Incident Officer

An Incident Officer is a trained motorsport marshal responsible for managing accidents, breakdowns, and other safety situations that occur during racing events to protect drivers, spectators, and track workers.

When cars crash, catch fire, or break down on the track, someone needs to take charge of the situation immediately. That's where the Incident Officer comes in. They act like an emergency coordinator, quickly assessing what happened and organizing the right response to keep everyone safe.

The Incident Officer watches the track constantly, often using cameras and radio communications to spot problems as they happen. When an incident occurs, they must quickly decide what help is needed - whether that's medical assistance for an injured driver, fire marshals to put out flames, or recovery crews to remove a damaged car from the track.

Communication is a huge part of their job. The Incident Officer talks to race control (the people running the event), medical teams, fire crews, and other track marshals to coordinate the response. They're like the conductor of an orchestra, making sure everyone works together smoothly during what can be very stressful situations.

Safety always comes first for an Incident Officer. They make sure the area around an incident is secure, direct other marshals to wave warning flags to alert approaching drivers, and ensure that rescue workers can do their jobs safely. They also oversee cleaning up any debris or spilled fluids that could cause additional accidents.

After handling an incident, the Incident Officer documents what happened and how it was resolved. This information helps improve safety procedures for future events. They work closely with the Clerk of the Course, who is the official in charge of the entire racing event.

Incident Officers receive special training to prepare them for this important role, as they need to make quick decisions under pressure while keeping multiple teams coordinated and focused on safety.