Who designates the process for transferring command?

Who designates the process for transferring command?

A. The Command Staff

B. The Incident Commander for previous operational period

C. The Section Chiefs

D. The jurisdiction or organization with primary responsibility for the incident

Answer: D. The jurisdiction or organization with primary responsibility for the incident

The jurisdiction or organisation with main involvement in the occurrence usually identifies the procedure for handover of command in incident management operations. This approach is very helpful in that nobody departs from the set protocols of the lead agency in the response effort. For example, in a scenario of a major urban flooding emergency response, the responsibility may rest with the city’s emergency management office and this centre would decide on transfer of command. This may contain such things as going through a turnover session in which the outgoing Incident Commander hands over a briefing to the incoming one about the current status, resources, and problems. In the same way, in a major industrial disaster, the specialized national occupational safety and health authority could be as a rule the main responsible body. They would set the framework for the ways to transfer leadership in a given event, possibly, in the form of written reports, as well as a joint examination of the site of the incident. The primary responsible entity must provide this designation to sustain the operation’s continuity and efficiency. It makes it possible to apply as many general rules as it is necessary and at the same time have an individual approach according to the type of the incident and the company’s structure. Through the setting of such protocols, the lead agency ensures that all members involved in an incident response retain the perception of performing the same type of orientation and agreeing to a substitute command change procedure, which will reduce confusion during the process. This is especially the case in large-scale concerted efforts that involve numerous agencies and where direction and coordination are critical success factors during an incident.