What is the priority order for stabilizing an emergency situation?

The priority order for stabilizing an emergency situation is established with the well-being of individuals as the foremost concern. Life safety comes first because protecting lives is the primary responsibility of any emergency response team. This includes ensuring that all individuals—both victims and responders—are safe from immediate danger. Once life safety has been addressed, the next priority is incident stabilization. This involves controlling the incident to prevent further harm, which may include stopping the spread of a fire, preventing explosions, or halting other hazardous conditions. Following stabilization, the focus shifts to property conservation, which involves protecting and preserving property from additional damage; this may include salvage operations or implementing measures to prevent secondary hazards.

This sequence is critical because addressing life safety first ensures that any immediate threats to individuals are mitigated before moving on to broader concerns about property and stabilization. Each component of this priority order builds on the previous one, reflecting a systematic approach to emergency management.