Mayday. Mayday.
When heard on the fireground, these two words bring a rapid response. The post-rescue question is how did they tread so far into the situation that they became part of the problem?
Firefighters in the heat of the battle often get feelings of superiority, believing that things are not that bad and the gear, training and experience will keep them out of trouble. The reality is that mayday situations arise because of a lack of situational awareness and over confidence.
Situational awareness is simply the ability to observe the surroundings and make a detailed assessment of the situation. For optimum safety, firefighters and incident commanders must use observation and assessment to engage their brains before engaging their feet.
Firefighters are often in a hurry when first arriving on the scene. Yet those first few minutes on a scene is the best opportunity to make rational, not emotional, decisions. What would be the difference in the outcome if we took an extra 15 seconds to observe, assess, plan and deploy?
Taking an extra 15 seconds during the size-up phase may make a huge difference in the outcome. Because officers have a more complete picture of the situation before deploying firefighters into a hostile environment, lives will not be risked as haphazardly.