Federal On Scene Coordinator - Response Roles and Responsibilities

Response Roles and Responsibilities

The use of the ICS/UC as a management tool does not relieve the On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) of her or his obligation to direct, monitor, and coordinate response actions. The OSC in every case retains the authority to direct the response, and must direct responses to discharges of oil that pose a substantial threat to the public health or welfare of the United States. In most situations, however, the OSC will choose to monitor the actions of the RP and/or local and state governments and provide support and advice where appropriate. It is the OSC’s responsibility to explain the OSC’s authority at a response during both the planning and response phases. The ICS/UC also is a useful mechanism in obtaining input from other responders to help the OSC in directing and coordinating response efforts.

The OSC should either implement an ICS at the beginning of a response, or be prepared to integrate into an existing, properly functioning, ICS during a response. It is important to recognize that local and/or state responders may already have established an ICS when the OSC arrives on-scene. In many cases, the OSC will fill multiple positions within the ICS organization. An OSC also may elect to establish any of the functions of an ICS by assigning responsibility to another individual.