FEMA IS- 230E FINAL EXAM (LATEST 2026 UPDATE) FUNDAMENTALS
OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT | QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS| GRADE A | 100% CORRECT ALREADY GRADED A+
1) What is the primary federal role of FEMA during a major disaster in the United
States?
A. Provide all on-scene tactical command for local response
B. Fund 100% of all disaster recovery projects without state involvement
C. Coordinate the federal government’s response and support State, tribal,
territorial, and local efforts
D. Replace state and local governments in long-term governance
Rationale (detailed):
FEMA’s central federal role is coordination — acting as the principal agency to
marshal and align federal resources and assistance in support of state, local, tribal,
and territorial governments during disasters. FEMA does not supplant local
incident command or provide 100% funding for recovery projects; instead it
supports, supplements, and coordinates. Local and state authorities maintain
primary responsibility for on-scene command and everyday public safety
functions. The Stafford Act and FEMA doctrine empower federal assistance when
local/state resources are overwhelmed, but federal assistance is typically
supplemental and often cost-shared. This distinction matters because effective
emergency management depends on aligning authority (local operational control)
with federal coordination and resource support. FEMA NDEMU
2) Which of the following is not one of the five mission areas defined by the
National Preparedness Goal?
A. Prevention
,B. Protection
C. Education
D. Recovery
Rationale (detailed):
The National Preparedness Goal organizes national preparedness into five mission
areas: Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery. These
mission areas focus effort across government and the whole community toward
capabilities that reduce risk, protect people and infrastructure, prepare for
incidents, respond effectively, and recover. “Education” is important to
preparedness (public education is an activity), but it is not one of the five named
mission areas. Knowing the mission areas helps prioritize planning and identify
which core capabilities apply to particular activities (for example, “Public
Information and Warning” supports multiple mission areas). FEMA
3) The “Whole Community” approach to emergency management means:
A. Only government agencies determine community needs and response priorities
B. Emergency managers should focus solely on critical infrastructure owners
C. Engaging and integrating individuals, families, organizations, businesses,
nongovernmental and faith-based groups, and all levels of government to
build resilience
D. Outsourcing emergency management functions to private contractors
Rationale (detailed):
The Whole Community concept intentionally expands responsibility and
participation beyond government agencies: it recognizes that individuals,
nonprofits, businesses, faith groups, civic leaders, volunteer organizations, and all
levels of government have strengths, needs, and responsibilities in preparing for,
responding to, and recovering from incidents. The approach values local
knowledge, leverages non-governmental capacities, and promotes shared decision
making and inclusive planning (including persons with access and functional
needs). This increases resilience and ensures plans reflect real community needs
,rather than being purely top-down. It is a unifying philosophy in FEMA guidance.
FEMA
4) Which of the following is listed as a cross-cutting core capability that spans all
mission areas?
A. Mass Care Services
B. Planning
C. Fire Suppression
D. Medical Surge
Rationale (detailed):
“Cross-cutting” core capabilities are those that are essential across Prevention,
Protection, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery. Planning is explicitly a cross-
cutting capability (it is fundamental to establishing coherent objectives and
coordinating activities before, during, and after incidents). Public Information and
Warning and Operational Coordination are other examples of cross-cutting
capabilities. Capabilities like Mass Care or Medical Surge are critical but more
mission-specific (primarily Response/Recovery). Distinguishing cross-cutting
capabilities helps emergency managers ensure those functions are integrated into
all planning and exercises. FEMA
5) What section of an Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) typically contains the
Purpose, Scope, Situation Overview, Assumptions, Concept of Operations, and
Organization and Assignment of Responsibilities?
A. Executive Summary
B. Annexes
C. Basic Plan
D. Appendices
Rationale (detailed):
The Basic Plan (sometimes called the “core” or “foundation” of an EOP) explains
why the plan exists (purpose), the range of events and conditions it addresses
(scope), the current situation overview and assumptions, the overall concept of
, operations (how response will be organized), and assignment of roles and
responsibilities. Annexes provide functional or hazard-specific details (e.g.,
sheltering annex, communications annex) and appendices hold supporting
documents like checklists, contact lists, or maps. The Basic Plan is intentionally
high level so the EOP can remain stable while annexes/appenda are updated as
operational detail changes.
6) Which FEMA program is primarily intended to provide funding for long-term
hazard mitigation projects that become available after a Presidential disaster
declaration?
A. Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program
B. Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)
C. Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP)
D. Repetitive Flood Claims (RFC) Program
Rationale (detailed):
The HMGP is triggered by a Presidential major disaster declaration and provides
funding to states, tribes, territories, and local governments to implement mitigation
measures that reduce future disaster losses. HMGP supports planning and projects
(e.g., elevating flood-prone structures, buyouts, retrofits) and frequently requires a
local mitigation plan to be eligible. Other programs (like Pre-Disaster Mitigation)
may provide mitigation funding outside of a declared disaster; HMGP is
specifically tied to post-disaster funding availability. Understanding when HMGP
is available helps communities seize mitigation opportunities during recovery and
“build back better.” FEMA
7) Which of the following is an example of a non-structural mitigation activity?
A. Building a new levee system
B. Elevating an entire building on stilts
C. Updating land-use policies to restrict development in floodplains
D. Constructing a seawall
Rationale (detailed):
Non-structural mitigation refers to policies, practices, programs, and planning
OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT | QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS| GRADE A | 100% CORRECT ALREADY GRADED A+
1) What is the primary federal role of FEMA during a major disaster in the United
States?
A. Provide all on-scene tactical command for local response
B. Fund 100% of all disaster recovery projects without state involvement
C. Coordinate the federal government’s response and support State, tribal,
territorial, and local efforts
D. Replace state and local governments in long-term governance
Rationale (detailed):
FEMA’s central federal role is coordination — acting as the principal agency to
marshal and align federal resources and assistance in support of state, local, tribal,
and territorial governments during disasters. FEMA does not supplant local
incident command or provide 100% funding for recovery projects; instead it
supports, supplements, and coordinates. Local and state authorities maintain
primary responsibility for on-scene command and everyday public safety
functions. The Stafford Act and FEMA doctrine empower federal assistance when
local/state resources are overwhelmed, but federal assistance is typically
supplemental and often cost-shared. This distinction matters because effective
emergency management depends on aligning authority (local operational control)
with federal coordination and resource support. FEMA NDEMU
2) Which of the following is not one of the five mission areas defined by the
National Preparedness Goal?
A. Prevention
,B. Protection
C. Education
D. Recovery
Rationale (detailed):
The National Preparedness Goal organizes national preparedness into five mission
areas: Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery. These
mission areas focus effort across government and the whole community toward
capabilities that reduce risk, protect people and infrastructure, prepare for
incidents, respond effectively, and recover. “Education” is important to
preparedness (public education is an activity), but it is not one of the five named
mission areas. Knowing the mission areas helps prioritize planning and identify
which core capabilities apply to particular activities (for example, “Public
Information and Warning” supports multiple mission areas). FEMA
3) The “Whole Community” approach to emergency management means:
A. Only government agencies determine community needs and response priorities
B. Emergency managers should focus solely on critical infrastructure owners
C. Engaging and integrating individuals, families, organizations, businesses,
nongovernmental and faith-based groups, and all levels of government to
build resilience
D. Outsourcing emergency management functions to private contractors
Rationale (detailed):
The Whole Community concept intentionally expands responsibility and
participation beyond government agencies: it recognizes that individuals,
nonprofits, businesses, faith groups, civic leaders, volunteer organizations, and all
levels of government have strengths, needs, and responsibilities in preparing for,
responding to, and recovering from incidents. The approach values local
knowledge, leverages non-governmental capacities, and promotes shared decision
making and inclusive planning (including persons with access and functional
needs). This increases resilience and ensures plans reflect real community needs
,rather than being purely top-down. It is a unifying philosophy in FEMA guidance.
FEMA
4) Which of the following is listed as a cross-cutting core capability that spans all
mission areas?
A. Mass Care Services
B. Planning
C. Fire Suppression
D. Medical Surge
Rationale (detailed):
“Cross-cutting” core capabilities are those that are essential across Prevention,
Protection, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery. Planning is explicitly a cross-
cutting capability (it is fundamental to establishing coherent objectives and
coordinating activities before, during, and after incidents). Public Information and
Warning and Operational Coordination are other examples of cross-cutting
capabilities. Capabilities like Mass Care or Medical Surge are critical but more
mission-specific (primarily Response/Recovery). Distinguishing cross-cutting
capabilities helps emergency managers ensure those functions are integrated into
all planning and exercises. FEMA
5) What section of an Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) typically contains the
Purpose, Scope, Situation Overview, Assumptions, Concept of Operations, and
Organization and Assignment of Responsibilities?
A. Executive Summary
B. Annexes
C. Basic Plan
D. Appendices
Rationale (detailed):
The Basic Plan (sometimes called the “core” or “foundation” of an EOP) explains
why the plan exists (purpose), the range of events and conditions it addresses
(scope), the current situation overview and assumptions, the overall concept of
, operations (how response will be organized), and assignment of roles and
responsibilities. Annexes provide functional or hazard-specific details (e.g.,
sheltering annex, communications annex) and appendices hold supporting
documents like checklists, contact lists, or maps. The Basic Plan is intentionally
high level so the EOP can remain stable while annexes/appenda are updated as
operational detail changes.
6) Which FEMA program is primarily intended to provide funding for long-term
hazard mitigation projects that become available after a Presidential disaster
declaration?
A. Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program
B. Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)
C. Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP)
D. Repetitive Flood Claims (RFC) Program
Rationale (detailed):
The HMGP is triggered by a Presidential major disaster declaration and provides
funding to states, tribes, territories, and local governments to implement mitigation
measures that reduce future disaster losses. HMGP supports planning and projects
(e.g., elevating flood-prone structures, buyouts, retrofits) and frequently requires a
local mitigation plan to be eligible. Other programs (like Pre-Disaster Mitigation)
may provide mitigation funding outside of a declared disaster; HMGP is
specifically tied to post-disaster funding availability. Understanding when HMGP
is available helps communities seize mitigation opportunities during recovery and
“build back better.” FEMA
7) Which of the following is an example of a non-structural mitigation activity?
A. Building a new levee system
B. Elevating an entire building on stilts
C. Updating land-use policies to restrict development in floodplains
D. Constructing a seawall
Rationale (detailed):
Non-structural mitigation refers to policies, practices, programs, and planning
