THE 10 PHASES OF FIREGROUND OPERATIONS

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THE 10 PHASES OF FIREGROUND OPERATIONS
Fireground operations follow a structured sequence designed to prioritize life safety, stabilize the incident, and protect property.
These phases guide firefighters from arrival to termination, ensuring safe, coordinated, and effective operations.

1️⃣ Pre-Fire Planning
Fire departments gather critical information about structures, hazards, fire protection systems, access points, water supply, and occupancy.
Pre-incident planning improves response time, tactical decisions, and firefighter safety.

2️⃣ Size-Up (Scene Size-Up)
The Incident Commander conducts a continuous evaluation of:
 • Fire location and extent
 • Building construction
 • Life hazard and occupancy
 • Available resources
 • Weather and wind conditions
 • Risk vs. benefit (NFPA 1500)
Size-up determines the operational strategy: offensive, defensive, or transitional.

3️⃣ Rescue (Life Safety)
Life safety is the highest priority.
Rescue includes locating, removing, stabilizing, and protecting occupants from fire, smoke, and hazardous conditions. Primary and secondary search procedures are applied.

4️⃣ Exposure Protection
Firefighters protect nearby structures and materials threatened by radiant heat, convection, or flame spread. Exposure lines are deployed to prevent fire extension.

5️⃣ Confinement
The goal is to limit fire spread by controlling doors, cooling boundaries, and isolating fire areas.
Effective confinement reduces structural damage and improves conditions for attack teams.

6️⃣ Ventilation
Ventilation removes heat, smoke, and toxic gases to improve visibility, survivability, and fire suppression effectiveness.
Methods include:
 • Horizontal ventilation
 • Vertical ventilation
 • Mechanical / PPV
Ventilation must be coordinated with fire attack to prevent rapid fire growth.

7️⃣ Extinguishment
Firefighters apply direct, indirect, or combination streams to suppress the main body of fire.
Modern research emphasizes early water application and coordinated attack to reduce thermal energy and improve interior conditions.

8️⃣ Salvage
Salvage operations protect property from secondary damage caused by water, smoke, and suppression activities.

This includes covering contents, removing water, and securing utilities.

9️⃣ Overhaul
Overhaul ensures complete extinguishment and eliminates hidden hot spots.
Firefighters open void spaces, use TIC, and remove smoldering materials while preserving evidence for investigation.

🔟 Post-Fire Analysis / Critique
After the incident, crews review:
 • Tactics and strategy
 • Crew performance
 • Safety concerns
 • Equipment issues
 • Lessons learned
Post-incident critique strengthens training, readiness, and future operations.

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