Teaching LUNAR
One of the basic concepts in firefighting is calling a MAYDAY using the LUNAR acronym. So important that many departments drill several times a year using the concept either as a stand-alone or incorporated into other drills. But how is it being taught? As a company officer are you teaching all five parts of LUNAR or just a couple of the letters? When you break down the acronym, what are really the most important parts? Arguably that would be who you are, your location and what you need.
Does a firefighter calling a MAYDAY really have to say what their assignment was and what apparatus they came in on? Focusing on the most important aspects is certainly a legitimate way to instruct LUNAR - just cut to the chase and make sure everyone knows the basics because in a life and death situation the firefighter calling that MAYDAY is going to be experiencing fear and anxiety and may only stammer out parts anyway.
Seriously, the firefighter that is calling a MAYDAY isn’t really going to care if they were primary or secondary search, they just want to get out of there to live another day. That said, as a former high school science teacher and now a NYS SFI, I can tell you the problem with teaching only part of a given concept is the fact that students will only take away an even smaller fraction of what you are teaching them.
If there are five parts to LUNAR and you only teach the three you deem most important then likely the students will only recall one when it becomes necessary. But if you teach all five then emphasize the three most important parts then it is likely that your students (most likely just blackhats) are going to recall those three most important parts.
Teaching all five parts has other advantages. Even as a blackhat you may find yourself in the position of an IC and thus on the receiving end of a MAYDAY. I would venture to say that most LUNAR/MAYDAY lessons are taught from the perspective of the trapped firefighter and rarely about what to do and say if you are on the receiving end. If that ever does happen, after securing assistance one of the most important things you can do is keep that trapped firefighter calm. How do you do that? By TALKING to them - even if they stop or can’t respond!
Now the question is what do you talk about? Well, conveniently, the script is already provided with LUNAR. You have five things to talk about. Hopefully, the trapped firefighter gave you two or three parts that you can repeat back. Then, use the other parts to calm them down. Especially if they are low on air, facing a grim situation where talking them off the ledge (literally and figuratively) will help get their breathing under control, thinking straight and situationally aware.
When teaching LUNAR remember to take into account different perspectives. From the point of view of the person calling the MAYDAY it is acceptable (although not ideal) to teach and focus the lesson on only the most important aspects taking into account the inevitable fear and anxiety that will accompany a downed firefighter. But, also take into account that LUNAR should be taught in its entirety from the perspective of being on the receiving end of that same MAYDAY and using it for that unwritten SOP of keeping a firefighter calm when their life hangs in the balance.
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