During an Emergency Alarm, what is Communications' role?

• A. To attempt to contact the Incident Commander (IC) and verify if an emergency situation exists
• B. To log the alarm in the operations log
• C. To coordinate with EMS on arrival times
• D. To issue a public warning about the incident

Answer: (A)

When an Emergency Alarm sounds, Communications’ primary job is to reach the Incident Commander to verify whether there is a real emergency and what that emergency entails. This quick check confirms the incident status so the command structure can be activated correctly and responders can be mobilized appropriately. If it’s a real incident, Communications can share updates and keep the flow of information open between units and the IC.

Logging the alarm is typically a record-keeping task handled by dispatch or a similar function, not the main role of Communications during the alarm. Coordinating with EMS on arrival times is an operational step that happens after the IC is aware of the situation and directs the response. Issuing a public warning would usually fall to the Public Information Officer or the IC with PIO support, not the initial Communications role described here.