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The National Incident Management System – A Workbook for State Department of Transportation Frontline Workers – Supervisor Instructions

U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration

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The Transportation Pooled Fund Program

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The Workbook, NRF/NIMS for Frontline Transportation Workers, is designed to provide State Departments of Transportation front-line employees with basic information concerning the National Response Framework (NRF), the National Incident Management System (NIMS), and the Incident Command System (ICS).

This Workbook meets the national objectives and training requirements set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for credit for the FEMA courses IS-100.

The Workbook is comprised of four (4) modules.

  1. The National Response Framework
  2. The National Incident Management System
  3. Introduction to ICS
  4. ICS Organization

If your employee has completed Independent Study (IS)-100.a, Introduction to Incident Command System, or IS-100.PWa, Introduction to Incident Command System for Public Works Personnel, offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency's on-line training site (http://training.fema.gov/IS), this Workbook will serve as a reference document. If your employee has not taken and completed IS-100.a, or IS-100.PWa, this Workbook will provide him/her with an understanding of the basics of ICS. The Workbook covers the fundamentals, without going into a lot of detail, that would be covered in more formal ICS training. Based on the level and amount of information, most employees will be able to complete the workbook during lunch breaks over a normal work week.

There are interactive thought-provoking scenarios and short question/answers at the end of each module. In addition, there is a Comprehensive Final Review consisting of ten (10) questions at the end of the workbook. Only you have the answers to the Final Review questions (provided on the next page). Your employee will need to answer these and you will need to check them before the employee can receive credit for completing the course.

There is also an Addendum at the end of the workbook to provide the employee with a checklist for participating in an ICS-managed incident.

Comprehensive Final Review – Answer Key

As mentioned above, at the end of the Workbook are 10 questions that your employee is to answer. He/she will return the Workbook to you for your review of the selected answers. Review the answers and return the Workbook to the employee so he/she can use it as a reference document.

  1. The ability to communicate within ICS is absolutely critical. In order to ensure efficient, clear communication, ICS requires the use of:

    1. Common terminology. [page 14]

  2. Which General Staff position prepares and documents the Incident Action Plan, collects and evaluates information, maintains resource status, and maintains documentation for incident records?

    1. Planning Section Chief. [page 30]

  3. Expansion of incidents may require the delegation of authority for the performance of Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration functions. The people who manage these four functions are designated as the:

    1. General Staff. [page 27]

  4. Which incident facility is the location where personnel and equipment are kept while waiting for assignments?

    1. Staging Area. [page 18]

  5. Which position is the only one that is always staffed in ICS applications?

    1. Incident Commander. [page 25]

  6. ICS has been used to manage incidents such as fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, and acts of terrorism. Which of the following situations represents another viable application for the use of ICS?

    1. The planning and operation of the Central City annual Labor Day celebration, including a parade and fair. [page 12]

  7. One ICS principle relates to the supervisory structure of the organization and pertains to the number of individuals or resources one incident supervisor can manage effectively. This operating guideline is referred to as:

    1. Span of Control. [page 18]

  8. A basic ICS principle is that the first Incident Commander is responsible for all actions until:

    1. Properly relieved by an incoming Incident Commander. [page 25]

  9. At each level of the ICS organization, individuals in positions of primary responsibility have distinct titles. Using specific ICS position titles:

    1. Allows ICS positions to be filled with the most qualified individuals rather than being filled just by rank alone. [page 25]

  10. Unified Command:

    1. Enables all agencies with responsibility to manage an incident together by establishing a common set of incident objectives and strategies. [page 20]




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