NIMS ICS 300: Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents
Comprehensive Examination With Correct Answers Version
2026/2027
1. Which National Incident Management System (NIMS) management characteristic involves a
detailed, written strategy that outlines operational objectives and resources for a specific
operational period?
Correct Answer: Incident Action Planning
2. What specific ICS position has the ultimate, legally designated authority to establish strategic
objectives, approve the Incident Action Plan, and order the release of incident resources?
Correct Answer: Incident Commander
3. When an incident expands beyond the capability of a single jurisdiction or agency, what
structural command variation is established to allow multiple agencies to co-manage the
incident under a single shared set of objectives?
Correct Answer: Unified Command
4. What specific Command Staff position serves as the primary, official point of contact for
media organizations and handles the public dissemination of incident information?
Correct Answer: Public Information Officer
5. Which Command Staff position is legally empowered to immediately bypass the standard
chain of command to halt unsafe operations or hazardous tactical activities?
Correct Answer: Safety Officer
6. What Command Staff role functions as the primary, institutional point of contact for agency
representatives assigned to the incident from cooperating or assisting agencies?
Correct Answer: Liaison Officer
7. Which specific General Staff section is responsible for the direct, physical execution of all
tactical objectives outlined in the Incident Action Plan?
Correct Answer: Operations Section
8. Within the Operations Section, what organizational element is established to divide an
incident geographically?
Correct Answer: Divisions
9. Within the Operations Section, what organizational element is established to partition an
incident into functional areas of operation?
Correct Answer: Groups
10. What structural level of organization is placed physically between a Division or Group and
the Operations Section Chief to maintain an optimal span of control during complex
incidents?
Correct Answer: Branches
11. What is the NIMS standard, recommended supervisor-to-subordinate span of control ratio
for efficient incident operations?
Correct Answer: One supervisor to five subordinates (1:5)
, 12. Which General Staff section is responsible for gathering, evaluating, and disseminating
incident intelligence, tracking resource status, and maintaining documentation?
Correct Answer: Planning Section
13. Which specialized unit within the Planning Section is specifically responsible for checking in
resources, tracking their physical status, and maintaining the master resource inventory?
Correct Answer: Resources Unit
14. Which Planning Section unit is responsible for compiling the physical data required to
develop, print, and distribute the written Incident Action Plan?
Correct Answer: Situation Unit
15. Which Planning Section unit holds the primary responsibility for ensuring all official incident
files, logbooks, forms, and legal records are accurately archived?
Correct Answer: Documentation Unit
16. Which specific Planning Section unit coordinates the safe, orderly, and efficient return of
resources to their home jurisdictions at the end of an incident?
Correct Answer: Demobilization Unit
17. Which General Staff section provides the operational facilities, transportation,
communications, medical services, and fuel required to support the response?
Correct Answer: Logistics Section
18. Which unit within the Logistics Section is directly responsible for developing and maintaining
the incident-wide communication plan (ICS Form 205)?
Correct Answer: Communications Unit
19. Which Logistics Section unit is responsible for providing physical medical care and emergency
transportation for injured emergency response personnel?
Correct Answer: Medical Unit
20. Which Logistics Section unit is responsible for securing, distributing, and tracking the food,
water, and nutritional requirements for all assigned incident personnel?
Correct Answer: Food Unit
21. Which General Staff section manages vendor contracts, tracks personnel hours, processes
injury compensation claims, and conducts overall cost-effectiveness analyses?
Correct Answer: Finance/Administration Section
22. Which unit within the Finance/Administration Section ensures that all personnel time sheets
and physical tracking logs are accurately recorded and calculated?
Correct Answer: Time Unit
23. Which Finance/Administration Section unit is responsible for managing vendor contracts,
lease agreements, and tracking standard supply orders?
Correct Answer: Procurement Unit
24. Which Finance/Administration Section unit focuses specifically on processing financial claims
resulting from personal injury or property damage occurring during an incident?
Correct Answer: Compensation/Claims Unit
Comprehensive Examination With Correct Answers Version
2026/2027
1. Which National Incident Management System (NIMS) management characteristic involves a
detailed, written strategy that outlines operational objectives and resources for a specific
operational period?
Correct Answer: Incident Action Planning
2. What specific ICS position has the ultimate, legally designated authority to establish strategic
objectives, approve the Incident Action Plan, and order the release of incident resources?
Correct Answer: Incident Commander
3. When an incident expands beyond the capability of a single jurisdiction or agency, what
structural command variation is established to allow multiple agencies to co-manage the
incident under a single shared set of objectives?
Correct Answer: Unified Command
4. What specific Command Staff position serves as the primary, official point of contact for
media organizations and handles the public dissemination of incident information?
Correct Answer: Public Information Officer
5. Which Command Staff position is legally empowered to immediately bypass the standard
chain of command to halt unsafe operations or hazardous tactical activities?
Correct Answer: Safety Officer
6. What Command Staff role functions as the primary, institutional point of contact for agency
representatives assigned to the incident from cooperating or assisting agencies?
Correct Answer: Liaison Officer
7. Which specific General Staff section is responsible for the direct, physical execution of all
tactical objectives outlined in the Incident Action Plan?
Correct Answer: Operations Section
8. Within the Operations Section, what organizational element is established to divide an
incident geographically?
Correct Answer: Divisions
9. Within the Operations Section, what organizational element is established to partition an
incident into functional areas of operation?
Correct Answer: Groups
10. What structural level of organization is placed physically between a Division or Group and
the Operations Section Chief to maintain an optimal span of control during complex
incidents?
Correct Answer: Branches
11. What is the NIMS standard, recommended supervisor-to-subordinate span of control ratio
for efficient incident operations?
Correct Answer: One supervisor to five subordinates (1:5)
, 12. Which General Staff section is responsible for gathering, evaluating, and disseminating
incident intelligence, tracking resource status, and maintaining documentation?
Correct Answer: Planning Section
13. Which specialized unit within the Planning Section is specifically responsible for checking in
resources, tracking their physical status, and maintaining the master resource inventory?
Correct Answer: Resources Unit
14. Which Planning Section unit is responsible for compiling the physical data required to
develop, print, and distribute the written Incident Action Plan?
Correct Answer: Situation Unit
15. Which Planning Section unit holds the primary responsibility for ensuring all official incident
files, logbooks, forms, and legal records are accurately archived?
Correct Answer: Documentation Unit
16. Which specific Planning Section unit coordinates the safe, orderly, and efficient return of
resources to their home jurisdictions at the end of an incident?
Correct Answer: Demobilization Unit
17. Which General Staff section provides the operational facilities, transportation,
communications, medical services, and fuel required to support the response?
Correct Answer: Logistics Section
18. Which unit within the Logistics Section is directly responsible for developing and maintaining
the incident-wide communication plan (ICS Form 205)?
Correct Answer: Communications Unit
19. Which Logistics Section unit is responsible for providing physical medical care and emergency
transportation for injured emergency response personnel?
Correct Answer: Medical Unit
20. Which Logistics Section unit is responsible for securing, distributing, and tracking the food,
water, and nutritional requirements for all assigned incident personnel?
Correct Answer: Food Unit
21. Which General Staff section manages vendor contracts, tracks personnel hours, processes
injury compensation claims, and conducts overall cost-effectiveness analyses?
Correct Answer: Finance/Administration Section
22. Which unit within the Finance/Administration Section ensures that all personnel time sheets
and physical tracking logs are accurately recorded and calculated?
Correct Answer: Time Unit
23. Which Finance/Administration Section unit is responsible for managing vendor contracts,
lease agreements, and tracking standard supply orders?
Correct Answer: Procurement Unit
24. Which Finance/Administration Section unit focuses specifically on processing financial claims
resulting from personal injury or property damage occurring during an incident?
Correct Answer: Compensation/Claims Unit
