Before conducting a pre-incident survey, the occupant should be notified in advance so that:

• A. The occupant can correct any fire hazards before the fire department arrives.
• B. There will be minimal inconvenience to the occupant.
• C. The owner can have fire extinguishers filled.
• D. Someone will be at the location to fill out fire department forms.

Answer: (B)

A pre-incident survey is an information-gathering visit where firefighters assess how a building is used, where access and egress are, what fire protection features exist, and where hazards may be. Notifying the occupant in advance helps ensure the visit causes minimal disruption to the occupants’ operations. When people know to expect the survey, they can arrange access, designate a guide, and prepare relevant information, so the team can conduct the assessment smoothly without interrupting the day-to-day activities. The other options don’t fit the purpose: hazards may still be present and not instantly corrected by a survey, filling extinguishers isn’t part of the survey, and filling out forms is a procedural detail rather than a reason for advance notice.