Who is responsible for the safety of all personnel working at an incident scene?

• A. The safety officer
• B. The fire chief
• C. The incident commander
• D. The operations supervisor

Answer: (C)

In an incident, the person in charge of the scene has the overall responsibility for the safety of everyone present. The Incident Commander sets priorities, approves the incident action plan, and coordinates all resources, including making the call to suspend or stop operations if safety is at risk. The Safety Officer is there to watch for hazards, recommend controls, and monitor safety conditions, but they operate under the IC’s authority and do not bear the ultimate accountability for every person’s safety across the whole scene. While the fire chief or an operations supervisor may have important roles, they do not carry the same overarching safety responsibility as the Incident Commander.