FGS - Chapter 2 Flashcards
Personal Safety Equipment
NFPA 1500, Standard on Health and Safety Program:
• Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)
– FF’s Mayday ready when able to don, doff, manipulate SCBA in zero visibility with gloved hands.
• Personal Alert Safety System (PASS)
– FF’s able to activate/deactivate PASS using gloved hands.
– Necessary so communications can be heard on radio.
Flashlight:
• Not listed within an NFPA standard.
• Due to smoke shutting out light, flashlight should be turned on even during the day.
• Hands free = most versatile.
Mayday Readiness Requirements (3 R’s)
- Requires a Team
- Requires Safety Equipment
- Requires Training
Portable Radio System Design (PEC/LF)
• Accessibility to Fire Fighter when using gloved hands:
– Push to talk (PTT).
– Emergency Alert/Identification Button (EAB/EIB).
– Change channels.
Lapel microphone with all buttons/functions.
First/last channels monitored by Dispatch.
NFPA 1971, Standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting:
(Gear)
- Helmet
- Protective hood
- Protective coat and trousers
- Gloves
- Boots
Training for the Mayday
- Mayday skills perishable.
* Train to be EXPERT.
IAFF and IAFC Personal Radio Position
Position of IAFF/IAFC that every FF on fire ground be equipped with a portable radio/two-way communications device, preferably with attached lapel microphone. Having portable radio allows each FF to report/be notified of hazardous conditions/emergencies such as a missing/injured FF or potential/impending structural collapse.
Mayday Experiment
- 160 fire fighter participants.
- Simulated shopping center fire with a Mayday.
Results:
- Attempted radio contact 52%
- Activated PASS 38%
- Search for Exit 82%
- Noise with tool 8%
- Signal with flashlight 3%
- Follow hoseline 9%
- E-trigger activation 4%
- Initiated breathing techniques 1%
- Lost PPE 1%
- Lost radio <1%
- Covered PASS to listen <1%
- Passed over hoseline <3%
- Removed glove(s) 15%
- Exited building to safety <4%
A Mayday involves all personnel assigned to an incident, and all must know their roles as well as the roles of the others on the fire ground:
(FCCDIE)
- FF’s
- Company officer
- Chief officer
- Dispatcher
- IC
- EMS personnel
Accountability System
- 2008 NFPA 1561 requires an accountability system established on every incident.
- When a fire fighter is in distress, IC must identify name, assignment and location.
- System necessary so PAR can be completed.
Mayday Drills (FCCAD)
Mayday drills to include: • All fire ground personnel – Fire fighters – Company Officers – Chief Officers – Apparatus operators – Dispatchers
- Exercising all facets of a Mayday during drill will help personnel create mental images.
- Mental images help recall information during actual incident.
Mayday Term
• Universally accepted by:
– National Incident Management System (NIMS)
– NFPA 1561
– FIRESCOPE ICS-910
– National Search and Rescue Committee (NRSC)
• Why MAYDAY?
– Most fire fighters (75% of 14,000 polled) state they
would use “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday”.
– Easy to hear over radio.
– Easily remembered by a fire fighter in distress.
– Easy to pronounce, regardless of language or accent.
Communication
Possible setups: Mayday call is sent via -
• Dispatch frequency to both the IC and Dispatch.
• Tactical frequency to IC, who notifies Dispatch.
Role of Dispatch (ACBEAR)
• Automated Mayday response: – Additional alarm - engines, trucks, rescues. – More Chiefs needed to augment Command. • Can notify all incident personnel of Mayday. • Back-up staffing plan. • Equipped with emergency traffic tone. • Able to receive portable radio communications from all locations of service area. • Radio communications recorded.
Additional Recommended Equipment (RTHHSWL)
• Rescue Ropes/Bail Out System
– For above ground emergency egress.
– Rope systems should meet NFPA 1983, Standard on Life Safety Rope and Equipment for Emergency Services.
• Thermal Imaging Camera (TIC)
– Useful for locating victims in smoke filled spaces.
– Insulative properties of select building materials may prevent TIC from reading temperatures inside walls, floors and ceilings.
• Hand Tools
– Short handled axes carried around the waist can prove useful in breaching a wall.
– Other hand tools can be used to create noise to get the attention of rescuers.
• Hose Lines:
− Deployed to protect fire fighters and to extinguish the fire.
− In place on lower level when operating above the fire.
− Should be viewed as a cooling device for fire fighters.
− Is a lifeline - it connects the fire fighter to safe area outside.
• Search Lines
– Search lines keep fire fighters connected to a point of egress.
– The search line must be anchored to a fixed point that leads directly to a safe egress.
• Wire Cutters
– Used to cut wire creating an entanglement hazard.
– Large enough to cut multiple wires.
– Stored in turnout for easy access – side of dominant hand. Attach tether to make it easier to grab.
• Ladders
– Ladder upper floor egress points where fire fighters working.
– Ladder angle determined by type of ladder used and upper floor egress technique.
Radio Discipline
- Face to face when possible.
* Limit communications so frequency remains open so Emergency Traffic messages and Maydays can be communicated.
