National Incident Management System (NIMS) IS-200 Practice Exam 2025 – Your All-in-One Guide to Master NIMS Certification!

The Incident Commander is responsible for assigning resources during an incident, and this role is critical to the successful management of incidents within the National Incident Management System (NIMS). As the leader of the incident response, the Incident Commander is tasked with establishing the incident objectives and determining the strategies necessary to achieve those objectives. This includes identifying and mobilizing the appropriate resources—both personnel and equipment—needed for effective incident response.

The Incident Commander's authority allows for quick decision-making and agility in resource assignment, which is vital in dynamic and often unpredictable incident scenarios. This position serves as the central point of command and communication, ensuring a coordinated response across all sections and units involved in the incident response efforts.

In contrast, while the other roles mentioned have distinct responsibilities, they do not have the overarching authority to assign resources. The Operations Section Chief focuses on managing the tactical operations to accomplish the objectives set by the Incident Commander, but the actual allocation of resources remains a decision made by the Incident Commander. The Finance/Administration Section Chief is responsible for financial management and tracking costs associated with the incident, while the Planning Section Chief is concerned with collecting and analyzing information needed for effective decision-making. Thus, the assignment of resources is a primary function of the Incident Commander, distinguishing their critical