Who is responsible for determining the strategic incident objectives?

The responsibility for determining the strategic incident objectives lies with the incident commander. The incident commander is the individual in charge of the overall management of the incident and is tasked with making critical decisions that guide the response efforts. This role involves assessing the situation, determining priorities, and setting objectives that align with the incident's unique circumstances and needs.

Incident objectives are essential for ensuring that all resources and personnel are aligned towards a common goal, promoting effective coordination among different teams and sections within the incident management structure. The incident commander sets these objectives based on their assessment of the incident, the resources available, and safety considerations for both responders and the public.

In contrast, while the operations section chief, command staff, and planning officer all play vital roles in the incident management framework, they do so under the strategic direction and objectives set by the incident commander. The operations section chief implements the strategies to achieve the objectives, the command staff provides support and advice, and the planning officer assists in developing plans based on the objectives established by the incident commander.