Who is responsible for creating sections that are needed during an incident?

The Incident Commander plays a crucial role in managing the overall response to an incident and is responsible for establishing the incident organization, which includes the creation of sections as necessary. This includes determining the need for various sections like Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration based on the complexity and needs of the incident.

The Incident Commander assesses the incident's status and resources required, making decisions about how to structure the response effectively. They ensure that each section’s goals align with the overall strategy and objectives of the incident response. By doing so, they create a clear command structure that facilitates communication and coordination among different teams responding to the incident.

In contrast, the Planning Section Chief focuses on gathering, analyzing, and disseminating information relevant to the incident, but they do so within the framework set by the Incident Commander. The Logistics Officer is tasked with managing resources and support functions while the Operations Section Chief implements the strategies established by the Incident Commander. Each of these roles is vital, but the authority and responsibility to define the organizational structure during an incident reside with the Incident Commander.