Who can issue the delegation of authority to an Incident Commander?

The delegation of authority to an Incident Commander can be issued by the chief executive officer, agency administrator, or chief elected official because these positions hold the necessary authority to make critical operational decisions during an incident. They have the responsibility and oversight over the resources and personnel involved in the response efforts, allowing them to designate an Incident Commander who can effectively manage the incident response.

By conferring this authority, they ensure that there is a clear command structure in place, which is crucial for effective incident management. This delegation may sometimes be formalized in writing, but it is not strictly required to be documented in every situation, as the authority can be communicated verbally in urgent scenarios.

Other roles, like team members present at the incident, do not possess the administrative authority needed to appoint an Incident Commander, as that could disrupt the chain of command and lead to confusion during critical response operations. Similarly, while the chief elected official may be involved in certain situations, the inclusion of chief executive officers and agency administrators provides a broader context for authoritative delegation, reflecting the collaborative nature of incident management across different levels of governance and organizational responsibility.