If water supply becomes depleted, what action should be taken?

• A. Call for additional water and adjust tactics.
• B. Ignore and continue.
• C. Switch to interior attack only.
• D. Wait for relief.

Answer: (A)

When water isn’t enough to sustain the attack, the priority is to restore a reliable water supply and adjust tactics to the new constraint. The immediate action is to call for additional water—arranging more pumps, tankers, or a secondary water source—so you can continue the operation. Along with securing more water, you should shift tactics to fit the new reality: conserve water where possible, reposition or reduce unnecessary flow, and prepare for a change in posture (potentially moving toward a safer, more defensive stance if replenishment will take time). This keeps firefighters and exposures safer while ensuring the fire attack can continue once water is available.

Ignoring the depletion risks losing control of the fire and endangering crews. Switching to interior attack without a reliable water source can be dangerous, and waiting for relief without pursuing a quicker water solution wastes critical time.