PSD Interagency Coordination and Mutual Aid 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), who authorizes the deployment of resources to a requesting state?
- The requesting state's governor
- The providing state's governor (Correct answer)
- FEMA regional administrator
- The President of the United States
Correct answer: The providing state's governor
EMAC requires the providing state's governor to authorize deployment of state resources to the requesting state.
Question 2: A dispatcher receives a mutual aid request from a neighboring jurisdiction during a wildfire. What information should be confirmed FIRST before releasing units?
- Estimated duration of the incident
- Authorization from the dispatcher's chain of command (Correct answer)
- The name of the incident commander on scene
- Number of civilian evacuees involved
Correct answer: Authorization from the dispatcher's chain of command
Before releasing units on a mutual aid request, dispatchers must obtain authorization from their own chain of command.
Question 3: Which NIMS component establishes standardized resource management principles to coordinate resources across jurisdictions?
- Command and Coordination
- Resource Management (Correct answer)
- Communications and Information Management
- Ongoing Management and Maintenance
Correct answer: Resource Management
The NIMS Resource Management component provides standardized mechanisms for identifying, ordering, managing, and tracking resources across jurisdictions.
Question 4: During a multi-agency incident, a dispatcher notices that two agencies are transmitting on the same interoperability channel simultaneously. What is the BEST immediate action?
- Switch all units to a secondary channel
- Notify the Communications Unit Leader (Correct answer)
- Contact the agency causing interference directly
- Log the conflict and continue monitoring
Correct answer: Notify the Communications Unit Leader
The Communications Unit Leader (COML) is responsible for managing interoperability channels and resolving transmission conflicts during multi-agency incidents.
Question 5: What does the term 'span of control' mean in ICS, and what is the optimal ratio?
- The geographic area managed; 1 supervisor per 10 units
- The number of subordinates one supervisor can manage; 1:5 optimal (Correct answer)
- The number of agencies in a unified command; 1:3 optimal
- The number of radio channels assigned; 1:7 optimal
Correct answer: The number of subordinates one supervisor can manage; 1:5 optimal
Span of control refers to the number of subordinates one supervisor effectively manages, with an optimal ratio of 1 supervisor to 5 resources (range 3-7).
Question 6: A multi-agency coordination group (MAC Group) differs from a Unified Command primarily because the MAC Group:
- Operates at the incident site alongside field units
- Functions away from the incident to provide policy-level support (Correct answer)
- Replaces the Incident Commander during large-scale events
- Is composed exclusively of law enforcement supervisors
Correct answer: Functions away from the incident to provide policy-level support
A MAC Group operates at a policy level away from the incident, prioritizing resources and providing support rather than directing on-scene operations.
Question 7: Which document formally records the resources, support, and reimbursement terms agreed upon between jurisdictions before a mutual aid event?
- Incident Action Plan (IAP)
- Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) (Correct answer)
- After-Action Report (AAR)
- Resource Tracking Log
Correct answer: Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is the pre-established agreement that defines mutual aid terms, responsibilities, and reimbursement procedures between jurisdictions.
PSD Interagency Coordination and Mutual Aid 2
Under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), who authorizes the deployment of resources to a requesting state?