What should be the priority when managing an incident?

The priority when managing an incident is the life safety of individuals involved. This principle is fundamentally grounded in emergency management protocols, which prioritize protecting human life above all else. The reasoning behind this priority is that the safety of individuals—whether they are first responders, victims, or bystanders—is paramount in any incident response scenario.

When lives are at risk, immediate action is necessary to ensure that people are unharmed, which can also guide subsequent actions and decisions in the incident management process. Focusing on life safety also helps in establishing a clear command and control structure, and in deploying resources effectively to mitigate risks to individuals.

While evaluating assets, analyzing the situation, and minimizing costs are significant considerations in incident management, they come secondary to ensuring safety. In many cases, without prioritizing life safety, no effective management of the incident can occur. Recognizing life safety as the foremost objective ensures that responders can operate in a manner that effectively protects people while also allowing for the successful resolution of the incident.