The term used to describe the process of gathering information about conditions and priorities at a collapse scene is:

• A. Size up
• B. Forecast
• C. Recon
• D. Assessment

Answer: (A)

Size-up, also called scene size-up, is the process of rapidly gathering information about conditions, hazards, and priorities at a collapse scene to guide initial actions and determine resource needs. This ongoing mental and physical sweep helps you see how stable the structure is, where risks to responders and victims exist, where access and egress are best, and which objectives should come first (life safety, stabilization, or property conservation). It sets the incident objectives and informs the developing action plan, and you update it as conditions evolve.

Forecast is about predicting future conditions, not describing the current scene. Recon focuses on scouting and collecting situational data, but size-up is the established term for the broad, ongoing assessment that shapes immediate priorities and actions. Assessment is a general evaluation term, but size-up is the specific, practiced process used at collapse scenes to gauge conditions and priorities.