What steps should be taken immediately after a firefighter calls Mayday?

What steps should be taken immediately after a firefighter calls Mayday?

• A. Silence radios and continue working silently.
• B. Switch to rapid intervention, activate PASS, request immediate rescue, and notify incident command.
• C. Wait for the incident commander to order a rescue.
• D. Move to a different radio channel and delay.

Answer: (B)

When a firefighter calls Mayday, the priority is a rapid, coordinated rescue. The immediate actions are to switch to rapid intervention, activate your PASS, request immediate rescue, and notify incident command. Switching to rapid intervention ensures a dedicated team is ready to locate and extricate the firefighter and to coordinate the rescue separate from ongoing operations. Activating the PASS helps responders locate the wearer, especially in smoke or zero visibility. Asking for an immediate rescue mobilizes the needed resources without delay, and informing incident command keeps the entire incident aware of the situation, so resources can be reallocated and accountability maintained. Delaying or altering this sequence—silencing radios, waiting for orders, or switching channels—can waste critical time and hinder the rescue when every second counts.

When a firefighter calls Mayday, the priority is a rapid, coordinated rescue. The immediate actions are to switch to rapid intervention, activate your PASS, request immediate rescue, and notify incident command. Switching to rapid intervention ensures a dedicated team is ready to locate and extricate the firefighter and to coordinate the rescue separate from ongoing operations. Activating the PASS helps responders locate the wearer, especially in smoke or zero visibility. Asking for an immediate rescue mobilizes the needed resources without delay, and informing incident command keeps the entire incident aware of the situation, so resources can be reallocated and accountability maintained. Delaying or altering this sequence—silencing radios, waiting for orders, or switching channels—can waste critical time and hinder the rescue when every second counts.