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but his reaction seems to be reflexive more than anything else.

My gut tells me (and I may be completely wrong) that the man froze to the point of inaction and was more worried about his career going by-by than the seriousness of the situation. He really didn't have the time to dress down the young lady with his rig engulfed in flames.
I think he was a man in pure panic mode lashing out and not thinking clearly.

Sounds about right. I also think he is very used to other people doing everything for him. He's just the put on the suit and show up to read the teleprompter guy. He figured it would have been taken care of and then he could use it as a political tool to berate oil companies and the American people.

I gotta say, I do not know how he is sleeping at night with this on his plate let alone going on vacation and playing basketball. Unbelievable.

I think he was a man in pure panic mode lashing out and not thinking clearly.

I don't know him so I can't say. I have seen a host of different reactions to overwhelming stress, and this seems like the 'fall back on the rules and standard disaster procedures' one. Not the 'deer in the headlights' reaction which may have led to numb agreement rather than the re-assertion of the pecking order.

In the latter case, a reprimand would have been second nature. Someone, ideally should be in command to organize rescue and evacuation, and the comment about authorization, which may seem inappropriate to some in extremis was such an assertion that he was in control.

That authority may be limited to prevent a disgruntled employee from pulling the 'fire alarm'.

Her actions seem appropriate in a world where anyone calls 911, but this is a vessel at sea, and the Captain is the guy who makes the call or delegates the duty to someone else. Different rules.