The __________ is responsible for the overall management of the event.

• A. Firefighter
• B. Fire chief
• C. Company officer
• D. Incident commander

Answer: (D)

The incident commander is responsible for the overall management of the incident. This person has the authority to set objectives, determine strategy, and coordinate all actions on the scene, including safety, resource deployment, and communications. The incident commander develops (or approves) the Incident Action Plan and ensures that operations stay aligned with it. Other roles—like the company officer who leads a specific crew or the firefighter who carries out detailed tasks—work under the IC’s direction to achieve those objectives. In many cases, the first arriving or highest-ranking officer on scene becomes the incident commander to take charge until command is formally transferred.