What should be prioritized during a security incident response?

Ensuring the safety of individuals involved is the top priority during a security incident response because the primary objective is to protect lives and maintain a secure environment. In any security situation, whether it involves potential threats or actual harm, the wellbeing of personnel, civilians, and emergency responders must come first. This focus on safety helps to prevent injuries or fatalities and allows for a more effective response to the incident.

By prioritizing safety, responders can properly assess the situation, perform necessary evacuations, and provide medical assistance if required. Once individuals are safe, other steps in the incident response can be effectively executed, including managing operational disruptions and documenting the event for future learning. While minimizing disruption to operations and documentation are important, they become secondary to ensuring that no one is harmed during the incident. Gaining media attention is typically not a concern during an immediate response and can detract from the focus on safety and effective resolution of the situation.