Who should complete the secondary search during an incident?

The secondary search during an incident should be conducted by crews other than those who performed the primary search. This approach ensures that the search is performed with fresh eyes and energy, which can lead to a more thorough and effective operation. The primary search team may already be fatigued or have a strong focus on the immediate situations they encountered, potentially leaving gaps in the overall safety sweep of the environment.

By having a different crew conduct the secondary search, it allows for the process to be more methodical and less biased by prior experiences or observations from the primary search. Additionally, it provides an opportunity for reinforcements to check areas that may have been missed or not thoroughly examined initially. This practice aligns with safety protocols in incident response where thoroughness is crucial for the protection of both victims and responders.

Other options, like having the same crew perform both searches, could lead to oversights due to fatigue or preconceived notions about the environment, while employing off-duty firefighters may not be feasible or effective in terms of coordination and accountability. Utilizing emergency medical services for this task is generally not appropriate, as their primary focus is on providing medical aid rather than conducting searches. Thus, having different crews for the secondary search is standard practice that promotes safety and efficiency during incident management