In a sequence of outage response steps, what is the first priority?

• A. Switch to backup channels
• B. Maintain an outage log
• C. Notify leadership
• D. Coordinate with mutual aid

Answer: (A)

Maintaining a usable line of communication is the immediate need. If the primary channel drops, the very next action is to switch to backup channels so responders and incident command can continue coordinating. Without a functioning link, you can’t relay status, requests, or instructions, which hampers safety and control. Once a backup channel is established, you can start recording events in the outage log, notify leadership, and begin coordinating mutual aid as needed. Those steps matter, but they rely on having reliable communication in place first.