The general staff of the ICS is comprised of which groups?

• A. Command Staff and Finance
• B. Public Information Officer and Safety Officer
• C. Operations Section, Planning Section, Logistics, and Finance/Administration
• D. Incident Commander and Liaison Officer

Answer: (C)

In ICS, the General Staff is made up of four sections that handle the main functional areas of incident management: Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration. The Operations Section Chief directs tactical response and field activities; Planning develops the incident action plan, collects and analyzes information, and coordinates resource needs; Logistics provides the facilities, services, and equipment that support the incident response; and Finance/Administration manages cost, procurement, and administrative tracking. The other roles listed belong to the Command Staff (such as Public Information Officer, Safety Officer, and Liaison Officer) or are individual command roles, not part of the General Staff. So the four sections together best fit the General Staff.