FEMA IS-0700.B: AN INTRODUCTION TO NIMS, IS-700.B: AN INTRODUCTION TO
THE NATIONAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM EXAM | ALL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS | UPDATED VERSION
Question 1
Which NIMS Management Characteristic includes documents that record and communicate
incident objectives, tactics, and assignments for operations and support?
A) Information and Intelligence Management
B) Incident Action Planning
C) Integrated Communications
D) Comprehensive Resource Management
E) Modular Organization
Correct Answer: B) Incident Action Planning
Rationale: Incident Action Planning (IAP) provides a concise, coherent means of capturing
and communicating overall incident priorities, objectives, and strategies. It includes
specific tactics and assignments so that all personnel are working toward the same goals for
a specific operational period.
Question 2
Which ICS structure enables different jurisdictions to jointly manage and direct incident
activities with a single incident action plan?
A) Area Command
B) Multiagency Coordination Group
C) Unified Command
D) Emergency Operations Center
E) Joint Information System
Correct Answer: C) Unified Command
Rationale: Unified Command allows agencies with different legal, geographic, and
functional responsibilities to coordinate, plan, and interact effectively. It results in a single
integrated Plan (IAP) and ensures no agency's authority is compromised while maintaining
a common set of incident objectives.
Question 3
Which NIMS Management Characteristic follows established processes for gathering, analyzing,
assessing, sharing, and managing data?
A) Common Terminology
B) Establishment and Transfer of Command
C) Accountability
D) Information and Intelligence Management
E) Manageable Span of Control
Correct Answer: D) Information and Intelligence Management
Rationale: Incident-related information and intelligence are crucial for situational
awareness. This characteristic ensures that data is collected and processed in a way that
, 2
provides incident managers with the "big picture" needed to make informed decisions and
maintain safety.
Question 4
Which NIMS Management Characteristic involves using standardized names and definitions for
major organizational functions, facility types, and unit designations?
A) Modular Organization
B) Common Terminology
C) Unified Command
D) Chain of Command
E) Integrated Communications
Correct Answer: B) Common Terminology
Rationale: NIMS emphasizes common terminology to prevent confusion among diverse
responding agencies. This includes using "plain language" rather than specialized radio
codes or jargon, ensuring that everyone understands the functions, resources, and facilities
being used.
Question 5
Which resource management task enables resource coordination throughout the incident and
provides situational awareness regarding the status of resources?
A) Order and Acquire
B) Mobilize
C) Track and Report
D) Demobilize
E) Reimburse and Restock
Correct Answer: C) Track and Report
Rationale: Tracking and reporting occur throughout the incident lifecycle. This task ensures
that managers know where resources are, what they are doing, and their current status
(assigned, available, or out of service), which is vital for safety and efficiency.
Question 6
Each ICS General Staff Section is led by a(n) ___________ who reports directly to the Incident
Commander or Unified Command.
A) Unit Leader
B) Supervisor
C) Director
D) Section Chief
E) Officer
Correct Answer: D) Section Chief
Rationale: In the ICS hierarchy, the General Staff consists of the Operations, Planning,
Logistics, and Finance/Administration Sections. Each of these functional areas is led by a
, 3
"Chief." Command Staff (Safety, Liaison, Public Information), by contrast, are led by
"Officers."
Question 7
The Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) is best described as:
A) A federal mandate for local compliance
B) A private sector agreement for equipment sales
C) A state-to-state system for sharing resources during an emergency
D) An international treaty for border security
E) A volunteer registry for individual citizens
Correct Answer: C) A state-to-state system for sharing resources during an emergency
Rationale: EMAC is a congressionally ratified organization that provides form and
structure to interstate mutual aid. It allows states to share personnel, equipment, and
expertise during disasters, ensuring that the legal and financial aspects of the assistance are
pre-arranged.
Question 8
The use of communications and information systems that are familiar to users and can be
adapted to various situations is a part of which key principle?
A) Resilience and Redundancy
B) Interoperability
C) Reliability, Scalability, and Portability
D) Security and Confidentiality
E) Strategic Planning
Correct Answer: C) Reliability, Scalability, and Portability
Rationale: NIMS communications must be reliable (familiar and dependable), scalable (able
to grow from a small to a large incident), and portable (able to be moved and integrated
across different jurisdictions).
Question 9
The three NIMS guiding principles are:
A) Planning, Response, and Recovery
B) Flexibility, Standardization, and Unity of Effort
C) Command, Control, and Coordination
D) Prevention, Protection, and Mitigation
E) Identify, Type, and Inventory
Correct Answer: B) Flexibility, Standardization, and Unity of Effort
Rationale: Flexibility allows NIMS to scale for any incident; Standardization provides a
common framework and language; Unity of Effort ensures that diverse organizations can
work toward a common goal without losing their individual legal authorities.
, 4
Question 10
Using social media to support activities such as producing maps and incident visualizations is an
example of which communications standard?
A) Common Terminology
B) Information Security
C) Technology Use and Procedures
D) Unified Command
E) Public Information Officer Protocol
Correct Answer: C) Technology Use and Procedures
Rationale: Technology use and procedures involve using specialized tools—including social
media, GIS, and data sharing platforms—to enhance situational awareness and provide
accurate information to both responders and the public.
Question 11
Which resource management task deploys or activates personnel and resources according to the
needs of the incident?
A) Order and Acquire
B) Mobilize
C) Identify and Type
D) Track and Report
E) Recover
Correct Answer: B) Mobilize
Rationale: Mobilization is the process of getting resources to the incident. It involves
notification, check-in at the incident site, and receiving assignments. Only resources that
have been requested through formal channels should be mobilized.
Question 12
Which NIMS Management Characteristic refers to the number of subordinates that directly
report to a supervisor?
A) Chain of Command
B) Span of Control
C) Unity of Command
D) Modular Organization
E) Unified Command
Correct Answer: B) Manageable Span of Control
Rationale: Manageable Span of Control is critical for safety and effective supervision. NIMS
generally recommends a ratio of one supervisor to five subordinates (1:5), though it can
range from 1:3 to 1:7 depending on the complexity of the task.
Question 13
'Ensuring the uninterrupted flow of information' describes which key communications and
THE NATIONAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM EXAM | ALL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS | UPDATED VERSION
Question 1
Which NIMS Management Characteristic includes documents that record and communicate
incident objectives, tactics, and assignments for operations and support?
A) Information and Intelligence Management
B) Incident Action Planning
C) Integrated Communications
D) Comprehensive Resource Management
E) Modular Organization
Correct Answer: B) Incident Action Planning
Rationale: Incident Action Planning (IAP) provides a concise, coherent means of capturing
and communicating overall incident priorities, objectives, and strategies. It includes
specific tactics and assignments so that all personnel are working toward the same goals for
a specific operational period.
Question 2
Which ICS structure enables different jurisdictions to jointly manage and direct incident
activities with a single incident action plan?
A) Area Command
B) Multiagency Coordination Group
C) Unified Command
D) Emergency Operations Center
E) Joint Information System
Correct Answer: C) Unified Command
Rationale: Unified Command allows agencies with different legal, geographic, and
functional responsibilities to coordinate, plan, and interact effectively. It results in a single
integrated Plan (IAP) and ensures no agency's authority is compromised while maintaining
a common set of incident objectives.
Question 3
Which NIMS Management Characteristic follows established processes for gathering, analyzing,
assessing, sharing, and managing data?
A) Common Terminology
B) Establishment and Transfer of Command
C) Accountability
D) Information and Intelligence Management
E) Manageable Span of Control
Correct Answer: D) Information and Intelligence Management
Rationale: Incident-related information and intelligence are crucial for situational
awareness. This characteristic ensures that data is collected and processed in a way that
, 2
provides incident managers with the "big picture" needed to make informed decisions and
maintain safety.
Question 4
Which NIMS Management Characteristic involves using standardized names and definitions for
major organizational functions, facility types, and unit designations?
A) Modular Organization
B) Common Terminology
C) Unified Command
D) Chain of Command
E) Integrated Communications
Correct Answer: B) Common Terminology
Rationale: NIMS emphasizes common terminology to prevent confusion among diverse
responding agencies. This includes using "plain language" rather than specialized radio
codes or jargon, ensuring that everyone understands the functions, resources, and facilities
being used.
Question 5
Which resource management task enables resource coordination throughout the incident and
provides situational awareness regarding the status of resources?
A) Order and Acquire
B) Mobilize
C) Track and Report
D) Demobilize
E) Reimburse and Restock
Correct Answer: C) Track and Report
Rationale: Tracking and reporting occur throughout the incident lifecycle. This task ensures
that managers know where resources are, what they are doing, and their current status
(assigned, available, or out of service), which is vital for safety and efficiency.
Question 6
Each ICS General Staff Section is led by a(n) ___________ who reports directly to the Incident
Commander or Unified Command.
A) Unit Leader
B) Supervisor
C) Director
D) Section Chief
E) Officer
Correct Answer: D) Section Chief
Rationale: In the ICS hierarchy, the General Staff consists of the Operations, Planning,
Logistics, and Finance/Administration Sections. Each of these functional areas is led by a
, 3
"Chief." Command Staff (Safety, Liaison, Public Information), by contrast, are led by
"Officers."
Question 7
The Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) is best described as:
A) A federal mandate for local compliance
B) A private sector agreement for equipment sales
C) A state-to-state system for sharing resources during an emergency
D) An international treaty for border security
E) A volunteer registry for individual citizens
Correct Answer: C) A state-to-state system for sharing resources during an emergency
Rationale: EMAC is a congressionally ratified organization that provides form and
structure to interstate mutual aid. It allows states to share personnel, equipment, and
expertise during disasters, ensuring that the legal and financial aspects of the assistance are
pre-arranged.
Question 8
The use of communications and information systems that are familiar to users and can be
adapted to various situations is a part of which key principle?
A) Resilience and Redundancy
B) Interoperability
C) Reliability, Scalability, and Portability
D) Security and Confidentiality
E) Strategic Planning
Correct Answer: C) Reliability, Scalability, and Portability
Rationale: NIMS communications must be reliable (familiar and dependable), scalable (able
to grow from a small to a large incident), and portable (able to be moved and integrated
across different jurisdictions).
Question 9
The three NIMS guiding principles are:
A) Planning, Response, and Recovery
B) Flexibility, Standardization, and Unity of Effort
C) Command, Control, and Coordination
D) Prevention, Protection, and Mitigation
E) Identify, Type, and Inventory
Correct Answer: B) Flexibility, Standardization, and Unity of Effort
Rationale: Flexibility allows NIMS to scale for any incident; Standardization provides a
common framework and language; Unity of Effort ensures that diverse organizations can
work toward a common goal without losing their individual legal authorities.
, 4
Question 10
Using social media to support activities such as producing maps and incident visualizations is an
example of which communications standard?
A) Common Terminology
B) Information Security
C) Technology Use and Procedures
D) Unified Command
E) Public Information Officer Protocol
Correct Answer: C) Technology Use and Procedures
Rationale: Technology use and procedures involve using specialized tools—including social
media, GIS, and data sharing platforms—to enhance situational awareness and provide
accurate information to both responders and the public.
Question 11
Which resource management task deploys or activates personnel and resources according to the
needs of the incident?
A) Order and Acquire
B) Mobilize
C) Identify and Type
D) Track and Report
E) Recover
Correct Answer: B) Mobilize
Rationale: Mobilization is the process of getting resources to the incident. It involves
notification, check-in at the incident site, and receiving assignments. Only resources that
have been requested through formal channels should be mobilized.
Question 12
Which NIMS Management Characteristic refers to the number of subordinates that directly
report to a supervisor?
A) Chain of Command
B) Span of Control
C) Unity of Command
D) Modular Organization
E) Unified Command
Correct Answer: B) Manageable Span of Control
Rationale: Manageable Span of Control is critical for safety and effective supervision. NIMS
generally recommends a ratio of one supervisor to five subordinates (1:5), though it can
range from 1:3 to 1:7 depending on the complexity of the task.
Question 13
'Ensuring the uninterrupted flow of information' describes which key communications and
