Fire Controlmen (FC) A School Safety Practice Test

An Authorizing Officer is someone designated to approve safety-related actions, permits, and procedures. This authority is given to individuals with the appropriate rank and responsibility within the Navy safety framework. In practice, that means commissioned officers and senior enlisted leaders—Chief Petty Officers and Petty Officers—are authorized to act as AOs. Enlisted Sailors not designated as AOs, civilian supervisors, or Warrant Officers without AO designation do not automatically have this authority. So the combination of commissioned officers and senior enlisted (CPOs and POs) is what the Navy typically assigns as Authorizing Officers.