Who is ultimately responsible for ensuring the incident objectives are met?

The Incident Commander holds the ultimate responsibility for ensuring that the incident objectives are met. This position serves as the decision-maker and leader within the Incident Command System (ICS). The Incident Commander is tasked with the overall management of the incident response, directing resources, establishing priorities, and determining the strategies needed to achieve the established objectives.

While the Operational Section Chief, Planning Section Chief, and Divisional Supervisor each have critical roles and responsibilities in the execution and planning of operations, it is the Incident Commander who sets the objectives based on the incident's needs and the overall strategy. This central leadership role ensures that all team members are working cohesively towards common goals, making the Incident Commander the key figure for accountability and oversight throughout the incident.