Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Mayday are you ready?

The question I ask you today is are you ready? Could you handle a mayday if one happened in your department today?

We get paid to be ready for everything, or at least that's what people expect. One problem we have is we can't be ready for everything. It is a challenge to keep our certifications up, conduct company level training, all while maintaining the fun of our job. Please watch the below video and make the theme of today making you and your crew Mayday Ready. Examine LUNAR, GRAB LIVES, and other Mayday related subjects.

There are numerous self survival presentations around so I won't duplicate any of those just yet.  I learned about the GRAB LIVES Mnemonic while taking the IAFF Fireground Survival Awareness class online.  Here is what it stands for:

G- Gauge -Examine your air
R- Radio- Call for help
A-Audible- Sound your PASS Device
B- Breathing-Control it

L- Low-Stay Low
I- Illuminate Turn on your light
V- Volume -Make Noise
E- Exit Find one
S- Shield Remove your regulator and Shield your airway (Last Resort)

Each of these elements are things that we should already know to do if we have an emergency inside of a burning building.   However, this mnemonic allows you to carry out these in a sequential sensible order.  Commit this to memory along with LUNAR to ensure you are mayday ready.  If you are an officer go over your department's Mayday and RIT policy so you can save your guys if there is an emergency. 

If you haven't taken the IAFF Fireground Survival Class online, shoot me an email, and I'll send you think link to it.  It is a worthwhile class put together by some great leaders in the American fire service.  Thanks for reading and sorry for the short post, but I'm a busy man this week and wanted to get you all something meaningful for this week. 

Below is a good video on the subject:




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