1. Managing a Firefighter Down
With Fire Emergency Training Consultation Services

2. Managing a Firefighter Down
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Managing a Firefighter Down

3. Managing a Firefighter Down
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Managing a Firefighter Down

4. Managing a Firefighter Down
Accompanying Video
This PowerPoint presentation accompanies the video presentation of the same title.
Managing a Firefighter Down

5. Presenter – William Greenwood
24 Year Fire Service Veteran
Assistant Fire Chief of Training
Senior Staff Instructor – NHFA
Fire Emergency Training Consultation Services
Fire Engineering, Fire Rescue – author
Tap the Box in Fire Engineering Radio - Host
Managing a Firefighter Down

6. Managing a Firefighter Down
Department Readiness
Policies on Emergency Traffic, Accountability & PAR’s
Do you have assigned RIT / RIC / FAST / Safety Engine?
Do you know when your firefighters will call a Mayday?
Proactive RIT Readiness
directly relates to Firefighter
Safety.
Managing a Firefighter Down

7. Staffing the Rapid Intervention Team
Is this a challenge in our budgetary times?
What is sufficient manpower for a Rapid Intervention Crew?
Managing a Firefighter Down

8. Incident Command Post Resources
Managing a Firefighter Down

9. MAYDAY MANAGEMENT FOR INCIDENT COMMAND
Acknowledge the reported MAYDAY
Control your Radio Frequency
Obtain all of the “L-U-N-A-R” information
Commit / Deploy the assigned RIT #1
Expand the ICS; use RIT Rescue Branch
Notify dispatch of an active MAYDAY
Place the FIRE on Alternate Tac Frequency
Request additional Alarm Assignment
Fire Command obtains Fire Operations – PAR
Establish teams RIT #2 and RIT #3
Support the MAYDAY Operations
Announce the end of the MAYDAY
Managing a Firefighter Down

10. MAYDAY MANAGEMENT FOR INCIDENT COMMAND
Acknowledge the reported MAYDAY
What are you using for a Command Post?
How about the environment Command is exposed to?
Do we need to isolate ourselves from the incident more?
MAYDAY radio transmissions can get missed or lost.
Managing a Firefighter Down

11. MAYDAY MANAGEMENT FOR INCIDENT COMMAND
Acknowledge the reported MAYDAY
Control your Radio Frequency
After acknowledging the reported MAYDAY, shut down all
NON-EMERGENCY RADIO TRAFFIC.
Command can be easily overrun by the escalating incident.
Managing a Firefighter Down

12. MAYDAY MANAGEMENT FOR INCIDENT COMMAND
Acknowledge the reported MAYDAY
Control your Radio Frequency
Obtain the “LUNAR” information
Location or Last Known Location
Unit # or Designation #
Name of firefighter
Assignment on Fire Ground
Resources Needed
Managing a Firefighter Down

13. MAYDAY MANAGEMENT FOR INCIDENT COMMAND
Acknowledge the reported MAYDAY
Control your Radio Frequency
Obtain the “LUNAR” information
Commit / Deploy the assigned RIT #1
MAYDAY doesn’t mean it is time to locate my equipment.
Command is responsible for overall operations of the incident.
RIT should have their tools staged in close proximity of the entry point.
RIT should report to the Incident Commander when their team is ready.
RIT should size up the incident and provide feedback to the IC.
Managing a Firefighter Down

14. MAYDAY MANAGEMENT FOR INCIDENT COMMAND
Acknowledge the reported MAYDAY
Control your Radio Frequency
Obtain the “LUNAR” information
Commit /deploy the assigned RIT #1
Expand the ICS; use RIT Rescue Branch
If you are running a good fire and a MAYDAY occurs, your span of control can be easily overwhelmed. Front load your Command Staff before the MAYDAY occurs.
Managing a Firefighter Down

15. Fireground ICS Flow Chart
Command & Control
Fireground ICS Flow Chart
Span of Control
Fire Operations
May Day Operations
Managing a Firefighter Down

16. Managing a Firefighter Down

17. Managing a Firefighter Down

18. Managing the Mayday
Can one Incident Commander handle a Mayday and the Fire?
How can we front load our Command Post?
What positions need to be filled to create a Command Staff?
CRM – Crew Resource Management – Model
Airline Model – During an in-flight aircraft emergency.
Managing a Firefighter Down

19. Managing a Firefighter Down
5 Main Factors of CRM
Communications – speaking directly with respect and responsibility. (TIS)
Sender Message Medium Receiver Feedback
Situational Awareness – perception, observation and stress on personnel.
Dynamics and require full attention to detail.
Decision Making – Risk/Benefit is made from incoming information
Too little – Too Much and effects
Teamwork – failure to work as a team is eventually doomed to fail.
Good training focuses on leadership-followership model.
Barriers – any factor that inhibit the first four. Can be external (physical)
or (internal ) such as prejudice, opinions, attitudes, and stress.
Managing a Firefighter Down

20. Managing a Firefighter Down
AVOID THE PROBLEM
TRAP THE ACT(s)
MITIGATE
CRM – Model R.P.D.M.
Managing a Firefighter Down

21. MAYDAY MANAGEMENT FOR INCIDENT COMMAND
Acknowledge the reported MAYDAY
Control your Radio Frequency
Obtain the “LUNAR” information
Commit / deploy the assigned RIT #1
Expand the ICS; use RIT Rescue Branch
Notify dispatch of an active MAYDAY
Managing a Firefighter Down

22. MAYDAY MANAGEMENT FOR INCIDENT COMMAND
Acknowledge the reported MAYDAY
Control your Radio Frequency
Obtain the “LUNAR” information
Commit /deploy the assigned RIT #1
Expand the ICS; use RIT Ops Supervisor
Notify dispatch of an active MAYDAY
Managing a Firefighter Down

23. MAYDAY MANAGEMENT FOR INCIDENT COMMAND
Acknowledge the reported MAYDAY
Control your Radio Frequency
Obtain the “LUNAR” information
Commit / deploy the assigned RIT #1
Expand the ICS; use RIT Rescue Branch
Notify dispatch of an active MAYDAY
Place the FIRE on an Alternate Tac Frequency
MAYDAY Operations should stay on the fire ground frequency.
MOVE the remaining fire operation to another TAC frequency.
Managing a Firefighter Down

24. MAYDAY MANAGEMENT FOR INCIDENT COMMAND
Acknowledge the reported MAYDAY
Control your Radio Frequency
Obtain the “LUNAR” information
Commit / deploy the assigned RIT #1
Expand the ICS; use RIT Rescue Branch
Notify dispatch of an active MAYDAY
Place the fire on an Alternate Frequency
Request an Additional Alarm Assignment
Managing a Firefighter Down

25. MAYDAY MANAGEMENT FOR INCIDENT COMMAND
Acknowledge the reported MAYDAY
Control your Radio Frequency
Obtain the “LUNAR” information
Commit / deploy the assigned RIT #1
Expand the ICS; use RIT Rescue Branch
Notify dispatch of an MAYDAY
Place the fire on Alternate Tac Frequency
Request an additional Alarm Assignment
Fire Command obtains Fire Operations – PAR
Managing a Firefighter Down

26. MAYDAY MANAGEMENT FOR INCIDENT COMMAND
Acknowledge the reported MAYDAY
Control your Radio Frequency
Obtain the “LUNAR” information
Commit / deploy the assigned RIT #1
Expand the ICS; use RIT Ops Supervisor
Notify dispatch of an active MAYDAY
Place the fire on an Alternate Frequency
Request an Additional Alarm Assignment
Fire Command obtains Fire Operations – PAR
Managing a Firefighter Down

27. MAYDAY MANAGEMENT FOR INCIDENT COMMAND
Acknowledge the reported MAYDAY
Control your Radio Frequency
Obtain the “LUNAR” information
Commit / deploy the assigned RIT #1
Expand the ICS; use RIT Rescue Branch
Notify dispatch of an MAYDAY
Place the fire on Alternate Tac Frequency
Request an additional Alarm Assignment
Fire Command obtains Fire Operations – PAR
Establish teams RIT # 2 and RIT # 3
Managing a Firefighter Down

28. MAYDAY MANAGEMENT FOR INCIDENT COMMAND
Acknowledge the reported MAYDAY
Control your Radio Frequency
Obtain the “LUNAR” information
Commit / deploy the assigned RIT #1
Expand the ICS; use RIT Rescue Branch
Notify dispatch of an active MAYDAY
Place the fire on Alternate Tac Frequency
Request an Additional Alarm Assignment
Fire Command obtains Fire Operations – PAR
Establish teams RIT #2 and RIT #3
Support the MAYDAY Operation
Managing a Firefighter Down

29. MAYDAY MANAGEMENT FOR INCIDENT COMMAND
Acknowledge the reported MAYDAY
Control your Radio Frequency
Obtain the “LUNAR” information
Commit /deploy the assigned RIT #1
Expand the ICS; use RIT Rescue Branch
Notify dispatch of an active MAYDAY
Place the fire on Alternate Tac Frequency
Request an Additional Alarm Assignment
Fire Command obtains Fire Operations – PAR
Establish teams RIT #2 and RIT #3
Support the MAYDAY Operation
Announce the end of the MAYDAY
Managing a Firefighter Down

30. MAYDAY MANAGEMENT FOR INCIDENT COMMAND
The initiation or transmission of a firefighter distress signal produces
more stress and potential chaos then any other singular type of
incident we may encounter throughout our careers.
1. DEVELOP MAYDAY PROCEDURES
2. TRAIN EVERYONE ON THEM!
3. IMPLEMENT THE ACTION PLAN
Thanks for your attention today and please be safe…
Fire Emergency Training Consultation Services
William Greenwood
fetcservices.com
Managing a Firefighter Down