Suppression operations that allow firefighters to apply extinguishing agents directly onto the fire are called?

• A. Defensive operations
• B. Offensive operations
• C. Exterior operations
• D. Interior operations

Answer: (B)

Directly applying extinguishing agents onto the fire is characteristic of offensive suppression operations. This approach targets the blaze at its source, moving in to attack the flames and quickly control and extinguish the fire with hoses or other extinguishing agents. Defensive operations, by contrast, focus on keeping the fire from spreading and protecting exposures, usually from a distance. Exterior operations fight the fire from outside the structure, while interior operations involve work inside the building. But the term that best captures attacking the fire directly with extinguishing agents is offensive operations.