Search and rescue (SAR) Practice Exam
2026 Guide
1. What is the highest priority at a fire scene? Life safety
2. The purpose of operations is to locate victims. search
3. The purpose of operations is to physically remove rescue
an occupant or victim from a hazardous environment.
4. You arrive on an incident scene. The IC has made the Risk-benefit analysis
decision that search and rescue in an upstairs loca-
tion of the house will not happen because it already
flashed over. What analysis has the IC used to make
this decision?
5. It is critical that operations are coordinated with ventilation
search and rescue operations.
6. Read the following statements and determine which 2 is true, 1 and 3 are false.
are true and which are false.
1. Search and rescue are the only activities that hap-
pen when a company first arrives on the incident
scene.
2. Fire attack, along with search and rescue opera-
tions, may be conducted at the same time.
3. Forcible entry must be conducted for search and
rescue operations to work.
7. When you arrive on an incident scene, you are evalu- Number of occupants, lo-
ating critical factors of search and rescue operations cations, degree of risk to
for occupants. What occupant information is used to their lives, probability of
help make this evaluation? finding them, and ability
to evacuate themselves
8.
, Search and rescue (SAR) Practice Exam
2026 Guide
You arrive at a fire scene and there is no one around Type of occupancy;
to assist you in determining if there are occupants size, construction, and
in the structure. What observations can you make in arrangement of the build-
determining the likelihood of occupants? ing; time of day, and day
of the week
9. Firefighters should assume that a building is unoc- never
cupied.
10. Which of these options is true in regard to the priority 2 and 3 are true, 1 is false.
for search and rescue operations in multi-story build-
ings?
1. Search and rescue operations should begin on the
floor below the fire.
2. Search and rescue operations should be conducted
closest to the fire area.
3. Search and rescue operations should be conducted
in areas of the flow path.
11. Of the following groups, which is more likely to need Elderly
assistance to evacuate than the others?
12. You arrive on the incident scene and the incident com- You and the occupants
mander has requested your crew to make entry onto could be in the flow path.
the first floor of a residential structure. The fire is in
the B/C corner of the home and you are requested to
use the door on the A side. What danger could your
crew and the victims be placed in by going through
this location?
13. What tool could be valuable in determining search Preincident plan
locations, search operations, and rescue routes when
a victim is found?
2026 Guide
1. What is the highest priority at a fire scene? Life safety
2. The purpose of operations is to locate victims. search
3. The purpose of operations is to physically remove rescue
an occupant or victim from a hazardous environment.
4. You arrive on an incident scene. The IC has made the Risk-benefit analysis
decision that search and rescue in an upstairs loca-
tion of the house will not happen because it already
flashed over. What analysis has the IC used to make
this decision?
5. It is critical that operations are coordinated with ventilation
search and rescue operations.
6. Read the following statements and determine which 2 is true, 1 and 3 are false.
are true and which are false.
1. Search and rescue are the only activities that hap-
pen when a company first arrives on the incident
scene.
2. Fire attack, along with search and rescue opera-
tions, may be conducted at the same time.
3. Forcible entry must be conducted for search and
rescue operations to work.
7. When you arrive on an incident scene, you are evalu- Number of occupants, lo-
ating critical factors of search and rescue operations cations, degree of risk to
for occupants. What occupant information is used to their lives, probability of
help make this evaluation? finding them, and ability
to evacuate themselves
8.
, Search and rescue (SAR) Practice Exam
2026 Guide
You arrive at a fire scene and there is no one around Type of occupancy;
to assist you in determining if there are occupants size, construction, and
in the structure. What observations can you make in arrangement of the build-
determining the likelihood of occupants? ing; time of day, and day
of the week
9. Firefighters should assume that a building is unoc- never
cupied.
10. Which of these options is true in regard to the priority 2 and 3 are true, 1 is false.
for search and rescue operations in multi-story build-
ings?
1. Search and rescue operations should begin on the
floor below the fire.
2. Search and rescue operations should be conducted
closest to the fire area.
3. Search and rescue operations should be conducted
in areas of the flow path.
11. Of the following groups, which is more likely to need Elderly
assistance to evacuate than the others?
12. You arrive on the incident scene and the incident com- You and the occupants
mander has requested your crew to make entry onto could be in the flow path.
the first floor of a residential structure. The fire is in
the B/C corner of the home and you are requested to
use the door on the A side. What danger could your
crew and the victims be placed in by going through
this location?
13. What tool could be valuable in determining search Preincident plan
locations, search operations, and rescue routes when
a victim is found?
