What is an Incident Commander’s primary responsibility?

The primary responsibility of an Incident Commander is to establish command and lead the incident response effort. This involves taking charge of the overall direction of the incident management process. The Incident Commander assesses the situation and determines the strategy and tactics necessary to manage the incident effectively. They coordinate resources, communicate with various teams, and ensure that all actions align with the incident response objectives.

While other responsibilities such as allocating resources, assessing threats, and monitoring response times are important aspects of incident management, they are typically components of the broader role that the Incident Commander oversees. The Incident Commander is ultimately tasked with creating the incident objectives, establishing an effective command structure, and ensuring that all activities during the incident response align with those objectives. This leadership role is crucial for ensuring that the response is efficient, cooperative, and successful in mitigating the incident's impact.