Question:- When a more qualified person arrives on scene, which statement best describes what happens?
A. The more qualified person has options based on agency guidelines; these can include assuming command, maintaining command as is, or requesting a more qualified Incident Commander.
B. The Emergency Operations Center Director must order a Transfer of Command.
C. The more qualified person becomes the new Incident Commander at the beginning of the next operational period.
D. The more qualified person automatically becomes the new Incident Commander and assumes command.
Answer: D. The more qualified person automatically becomes the new Incident Commander and assumes command.
A more qualified person arriving at a scene to where an Incident Commander has already been appointed is standard protocol and automatically takes over as the new Incidence Commander. For the transfer of command, the current Incident Commander is required to hand over charge to a more qualified individual using an official process. This means that the person who is most qualified for the job will be leading response operations. The Irrelevance is whether the current Incident Commander has competence or performs enough. When a more qualified person arrives, he should take control over her/himself. What makes one person the best qualified to lead and manage a response is qualifications like rank, experience, training certificates as well as leadership qualities. The most qualified person takes the role of Incident Commander. This chain-of-command structure is critical during emergency situations that put lives at risk. It is paramount to ensure that an appropriate leader leads the response in order for it to be as effective . Thus if a better qualified person appears on location, he or she is automatically the Incident Commander.
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