Who is responsible for taking preliminary damage control measures before any incident occurs?

The responsibility for taking preliminary damage control measures before any incident occurs falls primarily on the division officer. This role involves proactive planning and preparedness to ensure that the division is ready to respond to emergencies, which includes training personnel, conducting drills, and ensuring that equipment is operational and accessible.

The division officer has overall accountability for their division's readiness to handle damage control situations, which encompasses identifying potential risks, assessing vulnerabilities, and implementing preventive measures. This forward-thinking approach is crucial in minimizing risks and ensuring an effective response in the event of an incident.

While other roles such as the officer of the deck, damage control assistant, and damage control petty officer also play significant parts in damage control, their responsibilities often come into play during or after an incident has occurred, rather than in the initial preventative measures.