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•No emergency rescue plan

•No training

•Poor size-up

•Improper strategic and

tactical decisions

•Bad judgment

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•Not using your safety equipment

•Untrained and non experienced

firefighters

•Not recognizing deteriorating conditions

•Untrained and non experienced Officers

•Loss of water supply

Freelancing

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•Rapid fire increase
•Flashover
•Backdraft
•Lost firefighter
•Explosion
•Collapse
•Firefighter Medical Emergencies
•Loss of Water Supply

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•I’ve thought this through in my mind!

•What could possibly go wrong?

•I know what I’m doing!

•Done this hundreds of times!

•I’m a trained professional!

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 Internationally recognized

 Common radio language

 Used by all emergency

services
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“MAYDAY “ “MAYDAY “
“MAYDAY”

1. 3 distinct calls to ensure you get the I/C’s

attention, or someone else that can notify the IC.
2. Call it early - Cancel if you no longer need help.
3. Better to get help on the way early, than not have
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Poor Communications - too much Radio Traffic

Too much pride (I can get out of this myself)

Too overconfident (I can get out of this myself)

Denial - don’t need help, (I can get out of this myself)

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•You or your partner fall through
•Low or no air
•Building or part of the building Collapsing
•Your or your partner become trapped
•You or your partner become lost

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• You are lost, disorientated and you can’t find
your exit quickly

• You become tangled, trapped or locked in, and

can not free yourself quickly

• You or your partner fall through a floor or roof

• The fire will not allow you to exit

• You or your partner are out of air or do not have

enough air to get out
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• DO NOT PANIC

• CONTROL YOUR BREATHING

• DISCUSS PROBLEM WITH PARTNER

• CALL A MAYDAY

• IDENTIFY PROBLEM TO COMMAND ON RADIO

• STAY WITH PARTNER

• SET OFF PASS ALARM

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• CONTROL PASS ALARM SO YOU CAN COMMUNICATE
ON THE RADIO

• TRY TO VERIFY WHERE YOU ARE IN THE BUILDING,

LISTEN FOR KNOWN SOUNDS LIKE AN OPERATING
PUMPER, THAT WILL GIVE YOU A BUILDING SECTOR
alpha, bravo, charlie, or delta

• TRY TO GET OUT IF YOU CAN

• FOLLOW YOUR HOSE LINE OR ROPE

• HELP RIT FIND YOU BY CALLING OUT, USING HAND

LIGHT, BANGING ON PIPES, ETC
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•TRY TO FIND A NATURAL OPENING (door, window)

•MAKE AN OPENING IF YOU CAN

•ASK THE OUTSIDE CREW TO HELP WITH THE OPENING

•YOU CAN EASILY BREACH MOST EXTERIOR WALLS IN

RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTIONS

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•Stay calm

•Obtain situation information

•Activate RIT (Rapid Intervention Team)

•Identify hazards to trapped firefighters (removing the hazards will

make the rescue much easier and faster)

•Assign a new IC to look after either the firefighter rescue or the

original emergency, you can’t do both

•Call a PAR (to ensure there are no other firefighters missing)

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•Follow your OG’s
•Practice, Practice, Practice!
•Take a Self Rescue and RIT course
•Practice, Practice, Practice!
•Look after your Partner he/she may save your life
•Train Like it is the real thing your life may depends on it
•Did I mention Practice, Practice, Practice!

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