Where should crews exit when a Withdraw Order is given?

• A. From the interior of a structure or a portion of it.
• B. Directly to the exterior ground outside the building's footprint.
• C. To the roof.
• D. To a nearby stairwell only.

Answer: (A)

Withdraw orders are about getting crews out of the dangerous interior spaces. When this directive is given, the priority is to move personnel who are inside the structure or a portion of it to safety by exiting the interior area. This focuses on clearing the interior exposures and getting teams out through their usual interior-to-exterior egress paths so they are no longer in the fire or hazardous environment inside.

Exiting directly to the exterior ground outside the building’s footprint, going to the roof, or restricting exit to a nearby stairwell alone doesn’t capture that interior-to-outside withdrawal intent. Those options either place crews at higher-risk locations (roof) or constrain their movement (stairwell only) or describe a general exterior exit without tying it to leaving the interior space.