Tactical priorities identify the three separate tactical functions that must be completed in order to stabilize any fire situation - these
priorities also establish the order in which these basic fireground function must be preformed.

These functions should be regarded as separate, yet interrelated, activities which must be dealt with in order. Command cannot

Proceed on to the next priority until the current function objective has been completed.

Basic tactical priorities are as follows:

     1 - Rescue
     2 - Fire Control
     3 - Property Conservation

Rescue - the activities required to protect occupants, remove those who are threatened and to provide treatment for the injured.

Fire Control - the activities required to stop the forward progress of the fire and to bring the fire under control.

Property Conservation - the activities required to stop or reduce additional loss to property.

The objective of each priority are reflected in the following bench marks of completion:

     1 - Rescue - Primary Search (all clear)
     2 - Fire Control - Under Control
     3 - Property Conservation - Loss Stopped

All three tactical priorities require somewhat different tactical approaches from both a command and an operational standpoint.

While command must satisfy the objective of each function in its priority order, he must, in many cases, overlap and "mix" the
activities of each to achieve the current bench mark. Notable examples are the frequent need to achieve interior tenability with
active/extensive fire control efforts before getting on with primary search, or the need to initiate salvage operations while active fire
control efforts are being extended.