The general briefing is important for creating a common operational picture of the incident. Who usually conducts this briefing?

The general briefing is typically conducted by the Incident Commander. This individual is responsible for the overall management of the incident and plays a vital role in establishing situational awareness among all team members. During the general briefing, the Incident Commander summarizes the current status of the incident, discusses objectives, and outlines the strategy for the response, ensuring that all personnel understand their roles and what is expected of them.

While the Plan Section Chief, Operations Section Chief, and Logistics Officer have essential roles within the incident management structure, they focus on specific areas of execution rather than the overall operational picture. The Plan Section Chief, for instance, concentrates on developing and implementing tactical plans based on the objectives conveyed by the Incident Commander, while the Operations Section Chief oversees tactical operations related to those plans. The Logistics Officer is responsible for ensuring all resources and support necessary for achieving operational goals are in place but does not usually conduct the general briefing. Thus, the Incident Commander is the appropriate choice for leading this crucial informational session.