Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!

Calling the Mayday: Hands-On Training for Firefighters. This is a DVD hand-off training course provided by the US Fire Administration: National Fire Academy. It requires the local authority having jurisdiction, i.e., Training Chief, Fire Chief, State Training Director, State Fire Instructor, to certify that the students have met the psychomotor skills requirement to call a Mayday over their radio system.The firefighters must demonstrate the ability to call Mayday under various emergency situations a firefighter may find himself/herself in. The minimum:

• being trapped or lost in a room
• having something collapse on him/her such as a ceiling
• being stuck or caught on something such as wires
• falling through a floor or roof

These conditions must be simulated using props with the firefighter in full PPE, SCBA, and portable radio in a blacked-out face mask. The firefighter must send the Mayday call using whatever method is authorized by the authority having jurisdiction. The Mayday call must be received over the radio system, then firefighter's information must be repeated correctly and acknowledged by the firefighter.

Audio of a Mayday Transmission

Trapped in a collapse, simulated by a tensioned tarp drop from above.

Through the floor, simmulated by using an old door and some shoring.

Click here for more information on this course.