East Fishkill Fire District
Mayday/Urgent Radio
Transmission Procedures
Emergency Radio Communications
• The following information is some of the most
important information to know when working
on a fire ground.
– These messages are not only for an interior
firefighter.
– You are our eyes and ears on a scene, you most
likely will see things we will not.
– Never be ashamed to call a “MAYDAY” or
“URGENT” if you think you might need to, you
probably already should have.
Emergency Radio Communications
• These transmissions are going to possibly save
your life or the life of a fellow firefighter. They
should not be taken lightly.
• If you hear a “MAYDAY” or “URGENT” you need
to stop using the radio and start listening and
watching what is going on. You may be able to
make a big difference on the outcome of the
emergency. Remember these are the most
important transmissions on the radio, we don’t
need to know that your pulling up to the scene
before we know what the “MAYDAY” is about.
Emergency Radio Communications
• Only to be used in situations where immediate
communication is necessary to protect life or
prevent injury.
• Whenever the terms “Mayday” or “Urgent”
are transmitted all radio communications on
that frequency are to cease, except those
between the member initiating the
emergency transmission and the IC.
Emergency Radio Communications
• Regular radio use my be resumed after the
completion of the emergency message and
IC’s acknowledgment unless IC orders
otherwise.
• Distress signal starts by repeating “Mayday” or
“Urgent” three times followed by the
remainder of the message.
Emergency Radio Communications
Note
• Anytime a building or area is evacuated,
companies shall account for all members in
preparation for a roll call by the Officer in
Command. Missing members are to be
reported immediately.
Emergency Radio Communications
Note
• “Mayday” transmissions have priority over
“Urgent” transmissions.
• To minimize misunderstanding, the
terminology used below is MANDATORY. All
members must be completely familiar with
the terminology and use it exclusively for its
intended purpose. No other wording is to be
used for emergency transmissions.
Emergency Radio Communications
Note Continued
The term “Collapse” is to be used to indicate
Structural Failure only.
• Incident Commander will require DC911 to
broadcast over all fire ground channels that a
MAYDAY has occurred. Also request pager
tones to be activated and an announcement
be made.
MAYDAY
• This transmission is an indication that a lifethreatening situation has developed. It may be
used only in the following situations:
– Imminent Collapse Feared
• A member becoming aware of the situation is to
immediately contact the IC “MAYDAY- MAYDAYMAYDAY” “FF/Officer Interior/Exterior to
Command Mayday”
• IC will respond in the following format “ Command to
FF/Officer Interior/Exterior , go ahead with your
MAYDAY”
MAYDAY
• The member with the emergency message will respond
in the following format “FF/Officer Interior/Exterior to
command, MAYDAY-COLLAPSE IMMINENT” The
member should also state the location of the imminent
collapse (I.E. rear wall, sidewall exposure 2 side, etc.)
and give their location.
• IC will then transmit “Command to all companies,
MAYDAY, GET OUT OF THE BUILDING, GET OUT OF THE
BUILDING” and repeat the message as often as
necessary. All members will immediately evacuate the
building on transmission of this message.
MAYDAY
• The Company Officer will immediately conduct a
Company/Sector roll call and account for all members.
• Upon MAYDAY transmission, all members are to report
back to the apparatus they arrived on or sector they
came from (I.E. Staging area, First due Engine)
MAYDAY
• Structural Collapse has occurred
– A member who has become aware of the
condition is to immediately contact the IC
“MAYDAY- MAYDAY- MAYDAY” “FF/Officer
Interior/Exterior to Command Mayday”
– IC will respond in the following format “ Command
to FF/Officer Interior/Exterior , go ahead with
your MAYDAY”
MAYDAY
• The member with the emergency message will respond
in the following format “FF/Officer Interior/Exterior to
command, COLLAPSE HAS OCURRED” The member
should also state the location and extent of the
collapse, number and nature of injuries, and if anyone
is trapped.
• IC will immediately assign specific units to assist at the
location of the collapse and simultaneously have
Officer/Sector conduct a roll call and account for all
members.
MAYDAY
• In the event of an unconscious or injured
firefighter, the initial communications are the
same.
– FF/Officer giving the MAYDAY will respond in the
following format “FF/Officer to command, MAYDAYINJURED MEMBER” and provide the location,
company identity of the injured member, and the
extent of the injuries.
– IC will assign specific units (i.e. FAST) to assist with the
injured members as well as requesting an ALS
Ambulance to the scene.
MAYDAY
• In the event an officer becomes aware that a
member has become missing or a team
member notices there officer is missing.
– Initial communications are the same.
– Officer/FF will respond in the following format.
• “Officer/FF to command MAYDAY-MISSING MEMBER”
And provide the missing member’s assignment, (roof,
Interior/Exterior, etc.) Last known location, name of the
member, members assigned company and whether
member has a radio.
MAYDAY
• IC will assign specific units (i.e. Fast) to
conduct a search for the missing member and
simultaneously contact each company/Sector
on the scene by radio to attempt to locate the
missing member.
MAYDAY
• If a member gets trapped or lost the initial
communications are the same but they will have
to manually activate there PASS alarm.
– Member giving MAYDAY will respond “FF/Officer to
command, MAYDAY-MEMBER TRAPPED/LOST”,
Provides the number and identity of the members
involved, location if known, last recognizable
reference point if location is unknown.(ex. Basement
near the furnace) and any imminent conditions that
might affect the trapped members(fire nearby low air)
MAYDAY
– IC will immediately assign specific units (i.e. FAST)
to locate the members involved as well as request
an ALS ambulance to the scene.
MAYDAY
• ****Any of those situations are MAYDAYS.
They are to serious and life threatening to be
considered URGENTS. ****
URGENT
• The procedure for an URGENT message is the
same as the procedure for a MAYDAY.
– The words MAYDAY are replaced with URGENT in
the transmission.
– “URGENT-URGENT-URGENT” “FF/Officer
Interior/Exterior to command URGENT”
– “Command to FF/Officer Interior/Exterior, go
ahead with your urgent.”
– Communications will continue from there.
URGENT
• If a member suffers a non life threatening injury
that would be an URGENT.
• Member would respond to command “FF/Officer
Interior/Exterior to command, URGENT- INJURED
MEMBER” provide the location, company identity
of the injured member and the nature and extent
of the injury.
• IC will assign specific units (i.e. Fast) to assist
injured members, as well as medical attention for
the member
URGENT
• If an interior attack is to be discontinued and an
exterior attack instituted.
– IC will transmit a message as follows “URGENT-URGENTURGENT” “command to all companies URGENT-ALL
COMPANIES- URGENT, BACK OUT, BACK OUT” on
transmission of this message all members will withdraw
from the building.
– Upon transmission of this message IC will contact
Operations officer to confirm the message was received
– IC will require company officers to conduct a roll call of all
companies/sectors and account for ALL members.
URGENT
• If there is a structural problem indicating a
danger of collapse
– The member who discovered the problem would
call issuing the urgent then once acknowledged
• “FF/Officer Interior/Exterior, URGENT – COLLAPSE
FEARED” provide the location and conditions
discovered.
• Operations Officer/IC will determine required actions.
URGENT
• If there is a loss of water, which would endanger
members.
– Pump Operator would communicate urgent and
inform as follows. “Engine#, Driver/Pump Op. to
command, URGENT – WATER LOSS”, state the problem
and identify the units whose lines are affected.
• The IC contacts by radio, all units affected as well
as units operating above the units affected to
insure they know about the problem.
RADIO CONTROL
• The IC may wish to gain control of the Fire
Ground Channels in order to alert all units a
“MAYDAY” or “URGENT” has been received
• Also may wish to request radio silence except
for those units operating with the “MAYDAY”
or “URGENT”
MISSED TRANSMISSIONS
• Sometimes the IC does not hear the “MAYDAY” or
“URGENT” signals. In order to ensure that the IC
receives these signals the following must be
done:
• If you are calling a “MAYDAY” or “URGENT”
repeat it until IC or an officer acknowledges it.
• Any officer hearing a “MAYDAY” or “URGENT”
signal that does not get acknowledged by IC
must:
– Acknowledge and obtain all information for the
“MAYDAY” or “URGENT”
– Relay all information to the IC.
PRACTICE SCENARIOS
• You are searching the second floor of a
residential structure and you notice that a
member of your team who has gone missing.
• What actions do you take up to and including
your message to command?
PRACTICE SCENARIOS
• You are footing a ladder on the outside of the
structure and you notice the outside wall is
starting to bow out.
• What actions do you take up to and including
your message to command?
PRACTICE SCENARIOS
• You are on an interior attack and you feel the
floor starting to get spongy underneath you as
you crawl.
• What actions do you take up to and including
your message to command?
PRACTICE SCENARIOS
• You are advancing a line from the first floor to
the second floor and the stairway collapses
underneath you sending you into the
basement.
• What actions do you take up to and including
your message to command?
PRACTICE SCENARIOS
• You are running the pump of the attack engine
and you lose the water being fed to you and
only have the water in your booster tank.
• What actions do you take up to and including
your message to command?
PRACTICE SCENARIOS
• You are on the ground helping with exterior
operations when you observe the firefighters
working on the roof fall through the roof.
• What actions do you take up to and including
your message to command?
PRACTICE SCENARIOS
• You are the IC and you observe that someone
is not answering your radio transmissions
while they are inside performing an interior
attack.
• As IC what actions will you take and what will
you say?