When to pass command?

[IVPush]

Under what circumstances can the first arriving units officer pass command? And would he/she assume limited command or pass command all together?

[Brian Dunlap]

It has been my experience that Command is turned over once a Senior Ranking Officer arrives on scene. I have seen the Senior Officer {Chief, Deputy, Ect..} allow the first arriving unit commander {Captain or Lieutenant or Firefighter} to remain in charge of an incident to gain the confidence and skills. Of course they are supervised by the senior officer. My personal feeling is that a senior officer can not just assume command with out meeting with the first due I.C. to review what has been done and what still needs to be done. Again I know departments do it diffrent ways and my opinion is only one of many. My Company operates with the Chief in charge however in his absence there is a deputy and an assistant chief, three captains, and three lieutenants. We usually always have an officer on a response yet there are times especially early in the mornings {between 6-9am} where we only get about 4-5 guys responding to incidents and no officers -- the senior man takes the reighns and runs the show.

[IVPush]

Would you say that the office of the first ariving apparatus Must assume command or limited command? Or do thing circumstance depending, the office may pass command and allow the next due engine company to assume it?

[Halligan84]

In most cases command is passed when the 1st due officer can do more good working with his crew for the overall outcome of the incident. For example, a 3 man engine arrives with people trapped and fire threatening them, if the officer assumes command, the line is delayed, if he passes command to the next due, the fire gets controlled. In other situations, the first arriving officer knows that a ranking officer is close behind, gives the initial report and goes in service while the chief assumes command.

[CAPN22]

We operate close to Brian's layout. A Captain will always assume Command from a FF. Once size up and quick debriefing is done.

A Chief or DC will not always assume command of an situation depending on the size and nature. 99% of the time they will assume command shortly after arrival. And allow the rest of us to do what we do best. And they do what they do best.

[Halligan84]

by the book, those are tranfers of command.. to pass command means to never actually assume it.