What is the primary responsibility of a Company Officer during an incident?

The primary responsibility of a Company Officer during an incident is to assume command of the incident. This involves taking charge of the operations, making strategic decisions, and ensuring that the safety of personnel and the efficiency of the response are prioritized. A Company Officer is typically responsible for overseeing the actions of their crew, coordinating with other units on scene, and implementing the Incident Command System protocols. This role is critical because effective leadership directly impacts the success of the incident response, including resource allocation, risk management, and establishing clear objectives.

Monitoring communication frequencies is important but primarily serves as a support function rather than the main responsibility. Operating a hose line is a task that may be performed by the Company Officer or crew members, but it does not encompass the broader command responsibilities. Conducting investigations is usually a function that occurs after an incident rather than during the incident itself. Thus, while all these actions are relevant to fire service operations, assuming command is the fundamental duty that defines the Company Officer's leadership role in an incident.