Which of the following is the correct order of priorities when clearing a building?

• A. People, Open doors, Dead spaces
• B. Open doors, People, Dead spaces
• C. Dead spaces, Open doors, People
• D. People, Dead spaces, Open doors

Answer: (A)

When clearing a building, the main focus is safeguarding people first. The immediate goal is to locate and account for all occupants and move anyone in danger to safety. Once you’ve identified where people are and secured their safety, you open doors to improve visibility, control movement, and prevent surprises behind closed entrances. This step helps reveal rooms, reduces ambush risk, and allows teams to plan their follow-on actions with a clear map of the space. Only after occupants are accounted for and access is established do you sweep the remaining areas, including dead spaces like closets or crawl spaces, to make sure no one is hiding there. This order keeps rescuers and occupants safer and makes the overall search more thorough and organized.