Who is responsible for establishing incident objectives and priorities?

• A. Public Information Officer
• B. Logistics Chief
• C. Incident Commander
• D. Safety Officer

Answer: (C)

Establishing incident objectives and priorities is the responsibility of the person in charge of the incident command. In the Incident Command System, the Incident Commander sets the strategic direction for the response, deciding what must be achieved and the order in which to address priorities. This overarching direction guides all actions, resource decisions, and the development of the incident action plan.

Other roles—such as the Public Information Officer, Logistics Chief, and Safety Officer—play vital supporting roles. They carry out communications, ensure resources and support functions are in place, and monitor safety, but they do not set the overall objectives and priorities. The Incident Commander (or Unified Command when multiple agencies share command) coordinates with these roles to ensure the plan stays aligned with the established objectives.