How does the UC make decisions? The UC is not "decision by committee." The principals are there to command the response to an incident. Time is of the essence. The UC should develop synergy based on the significant capabilities that are brought by the various representatives. There should be personal acknowledgement of each representative's unique capabilities, a shared understanding of the situation, and agreement on the common objectives. With the different perspectives on the UC comes the risk of disagreements, most of which can be resolved through an understanding of the underlying issues. Contentious issues may arise, but the UC framework provides a forum and a process to resolve problems and find solutions. If situations arise where members of the UC cannot reach consensus, the UC member representing the agency with primary jurisdiction over the issue would normally be deferred to for the final decision. If this approach does not work, the Regional Response Team (RRT) may be called on to serve as a forum where differences can be thoroughly discussed and to assist in resolving the disagreement. The bottom line is that the UC has certain responsibilities as noted above. Failure to provide clear objectives for the next operational period means that the Command function has failed. While the UC structure is an excellent vehicle (and the only nationally recognized vehicle) for coordination, cooperation, and communication, the duly authorized representatives must make the system work successfully. A strong command - a single Incident Commander or a UC - is essential to an effective response. Each UC member may assign Deputy Incident Commander(s) to assist in carrying out Incident Commander responsibilities. UC members may also be assigned individual legal and administrative support from their own organizations. See more from topic source: https://www.osha.gov/html/a-z-index.html