What does a "secondary attack" in fire suppression refer to?

A "secondary attack" in fire suppression pertains to the efforts employed after the initial cooling and containment of the fire have been established. This phase typically involves more aggressive tactics to fully extinguish the fire by applying additional water or fire suppression agents to remove remaining heat or hotspots, ensuring that the fire is completely subdued and minimizing the risk of re-ignition.

The focus of a secondary attack is on reinforcing the initial efforts by targeting the areas that may still pose a threat due to residual heat or unburned materials. This is critical because, in fire suppression, simply cooling a fire does not guarantee that it is extinguished; thorough follow-up actions are necessary to ensure safety and effectiveness in fire management.

Other options relate to different aspects of fire operations. The initial efforts to contain the fire refer specifically to the first actions taken to encircle the fire and prevent its spread, while evacuation procedures focus on ensuring the safety of individuals near the incident. Directing traffic is an important operation for managing emergency scene safety but is not intrinsically related to the process of extinguishing the fire itself.