Urgent and Mayday, when should they be used?

[Guest]

I'd like clarification on what constitutes a Mayday situation and an Urgent situation. I know Mayday is for imminent threats to life but I was wondering when you would call a Mayday and when you'd call Urgent. I'd also like a clarification of when an Urgent call should be made. Examples of situations and explanations of what qualifies those situations as Urgent or Mayday worthy would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[Jason762 2]

I'd like clarification on what constitutes a Mayday situation and an Urgent situation.  I know Mayday is for imminent threats to life but I was wondering when you would call a Mayday and when you'd call Urgent.  I'd also like a clarification of when an Urgent call should be made.  Examples of situations and explanations of what qualifies those situations as Urgent or Mayday worthy would be much appreciated.  Thanks.

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In my experience an urgent message is transmitted when a threat is looming or soon to take place. Examples are you signs of a possible structural collapse about to take place, fire conditions deteriorating, etc. A mayday would be used for an actual emergency in progress, low or out of air, the need to activate the RIT, lost or disoriented, FF down, cut off by fire extension, etc. It shoudl be stressed to never be afraid to call an urgent or mayday message. Many FF's lives may have been saved if they called a mayday earlier. Its not some macho BS to try and tough it out or handle the situation yourself. We are all there to help eachother out, don't be afraid to ask for it.

[Guest]

NYC uses the following guide for maydays: I Owe U My Total Life or

Imminent collapse,

Occurred collapse,

Unconscious firefighter,

Trapped firefighter,

Lost firefighter

Urgents for: Water Loss on firefloor, fire to an exposure, non life threatening firefighter injury..sorry I know there's more but I'm having a brain-fart...can't remember the memory aid...how ironic

[Guest ewsmith70]

I use HD-LIFE for remembering urgents

H- The incident commander gaining control of the HT channel

D- Going defensive

L- Loss of water

I- Injuries not covered with maydays

F- Collapse feared

E- Fire entering exposures

[tbendick 27]

MAYDAY TRANSMISSIONS TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER URGENT

When a mayday or urgent is transmitted, all H-T traffic ceases except for member transmitting and OIC

MAYDAY TRANSMISSIONS (I Owe U My Life)

Immediate Collapse

Occurred structural collapse

Unconscious member

Missing member

Lost or trapper member

MISSING MEMBER MAYDAY INFO

Last known location

Unit assignment if a detailed member

Name of member

Assignment of member

Radio Equipped?

MEMBER TRAPPED OR LOST

Number/identity of members involved

Location or last reference point

Imminent conditions which may impact trapped member

URGENT TRANSMISSIONS

Back out (interior attack discontinued)

Loss of Water ENDANGERING MEMBERS

Injury to member: non life threatening requiring medical attention

Fear of collapse

Exposure: fire entering

Feedback assisted rescue: one member place two radios together and keys mike to create feedback. All other switch channels during operation so that only the endanger members radio sounds the feedback

[IzzyEng4 427]

Urgent messages should be thouse that pose danges on a scene, to firefighting operations and to dangers to firefighters sure as structural stablility, live wires, water problems ect.

MAYDAY should be used when firefighters are IN DANGER. Examples would be if a firefighter goes down and needs to be rescued, fireifhgter is lost or assumed trapped with low air warining going off.

Most of the same view I have are posted prior to me. There are too many times where Urgent and MadDay are used wrong. We need to have an "accross the board" standard meaning for all departments, especially for mutual aid operations.