Which statement best describes the primary function of an Incident Commander during an airport incident?

• A. To lead incident operations and coordinate overall response.
• B. To handle only media relations.
• C. To manage only resource ordering.
• D. To conduct post-incident investigations exclusively.

Answer: (A)

Leading incident operations and coordinating the overall response is what the Incident Commander does. In an airport incident, the IC sets the priorities, ensures life safety and incident stabilization, and drives the incident action plan, directing actions across all responding teams and agencies. They maintain unity of command and keep lines of communication open among operations, logistics, planning, and finance, while staying in touch with airport leadership and partner agencies. A Public Information Officer handles media relations, not the IC. Resource ordering is a function of logistics, but the IC oversees how those resources are deployed to meet the plan. Post-incident investigations are handled by investigators after the event, not as the primary day-to-day function of the IC.