What is the Prepare step in the fire drill for behind panelling?

• A. halon and fire gloves, use crash axe to lever off panel
• B. locate source of fire, request crash axe, assess severity
• C. discharge halon (at least 1 full) attempt to close the panel
• D. do not use water, check area

Answer: (A)

This item is testing the readiness phase of responding to a fire behind panelling. In the Prepare step, the emphasis is on getting the right gear and access ready before taking any action. Having halon available and ready to deploy, together with protective fire gloves, ensures you’re protected and equipped to work quickly. The crash axe is kept ready to lever off the panel so you can expose the area behind it without delay. This combination focuses on being set up to respond efficiently, rather than actually applying extinguishing agent or assessing the fire.

The other options describe actions that belong to later stages of the response—locating the source and assessing severity, discharging extinguishing agent and attempting to close the panel, or general safety checks—so they fit more with attack or assessment steps, not the preparation phase.