In incident management, what is prioritized along with saving lives and property?

In incident management, the primary objectives revolve around saving lives and protecting property, with an essential focus on stabilizing the incident. Stabilizing the incident means taking actions to control the situation effectively, prevent further harm, and halt any escalatory processes. This can involve various strategies such as securing the scene, managing hazards, and deploying resources effectively to ensure that both responders and civilians remain safe.

By prioritizing stabilization, incident commanders can establish control over the situation, which is crucial for executing further operational strategies without endangering lives or causing additional damage. Ensuring that the incident is stabilized allows for a clearer path to follow-up actions, such as recovery and assessment, and facilitates a structured approach to both emergency response and eventual restoration efforts.

While public relations, community response, and equipment usage are all important aspects of incident management, they serve supportive roles that come after the critical need to stabilize the scene and protect lives and property. Without stabilization, any further efforts—be it communication or resource allocation—may be ineffective or even counterproductive.