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This is a short podcast discussing some basics of calling the Mayday. In this episode we discuss the shift from using LUNAR to the three W’s.

Who are you?
What happened to you?
Where are you?
With those three questions, as a firefighter we can provide pertinent information and not have to try to remember a long acronym.

We also discuss the importance of radio discipline and keeping units and companies that were operating when the Mayday was called to stay on the tactical channel. This allows crews operating on the scene to hear and know the Mayday is called and to maybe effect the rescue of the downed firefighter well before a RIT is deployed.

Of course this is dependent on several factors and your SOG’s.

Command needs to be controlling the scene and getting extra help early during a Mayday. It is the responsibility of the IC to ask additional questions of the downed firefighter and to start adding additional division supervisors to direct operations to assist in reducing radio traffic.

Here are some links to recent events that involved Maydays FDIC 2016

Virginia Firefighter Bailout

Milwaukee Bailout at Apartment Fire

Firefighter Bailout in China

Hamilton, OH Mayday Audio-LODD