Who is typically responsible for leading the risk assessment in a SAR operation?

• A. Safety Officer or designated risk assessor.
• B. Incident Commander.
• C. Operations Section Chief.
• D. Public Information Officer.

Answer: (A)

Leading the risk assessment in a SAR operation is handled by the Safety Officer or a designated risk assessor. This role is specifically responsible for continuously identifying hazards, evaluating the level of risk to responders and victims, and recommending and enforcing risk controls before and during operations. The Safety Officer provides an objective safety perspective, coordinating with the Incident Commander to ensure safety considerations drive decisions and to halt or modify activities if the risk becomes unacceptable. While the Incident Commander oversees overall incident management, the actual assessment and management of risk fall under the Safety Officer’s authority.