How should you protect remaining contents from smoke odors during salvage?

• A. Ventilate to reduce odors; seal items in bags or containers; use appropriate coverings.
• B. Ventilate only and leave items unprotected.
• C. Seal everything in plastic and do not ventilate.
• D. Ignore odor concerns.

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is to manage smoke odors by removing them from the space quickly so they don’t settle into contents. Ventilation helps drive off the volatile odor compounds, reducing overall odor levels and making it safer to handle items. Leaving the remaining contents unprotected aligns with giving odors a chance to air out rather than trapping them in packaging or coverings during the initial salvage phase. After odors are reduced, you can reassess and apply protective measures if needed, but the first priority is to ventilate to minimize odor exposure and transfer.