Which are the primary sections into which ICS is organized?

• A. Command, Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration
• B. Command, Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Public Information
• C. Command, Operations, Planning, Coordination, and Finance
• D. Incident Command, Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Public Affairs

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is how ICS is structured around five major sections that cover all incident needs. These five sections are Command, Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration. Each has a distinct role: Command sets the overall direction and safety goals for the incident; Operations carries out the tactical actions to meet those objectives and manages frontline resources; Planning gathers information, develops the Incident Action Plan, and tracks what’s happening to predict what’s needed next; Logistics provides the facilities, services, and supplies that support the response; Finance/Administration handles costs, contracts, timekeeping, and other financial and administrative tasks. Public Information or Public Affairs are important support functions, but they’re typically handled within the Command Staff or as specialized staff rather than as one of the five main sections. On simpler incidents, some roles may be merged, but the standard framework remains those five sections.