What is the primary responsibility of the Incident Commander at an incident?

The primary responsibility of the Incident Commander at an incident is to manage personnel and operations. This role is crucial because the Incident Commander oversees the entire response effort, ensuring that all activities are coordinated and directed effectively. This includes making strategic decisions about how to deploy resources, assign tasks, and prioritize actions to achieve the best possible outcomes during an incident.

In addition to managing personnel, the Incident Commander must also ensure that operations align with the established incident objectives and strategies. This involves continuous assessment of the situation to adjust tactics as necessary. While aspects like tracking resources, ensuring public safety, and developing incident objectives are also important functions often linked to the role of the Incident Commander, the core of their responsibility lies in managing both the personnel and the overall operations during the incident. This comprehensive oversight is what enables a successful incident response.