Emergency Operations & Response Flashcards

Which ICS position is responsible for the overall management of an incident and has authority over all personnel?

Answer: Incident Commander

The Incident Commander holds overall responsibility and authority for managing all aspects of an incident.

During an EOC activation, the 'unified command' structure is BEST used when:

Answer: Multiple agencies share incident jurisdiction or responsibility

Unified command is established when multiple agencies with overlapping jurisdictions or different functional responsibilities must coordinate on a single incident.

What is the primary purpose of an Incident Action Plan (IAP) in emergency operations?

Answer: Communicate objectives and tactics for a specific operational period

An IAP specifies the incident objectives, strategies, tactics, and assignments for a defined operational period.

A company's Emergency Response Team (ERT) has been activated. The FIRST priority in life-safety situations is:

Answer: Accounting for all personnel and ensuring evacuation

Life safety is always the first priority in emergency response, requiring personnel accountability and safe evacuation before addressing other concerns.

Which NIMS component establishes standardized resource management practices such as typing, credentialing, and inventorying?

Answer: Resource Management

NIMS Resource Management establishes standard mechanisms to identify, acquire, allocate, and track resources during incidents.

During a multi-day emergency, operational period briefings are typically held:

Answer: At the beginning of each operational period

Operational period briefings are conducted at the start of each operational period to communicate the IAP and coordinate activities.

The 'span of control' principle in ICS recommends that each supervisor directly manage how many personnel?

Answer: 3 to 7 individuals

ICS guidelines recommend a span of control ratio of 1 supervisor to 3–7 subordinates, with 5 being the optimal ratio.