Who plans ahead to ensure there is a fresh or rested crew ready to rotate with a crew that needs rehabilitation?

• A. The staging officer
• B. The company officer
• C. The incident commander
• D. The logistics section chief

Answer: (C)

Planning ahead for crew rotation and rehabilitation is a responsibility of the incident commander. This role oversees safety and the overall effectiveness of operations, which includes anticipating when crews will need relief and arranging for a fresh, rested team to step in. The incident commander coordinates with the support sections—like logistics for rehab resources and the staging area to keep replacements ready—so that operations can continue smoothly without compromising safety. While the staging officer focuses on where resources wait and the company officer looks after their own crew, the broader duty to map out rotations and ensure there’s a rested crew available rests with the incident commander.