CEM CEM Incident Command System & NIMS 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which NIMS component encompasses the Incident Command System and Multiagency Coordination Systems?
- Communications and Information Management
- Resource Management
- Command and Coordination (Correct answer)
- Ongoing Management and Maintenance
Correct answer: Command and Coordination
Command and Coordination is the NIMS component that includes ICS, Multiagency Coordination Systems (MACS), and Public Information as its key elements.
Question 2: In ICS, what is the role of the Public Information Officer (PIO)?
- Manage incoming mutual aid resources
- Serve as the conduit between the incident and the media and public (Correct answer)
- Coordinate interagency operations
- Oversee safety protocols for responders
Correct answer: Serve as the conduit between the incident and the media and public
The PIO is part of the Command Staff and is responsible for gathering and releasing incident information to the media, public, and other appropriate agencies.
Question 3: What term describes a temporary facility where resources are kept while awaiting assignment?
- Incident Command Post
- Staging Area (Correct answer)
- Base
- Camp
Correct answer: Staging Area
A Staging Area is a temporary location where resources assigned to an incident are held and checked in while awaiting tactical assignments.
Question 4: The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) differs from the Incident Command Post (ICP) primarily because the EOC:
- Is always located at the incident site
- Provides tactical direction to field units
- Supports and coordinates resources at a strategic level, away from the incident (Correct answer)
- Is only activated for natural disasters
Correct answer: Supports and coordinates resources at a strategic level, away from the incident
The EOC operates at a strategic and coordination level, typically away from the incident site, while the ICP is the field-level tactical command location.
Question 5: What does the term 'scalability' mean in the context of NIMS and ICS?
- The ability to add more equipment to an incident
- The capacity to expand or contract the organizational structure based on incident complexity (Correct answer)
- The process of scaling down after an incident is resolved
- The method for scaling resource requests through mutual aid
Correct answer: The capacity to expand or contract the organizational structure based on incident complexity
Scalability means the ICS structure can grow or shrink to match the size and complexity of any incident, ensuring resources and management are always proportionate.
Question 6: Under NIMS, which document establishes mutual aid agreements at the interstate level?
- Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) (Correct answer)
- National Mutual Aid Agreement (NMAA)
- Federal Assistance Declaration (FAD)
- Interstate Resource Sharing Protocol (IRSP)
Correct answer: Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC)
The Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) is the congressionally ratified interstate mutual aid agreement that allows states to share resources during disasters.
CEM CEM Incident Command System & NIMS 2
Which NIMS component encompasses the Incident Command System and Multiagency Coordination Systems?