Tulsa Firefighters Drill on Rescuing Their Own Crew Members in 'May Day' Training

Firefighters in Tulsa are practicing for one of the most dangerous scenarios in their line of work: a rescue in which the person in trouble is a fellow firefighter. The Tulsa Fire Department says its "May Day" training is meant to make sure crews can act fast when a colleague goes down.

The instruction is part of the department's regular curriculum. It shows firefighters how to quickly strip a colleague of protective gear and carry them to safety if that person becomes trapped, hurt or suffers a medical emergency during a fire.

Training Captain Jacob Younger said a range of events can abruptly put a crew member at risk. "There could be a number of different things that cause an issue that force us to have to pull one of our own out of the fire," he said. Younger listed equipment malfunctions outside crews' control, structural collapses, fire conditions that exceed what crews can handle, and medical emergencies.

Medical problems are a major focus. According to the department's estimate, one to two firefighters are treated for cardiac emergencies each month, which makes that kind of response a central piece of the training.

Younger said staying composed is essential even in the harshest conditions. "We are operating in a very hostile environment," he said. "Things happen that are out of our control, and they rely on us to be able to stay calm and still give them the help they need."

For Training Officer James O'Neal, the lessons are personal. In 2011, he suffered a medical emergency while fighting a fire. "I was in a situation where I couldn't breathe and ultimately had a cardiac event," O'Neal said. "I wasn't breathing. My heart stopped."

O'Neal credits the preparation of his fellow firefighters with keeping him alive. "If we wouldn't have done that training, I wouldn't be here talking to you today," he said. "Those guys were squared away, trained and got me out quick."

He recently helped demonstrate May Day techniques to a new class of firefighters, including how to rapidly remove protective gear from an injured colleague. Now in his 28th year with the Tulsa Fire Department, O'Neal said he hopes sharing his story underscores why crews need to be ready for emergencies involving one of their own.