  • A message that warrants priority due to potential injury or death.
  • Any life-threatening situation or event that has occurred or is developing.

URGENT RADIO TRANSMISSION PROCEDURE:

  1. Members are to utilize and follow the URGENT radio guideline as outlined below. In an attempt to send out as much useful information as possible in the shortest amount of time, remember the acronym U – WWW as a retention guide.U – Urgent (to be announced three times)
    Who: Identify your radio designation (Engine 20, Ladder 10 Alpha, etc.)
    What: Give your situation – (be specific)
    Where: Give your location. Give floor, side, other (3rd floor, Side C, etc.)Example: ” URGENT – URGENT -URGENT
    ENGINE 20 TO COMMAND
    WE HAVE LOST WATER on the FIRE FLOOR
  2. The member transmitting the URGENT message must pause after each message and then repeat the message until acknowledged by the Incident Commander.

URGENT ACKNOWLEDGMENT:

  1. It is critical that all members at the scene of an emergency scene understand that URGENT radio transmissions will take priority over all other transmissions, with the exception of a MAY-DAY message(s).
  2. When a URGENT transmission has occurred, the Incident Commander must attempt to clear the air of all other radio traffic and establish contact with the member transmitting the URGENT message. Once contact is established, the Incident Commander should attempt to obtain more specific information about his/her situation if it proves necessary.Example:
    “COMMAND TO ALL UNITS, CLEAR THE RADIO FOR AN URGENT MESSAGE”
    “COMMAND TO ENGINE 20, GO WITH YOUR URGENT MESSAGE”
    “ENGINE 20, COULD YOU PROVIDE US WITH ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION?OR”ENGINE 20, DO YOU NEED ANY ASSISTANCE?”


    Firefighter runs out of air and finds an exit. May-Day was never transmitted.
    Photo by Ron Jeffers

  3. The requesting of other or more specific information will be determined by the amount of information originally transmitted in the URGENT message. Information requests could include, but are not limited to:
    • If a serious/deteriorating change in fire condition exists – Obtain information about the location and affected areas.
    • If a discovery of a structural problem indicating an IMMINENT COLLAPSE concern exists – IMMEDIATELY EVACUATE the building and follow your department’s evacuation procedure.
    • If a discovery of a structural problem indicating an eventual collapse concern exists – Obtain information about the location and the potentially affected areas.
    • If fire is discovered entering an exposure building to a degree that any delay may considerably enlarge the fire problem – Obtain information about the location and affected areas.
    • If a loss of water, which would endanger members exists – If not provided, ask location/floor, members affected and the company who lost water.
    • If an excessive wind condition on the fire floor could rapidly extend the fire, endangering members – Obtain information on floor, side, and options to correct or avoid injury.
    • If an unconscious, trapped or disoriented civilian is found or located – Obtain information about removal and assistance, etc.

TRAINING AND EDUCATION:

This is the final, but critical component of any new guideline or procedure. In a serious attempt identify situational awareness and ensure understanding and compliance, a series of practical training exercises must accompany this guideline. All members must be evaluated in their ability to recognize the difference between a MAY-DAY and URGENT transmission, demonstrate how to transmit their message and most importantly, identify when to transmit it.

The decision to call a MAY-DAY starts with removing the negative “stigma” associated with being in trouble. Members cannot wait until they are in a life threatening position to make this decision. History has shown that exposure to smoke and stress will make the decision making procedure more difficult, if not impossible. This procedure is designed as an operating guideline that will enhance the safety of an emergency incident, if members understand, accept, and utilize it.

Stay Safe !

Michael A. Terpak
Deputy Chief, City of Jersey City