Mayday Rescue Challenge – What is that?

This is a training-oriented competition focusing on mayday / firefighter emergencies. The competitive setting introduces time pressure. Teams must handle three challenging operational scenarios. Each team consists of either a 2-person or a 4-person crew. Test areas allow participants and visitors to try unfamiliar or new equipment/tactics.

Exhibition Area

The stand covers approx. 300 m² and includes:

• the 3 stations: Hoarder Apartment, Obstacle Course & Fall/Drop
• staging area with various equipment
• test zone: forcible entry, establishing emergency air supply, rescue tools, stair rescue (floor change)
• after-action review area
• breathing apparatus glossary

Breathing Apparatus / PPE

Per team (2- or 4-person crew), each participant must bring either two SCBA units or one unit plus a spare cylinder, including facepiece and personal protective equipment.

Applicable standards:

• firefighting boots according to DIN EN 15090
• protective jacket and trousers according to DIN EN 469 (e.g., Nomex, PBI …)
• protective gloves according to DIN EN 659
• fire helmet according to EN 443
• full-face mask and self-contained breathing apparatus according to EN 136 and EN 137
• flame protection hood to EN 13911:2017

Or comparable national regulations; in case of doubt, the instructor’s decision applies.

Registration

You can secure a starting slot in advance. In some cases, spontaneous participation at our stand will be possible, but there is no entitlement to it.

Walk-Up Trials

Knee pads, gloves and a zero-visibility safety goggle are available to borrow so you can try the stations yourself during open time slots.

Scientific Evaluation

External assistants accompany the stations with questionnaires to gather insights on procedures, equipment, tactics and challenges.

Scoring

Scoring is based on professional criteria (e.g., patient harm, violations of safety regulations). Each station is debriefed and evaluated together with the crew and the responsible instructors.

Stations

Station 1 – Mayday in a Hoarder Apartment

Fire in a multi-family dwelling, no life hazard reported. The attack crew of the first engine advances through a heavily cluttered 2-room ground-floor apartment under limited visibility. Under high physical strain, the crew leader collapses. The firefighter cannot transmit a radio message nor self-rescue the partner, exits alone and declares a MAYDAY.

Assignment to the RIT: “MAYDAY situation: you become RIT for Engine 01. Rescue the crew leader, establish emergency air supply, patient-oriented removal. Proceed using C-hose, RIT bag, suitable rescue tools, forcible entry and SCBA along the attack crew’s hose line!”

Your task: Rescue the collapsed crew leader. Under zero visibility: advance with hose, forcible entry, establish safe air supply, perform a patient-oriented rescue.

Station 2 – Obstacle Course with Rescue

Ceiling collapse in the basement, one firefighter missing. Explosion with smoke in a multi-family dwelling; the crew was routed into the basement via the coal chute. A partial ceiling collapse occurs; the firefighter falls into a narrow storage cage and is unconscious. The partner cannot reach the radio, exits and declares MAYDAY.

Assignment to the RIT: “MAYDAY situation: you become RIT for Engine 01. Rapid rescue of the crew leader. With suitable rescue tools and SCBA into the basement via the coal chute, following the C-hose of the attack crew!”

Your task: Rapidly rescue the missing crew leader from the basement. Obstacles include level changes, collapsed beams, hanging cables, constrictions. Rescue follows the entry path. Scenario under normal visibility.

Station 3 – Fall/Drop

Fire involving a sewer-flushing truck; fall into an open manhole. The firefighter falls into the shaft and lies unconscious about 2 m down.

Assignment to the RIT: “MAYDAY situation: you become RIT for Engine 01. Rapid rescue of the downed firefighter. With suitable rescue tools and SCBA into the sewer via the manhole!”

Your task: Rapidly rescue the fallen firefighter. Since the sewer has not been gas-tested, work below street level requires SCBA; on street level, work may be performed without SCBA. Scenario under normal visibility.