What should the Incident Commander do after a MAYDAY declaration?

What should the Incident Commander do after a MAYDAY declaration?

• A. Notify B-4 dispatch of the MAYDAY situation.
• B. End the radio broadcast.
• C. Move to a safe area and monitor from there.
• D. Wait for a recovery team to arrive without notifying anyone.

Answer: (A)

When a MAYDAY is declared, the priority is to rapidly mobilize help and maintain clear command and accountability. The Incident Commander should immediately notify B-4 dispatch of the MAYDAY so the right resources—such as a Rapid Intervention Team, additional units, and appropriate communications—can be alerted and deployed. This keeps the incident coordinated, ensures a traceable record of the distress call, and allows the incident to be managed with proper support and PAR (personnel accountability) oversight. Ending the radio broadcast removes critical communications just when they’re needed most. Moving to a safe area and monitoring from there takes the IC away from command and slowdowns the responsive actions required to rescue the distressed crew. Waiting for a recovery team without notifying anyone delays the response and bypasses established protocols for rapid intervention and resource deployment.

When a MAYDAY is declared, the priority is to rapidly mobilize help and maintain clear command and accountability. The Incident Commander should immediately notify B-4 dispatch of the MAYDAY so the right resources—such as a Rapid Intervention Team, additional units, and appropriate communications—can be alerted and deployed. This keeps the incident coordinated, ensures a traceable record of the distress call, and allows the incident to be managed with proper support and PAR (personnel accountability) oversight.

Ending the radio broadcast removes critical communications just when they’re needed most. Moving to a safe area and monitoring from there takes the IC away from command and slowdowns the responsive actions required to rescue the distressed crew. Waiting for a recovery team without notifying anyone delays the response and bypasses established protocols for rapid intervention and resource deployment.