What are the two primary objectives of post-fire overhaul?

• A. Remove all water.
• B. Check rekindle and determine cause while protecting salvageable property.
• C. Dismantle burned structures.
• D. Write an insurance report.

Answer: (B)

Post-fire overhaul centers on two main tasks: preventing another ignition and gathering information to understand how the fire started, while also protecting items that can be salvaged. First, preventing rekindle means the crew hunts for hidden embers and heat sources in concealed spaces, such as walls and insulation, and fully extinguishes them so the fire cannot flare up again. Second, determining the cause and protecting salvageable property involves starting the initial assessment of origin and contributing factors, while handling belongings that can be saved and minimizing additional damage.

Water removal, dismantling structures, or generating an insurance report aren’t the primary goals of overhaul. Water handling is part of broader incident management, dismantling is destructive and not the focus of this phase, and insurance documentation is handled separately by investigators and adjusters.