CERTIFIED EMERGENCY MANAGER 2026 EXAM QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔1. The term "major or complex incident" may have different meanings to different
agencies depending upon the size of the jurisdiction, number of resources available,
and other variables. List two characteristics of major or complex incidents: - ✔✔Involve
more than one agency and/or political jurisdiction
Involve complex management and communication issues
Require experienced, highly qualified supervisory personnel
Require numerous tactical and support resources
Involve multiple victims with injuries, fatalities, or illnesses
Include widespread damage to property/environment
Result in psychological threat/trauma
Span multiple operational periods (days, weeks)
Are costly to control and mitigate
Require extensive recovery efforts
Draw national media interest
✔✔Coordinated - ✔✔Emergency managers synchronize the activities of all relevant
stakeholders to achieve a common purpose.
✔✔Designers of the system recognized early that ICS must be interdisciplinary and
organizationally flexible to meet the following management challenges - ✔✔1. Meet the
needs of the incidents of any kind or size
2. Be usable for routine events or complex emergencies incidents
3. allow personnel from a variety of agencies to meld rapidly into a common
management structure.
4. provided logistical and administrative support to ensure that operational staff can
meet incident objectives.
5. Be cost effective by avoiding duplication of efforts
✔✔Flexible - ✔✔emergency managers use creative and innovative approaches in
solving disaster challenges.
✔✔2. The act of directing, ordering, or controlling by virtue of explicit statutory,
regulatory, or delegated authority is the definition of: - ✔✔(a) Command
✔✔Professional - ✔✔emergency managers value a science- and knowledge-based
approach based on education, training, experience, ethical practice, public stewardship,
and continuous improvement.
✔✔Poorly managed incident response can be devastating to our? - ✔✔Economy, to our
food supply and to our health and safety.
,✔✔Congressional Act of 1803 - ✔✔considered beginning of federal intervention into
disaster relief; was the earliest effort to provide disaster
relief on a Federal level after a fire devastated a New Hampshire town.
✔✔3. What type of ICS structure is illustrated below?
ICS organization with Incident Command, Operations Section, Planning Section,
Logistics Section, and Finance/Admin Sections. Reporting to the Operations Section are
Branch I (Incident 1), Branch II (Incident 2), and Branch III (Incident 3). - ✔✔(b) Incident
Complex
✔✔Defense Production Act of 1950 - ✔✔was the first comprehensive legislation
pertaining to Federal disaster relief.
✔✔ICS is built around five major functions that may be applied on any incident whether
it is large or small. The five major management functions are - ✔✔1. Incident Command
IC
2. Operations Section
3. Planning Section
4. Logistics Section
5. Finance/Administration Section
✔✔4. State one reason why a single incident may be divided into separate incidents. -
✔✔When an incident spreads into other jurisdiction(s) and Unified Command is not
feasible.
When it is difficult to manage from one location due to terrain and access.
When an incident has objectives that are naturally separating into two operations.
When the Planning Section, even with additional resources, can no longer adequately
provide planning services.
When the Logistics Section can no longer, or will soon not be able to, serve the
widespread facilities and operations from a single incident base.
When the Operations Section cannot manage the number of resources required
without exceeding span of control.
✔✔Executive Order 10427 - ✔✔emphasized that Federal disaster assistance
was supplemental to State, local, and private-sector support.
✔✔Executive Order 12127 - ✔✔merged many of the separate disaster-related
responsibilities into a new Federal Emergency Management Agency.
✔✔Incident Commander - ✔✔The individual responsible for overall management of the
incident
✔✔Stafford Act - ✔✔legislation focused on providing Federal aid in an
, emergency. Modified after Katrina so president can step in when necessary. The Robert
T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Public Law 93- 288, as
amended.
✔✔5. When Branch Tactical Planning is implemented, then: - ✔✔(d) A Branch within
the Operations Section develops detailed action plans while the Planning Section
provides support and coordination.
✔✔PKEMRA - ✔✔Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act - includes a key
provision that accelerated assistance can be provided by FEMA in the absence of a
State request.; Established new DHS leadership positions; Moved functions into FEMA;
Created and reallocated functions to other components within DHS; Amended the
Homeland Security Act
✔✔6. An incident is geographically dispersed, and it is not feasible for the incident base
to support the incident logistical needs. Assuming that you do not want to divide the
incident in two separate incidents, what is another option for managing this incident? -
✔✔(c) Establish a second Logistics Section reporting to a Deputy Incident Commander
(Logistics).
✔✔Sandy Recovery Improvement Act of 2013 - ✔✔made changes to the way disaster
assistance is delivered under a variety of programs and authorized tribal governments
to request a declaration of an emergency or major disaster without going through the
State.
✔✔Command Staff - ✔✔The command staff consists of the PIO, Safety officer and
liaison officer. They report directly to the incident command. They may have an
assistant or assistants as needed.
✔✔Officer - ✔✔Officer is the ICS title for the personnel responsible for the Command
Staff positions of Safety, Liaison and Public information.
✔✔PPD-8 - ✔✔Presidential Policy Directive 8; describes the Nation's approach to
preparedness—one that involves the whole community, including individuals,
businesses, community- and faith-based organizations, schools, tribes, and all levels of
government, working together to build and sustain preparedness capabilities.
✔✔National Preparedness Goal - ✔✔outlines the capabilities necessary to prevent,
protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from the threats and hazards that
pose the greatest risk to the Nation.
✔✔7. Area Command should: - ✔✔(d) Be staffed with qualified and experienced
personnel.
AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔1. The term "major or complex incident" may have different meanings to different
agencies depending upon the size of the jurisdiction, number of resources available,
and other variables. List two characteristics of major or complex incidents: - ✔✔Involve
more than one agency and/or political jurisdiction
Involve complex management and communication issues
Require experienced, highly qualified supervisory personnel
Require numerous tactical and support resources
Involve multiple victims with injuries, fatalities, or illnesses
Include widespread damage to property/environment
Result in psychological threat/trauma
Span multiple operational periods (days, weeks)
Are costly to control and mitigate
Require extensive recovery efforts
Draw national media interest
✔✔Coordinated - ✔✔Emergency managers synchronize the activities of all relevant
stakeholders to achieve a common purpose.
✔✔Designers of the system recognized early that ICS must be interdisciplinary and
organizationally flexible to meet the following management challenges - ✔✔1. Meet the
needs of the incidents of any kind or size
2. Be usable for routine events or complex emergencies incidents
3. allow personnel from a variety of agencies to meld rapidly into a common
management structure.
4. provided logistical and administrative support to ensure that operational staff can
meet incident objectives.
5. Be cost effective by avoiding duplication of efforts
✔✔Flexible - ✔✔emergency managers use creative and innovative approaches in
solving disaster challenges.
✔✔2. The act of directing, ordering, or controlling by virtue of explicit statutory,
regulatory, or delegated authority is the definition of: - ✔✔(a) Command
✔✔Professional - ✔✔emergency managers value a science- and knowledge-based
approach based on education, training, experience, ethical practice, public stewardship,
and continuous improvement.
✔✔Poorly managed incident response can be devastating to our? - ✔✔Economy, to our
food supply and to our health and safety.
,✔✔Congressional Act of 1803 - ✔✔considered beginning of federal intervention into
disaster relief; was the earliest effort to provide disaster
relief on a Federal level after a fire devastated a New Hampshire town.
✔✔3. What type of ICS structure is illustrated below?
ICS organization with Incident Command, Operations Section, Planning Section,
Logistics Section, and Finance/Admin Sections. Reporting to the Operations Section are
Branch I (Incident 1), Branch II (Incident 2), and Branch III (Incident 3). - ✔✔(b) Incident
Complex
✔✔Defense Production Act of 1950 - ✔✔was the first comprehensive legislation
pertaining to Federal disaster relief.
✔✔ICS is built around five major functions that may be applied on any incident whether
it is large or small. The five major management functions are - ✔✔1. Incident Command
IC
2. Operations Section
3. Planning Section
4. Logistics Section
5. Finance/Administration Section
✔✔4. State one reason why a single incident may be divided into separate incidents. -
✔✔When an incident spreads into other jurisdiction(s) and Unified Command is not
feasible.
When it is difficult to manage from one location due to terrain and access.
When an incident has objectives that are naturally separating into two operations.
When the Planning Section, even with additional resources, can no longer adequately
provide planning services.
When the Logistics Section can no longer, or will soon not be able to, serve the
widespread facilities and operations from a single incident base.
When the Operations Section cannot manage the number of resources required
without exceeding span of control.
✔✔Executive Order 10427 - ✔✔emphasized that Federal disaster assistance
was supplemental to State, local, and private-sector support.
✔✔Executive Order 12127 - ✔✔merged many of the separate disaster-related
responsibilities into a new Federal Emergency Management Agency.
✔✔Incident Commander - ✔✔The individual responsible for overall management of the
incident
✔✔Stafford Act - ✔✔legislation focused on providing Federal aid in an
, emergency. Modified after Katrina so president can step in when necessary. The Robert
T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Public Law 93- 288, as
amended.
✔✔5. When Branch Tactical Planning is implemented, then: - ✔✔(d) A Branch within
the Operations Section develops detailed action plans while the Planning Section
provides support and coordination.
✔✔PKEMRA - ✔✔Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act - includes a key
provision that accelerated assistance can be provided by FEMA in the absence of a
State request.; Established new DHS leadership positions; Moved functions into FEMA;
Created and reallocated functions to other components within DHS; Amended the
Homeland Security Act
✔✔6. An incident is geographically dispersed, and it is not feasible for the incident base
to support the incident logistical needs. Assuming that you do not want to divide the
incident in two separate incidents, what is another option for managing this incident? -
✔✔(c) Establish a second Logistics Section reporting to a Deputy Incident Commander
(Logistics).
✔✔Sandy Recovery Improvement Act of 2013 - ✔✔made changes to the way disaster
assistance is delivered under a variety of programs and authorized tribal governments
to request a declaration of an emergency or major disaster without going through the
State.
✔✔Command Staff - ✔✔The command staff consists of the PIO, Safety officer and
liaison officer. They report directly to the incident command. They may have an
assistant or assistants as needed.
✔✔Officer - ✔✔Officer is the ICS title for the personnel responsible for the Command
Staff positions of Safety, Liaison and Public information.
✔✔PPD-8 - ✔✔Presidential Policy Directive 8; describes the Nation's approach to
preparedness—one that involves the whole community, including individuals,
businesses, community- and faith-based organizations, schools, tribes, and all levels of
government, working together to build and sustain preparedness capabilities.
✔✔National Preparedness Goal - ✔✔outlines the capabilities necessary to prevent,
protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from the threats and hazards that
pose the greatest risk to the Nation.
✔✔7. Area Command should: - ✔✔(d) Be staffed with qualified and experienced
personnel.
