Which option correctly matches the five major ICS sections with their primary responsibilities?

Which option correctly matches the five major ICS sections with their primary responsibilities?

• A. Operations – overall incident leadership; Command – tactical field tasks; Planning – information and IAP; Logistics – budgeting and resource support.
• B. Command – overall incident leadership; Operations – tactical field tasks; Planning – information and IAP; Logistics – resources and services; Finance/Administration – cost and procurement.
• C. Planning – overall incident leadership; Command – field operations; Logistics – information management; Finance – public communications.
• D. Public Information Officer – command; Safety Officer – logistics; Liaison – planning; Finance – operations.

Answer: (B)

In ICS, each major section has a distinct, primary responsibility that keeps the incident organized and moving forward. Command is the overall incident leadership, setting the direction, priorities, and objectives. Operations translates those objectives into actual field actions and handles the tactical tasks on the ground. Planning focuses on gathering and managing information and producing the Incident Action Plan that guides the response. Logistics provides the resources and services needed to support the incident, including facilities, equipment, and supplies. Finance/Administration handles the financial side, such as cost tracking, procurement, and timekeeping.

This mapping matches the responsibilities as: Command oversees the incident overall; Operations handles tactical field tasks; Planning manages information and the IAP; Logistics provides resources and services; Finance/Administration covers cost and procurement. The other configurations place leadership, field operations, information management, or financial tasks in the wrong sections, which would disrupt how the ICS system coordinates response.