Which handline technique involves cooling the fire from exterior before interior entry?

• A. Direct attack
• B. Transitional attack (from exterior to interior) to cool the fire before interior entry
• C. Defensive stream
• D. Indirect attack from the roof

Answer: (B)

Cooling the fire from the outside before stepping inside is all about lowering heat and reducing the dangerous gas layer so interior teams can advance safely. This transitional approach uses water applied from the exterior to knock down the heat and weaken the flame collapse potential, making interior entry more controllable and reducing the risk of flashover once firefighters reach inside. By starting the cooling outside, you create safer conditions for the interior attack, which is why this method is the best fit for cooling the fire before interior entry.

Direct attack pushes a hose line inside right away, which can be very risky if interior conditions are already extreme. A defensive stream is aimed at keeping the fire from spreading and protecting exposures from outside, not about enabling interior entry. An indirect attack from the roof targets heat from above rather than cooling the exterior to prepare for interior access.