If there are injuries or loss from a live-fire training incident, who does liability typically fall on?

In scenarios involving injuries or loss from a live-fire training incident, liability typically can be shared among several parties involved in the incident, particularly the Incident Instruction Coordinator (IIC) and the Safety Officer (SO). Both roles have crucial responsibilities in ensuring safety protocols are adhered to during training exercises.

The IIC is responsible for overseeing the training, including the planning and execution of the live-fire training. This person must ensure that all safety measures are implemented and that participants are adequately trained to handle the situations presented during the training. If safety measures are overlooked or not properly communicated, liability may fall on the IIC.

The Safety Officer has a distinct role focused on monitoring safety throughout the exercise. This person is tasked with identifying and managing hazards, ensuring compliance with safety protocols, and making real-time decisions to mitigate risk. If an incident occurs that could have been prevented through better oversight of safety measures, responsibility might also be attributed to the SO.

Therefore, both the IIC and the SO can share liability due to the complementary nature of their roles in maintaining a safe training environment. This shared liability recognizes that multiple factors, including oversight and decision-making during the training, affect the outcome and can contribute to incidents.