Why deputies must train to become incident commanders in incident response

Deputies as Incident Commanders: Why Training Isn't Optional

When a critical outage hits, teams instinctively look for a steady hand to steer the ship. In incident response, that steady hand is the Incident Commander—the person who coordinates the clock, the people, and the decisions that keep a service alive. So, the question isn’t just who has the title; it’s who is prepared to fill the role when the pressure spikes. The answer, plainly put, is True: deputies need training to become Incident Commanders. Without that preparation, you risk delays, confusion, and a muddied sense of accountability when every second matters.

Let me explain why this is more than a nice-to-have skill and more of a core capability for resilient teams.

What makes an Incident Commander tick?

Think of the Incident Commander as the conductor of a complex orchestra. You’ve got engineers on call, chat channels lighting up, dashboards singing with metrics, and stakeholders waiting for a clear update. The IC sets the tempo, clarifies the objective, and keeps the crew moving in the same direction. Responsibilities typically include:

• Establishing the incident objective and scope.

• Declaring and maintaining incident priorities (e.g., restore service, minimize impact, protect data).

• Coordinating internal teams and external communications.

• Managing the incident timeline, handoffs, and escalation paths.

• Ensuring accurate, timely updates to stakeholders and leadership.

• Overseeing safety and risk decisions, including quick mitigation when needed.

A deputy IC is not just a stand-in; they’re a ready-to-step-into-the-role with a deep understanding of the same structure, tools, and expectations. In many organizations, the deputy inherits the command baton when the primary IC is tied up elsewhere, resting, or needs a break. The outcome hinges on how well the deputy is trained to carry the torch, hold the line, and keep the incident moving forward without breaking the rhythm.

What training actually covers

Training for deputies-to-become ICs isn’t about memorizing a checklist. It’s about building a mental model of incident response that can be summoned in a crisis. In practical terms, good training covers:

• The incident command structure: who does what, when, and why. Roles like Incident Commander, Deputy IC, Liaison, and Tech Lead should be crystal clear.

• Decision rights and communication protocols: who has authority to make what calls, how to document decisions, and how to surface concerns without slowing the group.

• Runbooks and playbooks: step-by-step instructions for common scenarios, plus guidance on tailoring actions to the specific incident.

• Tooling and dashboards: how to read status pages, correlate alerts from PagerDuty with on-call rotations, and coordinate updates through collaboration apps like Slack or Microsoft Teams.

• Incident lifecycle management: triage, assessment, containment, eradication, recovery, and post-incident review.

• Safety and risk management: recognizing when to pause, escalate, or call in specialized help.

For deputies, this training isn’t just theoretical; it’s practical and hands-on. They practice prioritizing tasks, running through mock outages, and coordinating communications in time-boxed drills. The goal is to build the confidence to step up when it’s their turn at the helm.

Tools, tactics, and the real-world edge

Technology matters in the same way a good map matters in unfamiliar terrain. PagerDuty isn’t a magic wand, but it’s a powerful backbone for incident response when used well. A trained deputy IC knows how to leverage:

• On-call schedules and escalation policies: quickly locate the right people and avoid “who should be pinged now?” moments.

• Runbooks that live inside the incident workflow: a tested script for actions, approvals, and notifications.

• Collaboration channels and status updates: crisp, factual, and timely communications that keep everyone aligned.

• Post-incident documentation and learnings: capturing what happened, what was decided, and what changes reduce repeat incidents.

A deputy who’s comfortable with these tools can bridge the gap between a chaotic spark and a clear, organized response. The result isn’t just about solving the current problem—it’s about building downstream reliability and trust with stakeholders who count on you to keep the lights on.

The value of simulated pressure

Humans perform best when they’ve practiced under pressure—where the stakes are real but the risks are contained. That’s where simulations and run-throughs shine. Training should incorporate:

• Live-fire drills that mimic genuine incidents, not sanitized tabletop exercises.

• Shadowing sessions where deputies observe a current IC handle a real incident and then discuss the decision paths afterward.

• Time-boxed scenarios to reinforce rapid situational assessment and clear prioritization.

• After-action reviews that translate what worked, what didn’t, and what changes will be made.

This approach yields more than muscle memory; it builds a culture where leadership is distributed and dependable. If something goes wrong and the primary IC can’t lead, the team isn’t scrambling for a plan B; they’re executing a practiced, well-communicated handoff.

Common pitfalls—and how training helps

Without proper preparation, a deputy stepping into the IC role can stumble into several landmines:

• Role confusion: who is speaking for the team, and who is responsible for technical containment?

• Information overload: too many alerts, not enough synthesized insight.

• Poor handoffs: critical context slips through the cracks during transitions.

• Lack of a clear incident objective: teams chase symptoms rather than the root impact.

• Stakeholder drift: status updates become vague or overly optimistic.

Training addresses these head-on. It carves out a well-defined command structure, teaches how to filter signal from noise, and codifies the cadence of updates. It also reinforces the discipline of a clean handoff—so the new IC isn’t left with a half-formed plan and a room full of questions.

A relatable analogy—leadership that sticks

Think of an IC as a coach in a fast-paced game. The whistle blasts, players move, and the clock ticks. The coach communicates the play, adjusts on the fly, and keeps everyone focused on the objective. If the coach is out, the assistant coach steps in, but only if they’ve trained to execute the same plays with the same eye for timing and risk. Training transforms deputies into reliable stand-ins who can read the field, rally the team, and avoid costlier miscommunications.

Bringing it to your organization

If you’re building a culture where incidents are met with calm, decisive leadership, include deputy IC training as a core component. Here are practical steps to weave it into your process:

• Define a clear escalation path: who becomes IC when, and what qualifiers exist for deputies to assume the role.

• Create a robust set of runbooks: cover a spectrum of common incidents and edge cases.

• Run regular, realistic simulations: push deputies to think in terms of objectives and outcomes, not just tasks.

• Pair deputies with current ICs: mentoring accelerates competence and confidence.

• Institutionalize after-action reviews: capture lessons, update Playbooks, and close the feedback loop promptly.

The human side of technical readiness

Training isn’t about turning people into robots. It’s about building trust—within the team and with stakeholders. A deputy who’s trained to lead knows how to:

• Speak with clarity under pressure.

• Calm anxious teammates with a steady plan and transparent updates.

• Trade technical details for decision-focused information when it’s time to brief executives or customers.

• Recognize personal limits and seek help when a situation exceeds their scope.

In the end, readiness is a blend of skill, practice, and judgment. It’s the difference between reacting to a noise in the system and steering toward a measured, effective solution.

A quick reminder, with a touch of realism

To be blunt: not every incident needs heroic, solo action. Often, it’s a chorus—someone stabilizes, someone collects data, someone communicates. Deputies trained to become ICs contribute to that chorus by stepping into a role they understand, with the authority they need, and a plan that’s proven to work in the real world. The result is quicker recovery, less drama, and a service that behaves more predictably when it matters most.

Final take

Yes, deputies should be trained to assume the Incident Commander role when necessary. The resilience of your incident response program depends on it. Training builds familiarity with the command structure, bolsters decision-making under pressure, and ensures continuity when leadership shifts gears mid-crisis. It’s about preparing people to lead with confidence, even when the situation is loud, complex, and urgent.

If you’re involved in shaping incident response at your company, consider the deputy-to-IC pathway as a strategic investment. It’s not a nice-to-have add-on; it’s a core capability that helps your team stay calm, act decisively, and keep services visible and reliable for the people who rely on them. And in the end, that steadiness—more than anything else—defines a team that can weather the storm.