Who serves as the incident Commander during a school crisis?

• A. The Principal
• B. The Superintendent
• C. The Counselor
• D. The Teacher

Answer: (A)

In a school crisis, the person in charge on the scene—the one who directs actions, communicates with responders, and makes quick safety decisions—is the Incident Commander. The Principal is typically the on-site leader with the authority to implement the school’s emergency plan, coordinate staff for lockdowns or evacuations, and liaise with parents, district officials, and first responders. The Superintendent operates at the district level and isn’t usually on-site; a Counselor’s role is to provide emotional support, and a Teacher focuses on instruction and safety within their class, not overall incident management. Therefore, the Principal is the best fit for the incident Commander.