What Do Incident Commanders Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for incident commanders?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what incident commanders do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Incident Commanders Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about incident commanders by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Incident Commanders directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in firefighting and fire prevention and control.
Popular Job Titles For Incident Commanders
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Fire Chiefs
- Fire Marshals
- Incident Commanders
- Battalion Chiefs
- Prevention Coordinators
- Fire Suppression Technicians
- Deputy Fire Marshals
- Deputy Chiefs
- Chief Deputy Clerks
- Deputy Fire Chiefs
- Assistant Fire Chiefs
- Deputy Chiefs of Party
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for incident commanders can be found.
Best Industries for Incident Commanders
Incident Commanders Jobs By Industry
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 92.1%
- Other Support Services: 3.5%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 2.1%
- Federal Government, Civilian: 1.9%
- Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services: 0.1%
- Investigation and Security Services: 0%
- Other: 0.30000000000001%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of incident commanders can be found working in the Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals sector. In 2022, about 92.1% of all jobs for incident commanders were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Other Support Services (3.5%), State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (2.1%), Federal Government, Civilian (1.9%), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (0.1%) and Investigation and Security Services (0%).
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Degree Options for Incident Commanders
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Launch an exciting career as a police officer, corrections officer, or investigator by learning the ins and outs of the U.S. criminal justice system and all its interconnected components, including law enforcement, corrections, and the courts.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Maintain social order and earn credentials for a leadership role in police, corrections, security, or court administration.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Earn college credit for your public safety experience and get promoted to a leadership rank with this degree-completion major.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Acquire specialized knowledge while developing a holistic view of the criminal justice system.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 6
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Tackle critical issues facing individuals and communities with advanced leadership and management skills ideally suited for a complex criminal justice system.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Do Incident Commanders Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what incident commanders do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work incident commanders do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that incident commanders tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Incident Commanders
Top 5 Common Skills for Incident Commanders
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 2,543 | 42% |
| Operations | 2,506 | 41% |
| Communications | 2,382 | 39% |
| Leadership | 1,806 | 30% |
| Planning | 1,503 | 25% |
For common skills, management was the most desired skill found in job postings for incident commanders, followed by operations, communications, leadership, planning and coordinating.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 2,543 | 42% |
| Operations | 2,506 | 41% |
| Communications | 2,382 | 39% |
| Leadership | 1,806 | 30% |
| Planning | 1,503 | 25% |
| Coordinating | 1,306 | 22% |
| Writing | 1,085 | 18% |
| Customer Service | 1,044 | 17% |
| Investigation | 753 | 12% |
| Presentations | 702 | 12% |
| Research | 646 | 11% |
| Problem Solving | 643 | 11% |
| Budgeting | 622 | 10% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 550 | 9% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 540 | 9% |
| Decision Making | 521 | 9% |
| Strategic Planning | 508 | 8% |
| Good Driving Record | 504 | 8% |
| Microsoft Excel | 484 | 8% |
| Supervision | 483 | 8% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Incident Commanders
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Fire Chiefs | 771 | 11.2% |
| Fire Marshals | 909 | 13.2% |
| Incident Commanders | 509 | 7.4% |
| Battalion Chiefs | 393 | 5.7% |
| Prevention Coordinators | 498 | 7.3% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was fire chiefs, with 442 unique job postings. Fire marshals were second, with 212 postings, followed by incident commanders, battalion chiefs and prevention coordinators.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to incident commanders.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Fire Chiefs | 771 | 11.2% |
| Fire Marshals | 909 | 13.2% |
| Incident Commanders | 509 | 7.4% |
| Battalion Chiefs | 393 | 5.7% |
| Prevention Coordinators | 498 | 7.3% |
| Fire Suppression Technicians | 452 | 6.6% |
| Deputy Fire Marshals | 282 | 4.1% |
| Deputy Chiefs | 276 | 4% |
| Chief Deputy Clerks | 288 | 4.2% |
| Deputy Fire Chiefs | 285 | 4.2% |
| Assistant Fire Chiefs | 284 | 4.1% |
| Deputy Chiefs of Party | 166 | 2.4% |
| Firefighters | 202 | 2.9% |
| Bosses | 382 | 5.6% |
| Deputy Chiefs of Operations | 226 | 3.3% |
| Assistant Fire Marshals | 167 | 2.4% |
| Fire Management Officers | 141 | 2.1% |
| Section Leaders | 178 | 2.6% |
| Dispatch Leads | 309 | 4.5% |
| Deputy State Fire Marshals | 146 | 2.1% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for incident commanders? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for incident commanders.
How much do incident commanders make?
Incident Commanders: How do you become one?
All Occupations
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