When does the secondary search take place?

• A. During active fire growth
• B. Immediately after arrival
• C. After the fire is under control
• D. Before the fire starts

Answer: (C)

Secondary search is done after the fire has been brought under control, during the overhaul phase. Once conditions are safer and the immediate heat and flames are reduced, crews can conduct a thorough, systematic check of all areas—especially concealed spaces like walls, ceilings, and voids—to confirm no occupants remain and to detect any hidden pockets of fire that could rekindle. This timing allows a more complete search than what’s possible during active fire growth, and it follows the initial search that occurs upon arrival while suppression is still ongoing. Leaving the fire site before the fire is controlled would miss people or hidden fires; searching before the fire starts isn’t feasible, and searching immediately after arrival is typically part of the initial, rapid search rather than the thorough secondary check.