What is the primary consideration while conducting salvage and overhaul?

The primary consideration while conducting salvage and overhaul is preserving evidence of fire cause. This is critical because understanding the origin and cause of a fire can have significant implications for both legal and insurance matters. Investigators rely on physical evidence from the scene to determine how the fire started and progressed. If evidence is lost or destroyed during salvage and overhaul operations, it can complicate investigations and lead to unanswered questions regarding liability and responsibility for the fire.

Effective salvage and overhaul practices should focus on safely managing the scene without compromising crucial details that may be used later for analysis. While other aspects, such as clearing debris or using water carefully, are certainly important during these operations, they do not hold the same priority as preserving fire scene evidence, which is vital for the overall understanding of fire dynamics and prevention strategies.