Training Turns into Mayday, Close Call – Ragan Underwood

Peter Matthews talks with Capt. Ragan Underwood from the St. George, LA, Fire Department about a close call he had during a training burn where he was caught the flow path and was trapped in the home when the incident commander radioed for crews to leave the structure. 

Underwood, a veteran instructor and member of the Insight Training cadre, was taking part in a live fire training at a home in Illinois when he sent crews out of the home and went to cool down the fire before exiting. The fire took off and he was caught in the fire and got disoriented and suffered from exposure to serious heat around his hood and SCBA facepiece.  

While he was trying to find his way out and could hear the RIT crew making progress toward his location, command pulled crews out of the house saying it was too far gone, leaving Underwood in the home as conditions worsened. At that moment, his life changed, and he reflects on what happened after that. 

Underwood shares how careful communications and breathing techniques can help calm a firefighter during a mayday, and what officers should know about this situation. He explains how this incident changed his approach to training and operations and what he shares with those back home and when he’s on the road teaching. 

Resources 

• FireFusion