The Incident commander

Question 1

What is one of the key responsibilities of an effective Incident Commander (IC)?

a) Completing tasks at the firefighter level
b) Sizing up a situation and determining a correct course of action
c) Engaging in self-reflection only after an incident
d) Avoiding establishment of command during an incident

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Where does the practice required to become an effective IC primarily come from?

a) Casual conversations with colleagues
b) Intuition and guesswork
c) Case studies, simulations, and the fire ground
d) Avoiding self-reflection

Answer 2

C

Question 3

What is the primary difference between firefighters and Incident Commanders (ICs) according to the information?

a) Firefighters focus on control and routinization, while ICs focus on tasks
b) Firefighters focus on thinking and reflection, while ICs focus on action
c) Firefighters focus on acting and reacting, while ICs focus on routinizing, controlling, and thinking
d) Firefighters focus on understanding tasks, while ICs focus on completing them

Answer 3

C

Question 4

What is the concept of “Unity of Command” primarily concerned with?

a) Allowing employees to report to multiple supervisors
b) Creating confusion and frustration among workers
c) Directing accountability for a worker to one supervisor
d) Encouraging competition among supervisors

Answer 4

C

Question 5

What potential consequences can result from violating the principle of “Unity of Command”?

a) Increased productivity and efficiency
b) Clear communication among supervisors
c) Confusion and frustration among workers
d) Improved quality of tasks

Answer 5

C

Question 6

What action should supervisors take if more than one of them is managing a worker?

a) Ignore the situation and hope it resolves itself
b) Discuss with the worker individually without involving other supervisors
c) Get together to discuss what transpired and how to avoid it in the future, and advise the worker of the breakdown in communication
d) Criticize the worker for not communicating properly

Answer 6

C

Question 7

What is the “span of control” in the context of the fire service?

a) The number of tools a firefighter can effectively manage
b) The limit one person can effectively manage
c) The distance a firefighter can control a hose
d) The number of tasks a firefighter can perform simultaneously

Answer 7

B

Question 8

According to the rule of thumb in the fire service, how many individuals can an officer effectively supervise?

a) 2-3
b) 5-6
c) 8-10
d) 12-15

Answer 8

B

Question 9

What factors affect the number of people that can be supervised by an officer?

a) The color of the firefighter’s uniform
b) The number of years the officer has been in service
c) The size of the firetruck
d) The ability and experience of the officer, the firefighters, nature of the task, relationship of tasks, and organization stability and competence

Answer 9

D

Question 10

What is the role of an Incident Commander (IC) at an emergency incident?

a) They handle tactical operations directly
b) They manage only one specific task
c) They assume overall command and control of personnel and apparatus
d) They operate at the task level

Answer 10

C

Question 11

What is the primary role of an Incident Commander (IC)?

a) Perform firefighting tasks directly
b) Manage tactical operations on the ground
c) Direct all operations from a strategic level
d) Provide medical care to injured citizens

Answer 11

C

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT a responsibility of the Incident Commander?

a) Protect, remove, and provide care for endangered citizens
b) Provide for firefighting safety and survival
c) Stop the fire
d) Repair damaged property after fire control operations

Answer 12

D

Question 13

What should the Incident Commander prioritize when making decisions?

a) Dead-end decisions
b) Closed-ended decisions
c) Open-ended decisions
d) Assumption-based decisions

Answer 13

C

Question 14

How should the Incident Commander approach decision-making in a dynamic situation?

a) Stick to initial assumptions without considering new information
b) Maintain a flexible approach and adapt to changing circumstances
c) Rely solely on factual information, ignoring assumptions
d) Delegate all decision-making tasks to subordinate officers

Answer 14

B

Question 15

What should the Incident Commander do after initiating action during an incident?

a) Micromanage every aspect of the operation
b) Assume a management role and delegate tactical responsibilities
c) Retreat from the scene to avoid potential hazards
d) Take a break and let the situation unfold on its own

Answer 15

B

Question 16

What is the primary goal of experienced incident commanders when applying command and control?

a) Micromanage every aspect of the operation
b) Achieve results efficiently and effectively
c) Maintain control over every decision
d) Take charge for the sake of authority

Answer 16

B

Question 17

What does “selective democracy” refer to in the context of incident command?

a) Allowing all personnel to vote on every decision
b) Only allowing certain personnel to participate in decision-making
c) Deciding when to call for a vote based on the situation
d) Ignoring input from subordinates

Answer 17

C

Question 18

What is the purpose of Stress Management in incident command?

a) Increase the number of subordinates for better control
b) Decrease stress on officers by limiting their responsibilities
c) Place additional stress on the incident commander for better decision-making
d) Eliminate stress entirely from the command structure

Answer 18

B

Question 19

What does “Lone Ranger Management” involve?

a) Working independently without any support
b) Delegating tasks to all subordinates equally
c) Acting as a single commander while delegating tasks to officers
d) Avoiding delegation and taking on all responsibilities

Answer 19

C

Question 20

What is an essential aspect of effective command and control according to the provided information?

a) Ignoring the analysis of the situation
b) Refusing to delegate tasks to subordinates
c) Relying on regular updates from officers
d) Avoiding the formation of a command team

Answer 20

C

Question 21

What is a critical aspect of effective command and control during an incident?

a) Micromanagement of subordinates
b) Lack of review and evaluation
c) Maximize effectiveness by managing and evaluating performance
d) Strict adherence to initial plans

Answer 21

C

Question 22

Why is it important for the Incident Commander to have an open-ended plan during an incident?

a) To avoid any changes to the plan
b) To operate without a backup
c) To adapt to unforeseen circumstances
d) To stick to the original plan

Answer 22

C

Question 23

What should the Incident Commander do if reports from the field do not align with the overall situation?

a) Accept the reports without question
b) Countermand an order in a confrontational manner
c) Question reports and possibly countermand an order constructively
d) Ignore the reports and continue with the original plan

Answer 23

C

Question 24

Why is it essential for the Incident Commander to conduct a post-critique after the incident?

a) To provide positive feedback to all personnel
b) To evaluate the effectiveness of behavior, ability, and performance
c) To avoid acknowledging any mistakes made during the incident
d) To criticize subordinates publicly

Answer 24

B

Question 25

What is a trait of an effective Incident Commander according to the provided information?

a) Micromanagement of subordinates
b) Lack of concern for all personnel
c) Lack of respect for command
d) Concern for all personnel

Answer 25

D