Which action should be prioritized first during the initial incident size-up?

• A. Assess Scene Safety
• B. Determine Occupancy Type
• C. Identify Potential Hazards
• D. Request Additional Resources

Answer: (A)

Assessing scene safety first is essential because you can’t make informed, effective decisions about the incident until you know you and your crew won’t be put at immediate risk. In the first moments of size-up, you rapidly scan for dangers like unstable structures, active flames, hazardous materials, downed power lines, and chaotic conditions. Confirming a safe starting point lets you proceed with designing a plan, locating and assisting occupants, and deciding what hazards you’ll encounter, rather than rushing into danger and compounding problems.

Once the scene is deemed safe, you move on to gathering information about the occupancy to anticipate potential hazards and egress needs, and you identify hazards more comprehensively. You can also determine what resources are needed, but those steps depend on having a secure area to operate from. If the scene is unsafe, interior actions or hazard mitigation can’t be responsibly undertaken, so safety remains the priority and may require delaying other actions or performing outside-control measures until conditions improve.