If you see a hazard at the emergency incident, what is the recommended action?

• A. Immediately report it to the incident commander
• B. Note it for discussion during the post incident analysis
• C. Make sure the safety officer is aware of the situation
• D. Make sure it does not affect your crew

Answer: (A)

The main concept is that hazards on an emergency scene must be communicated immediately to the person in command so they can be addressed right away. When you spot a hazard, you’re not just protecting your own crew—you’re contributing to the overall safety of everyone on scene. The incident commander has the authority to pause or modify operations, assign resources, evacuate teams, or implement controls to eliminate or lessen the risk. By reporting the hazard right away, you ensure it’s documented, assessed, and mitigated as part of the incident’s coordinated plan.

If a safety officer is on site, they’ll handle safety specifics, but you still need to bring the hazard to the incident commander’s attention to maintain unified action and communication across the team. Waiting to discuss it later or assuming it won’t affect others can lead to preventable injuries. Simply hoping the hazard won’t affect your crew isn’t safe guidance; prompt reporting enables immediate protective action.