Incident Command and NIMS on Construction Sites practice questions for the CHST exam
CHST5 Domain 2: Emergency Preparedness, Incident Investigation, and Response (K2.4 Incident command; S2.3 Coordinate with emergency responders). 3 free questions below. Every answer quotes and links the regulation paragraph it rests on.
- FEMA, National Incident Management System, 3rd ed. (2017): National Incident Management System
Text pulled from the eCFR, current as of .
A structural collapse at a high-rise construction site draws the city fire department, a county sheriff's rescue team, the general contractor's safety staff, and a utility crew. Responders from each agency use different radio codes and their own names for the same locations, so the safety technician cannot relay accurate information between them. Which NIMS guiding principle, if applied, most directly fixes this problem?
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Answer: D. Standardization, because common terminology enables effective communication among organizations
The standard says NIMS includes common terminology, which enables effective communication. That is the fix when agencies use different codes and names. Flexibility is about scaling to different incidents, and unity of effort is about coordinating toward common objectives, so neither addresses the terminology mismatch.
“NIMS also includes common terminology, which enables effective communication.”
A small general contractor activates a company emergency operations center (EOC) after a crane collapse at a remote project. Only two people are available to staff the EOC, and the space is limited. The EOC director asks whether she must wait for a full complement before starting, or whether she can handle the unstaffed roles herself. Under the NIMS modular organization characteristic as applied to EOCs, what is appropriate?
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Answer: B. She may perform the duties of other EOC team members herself until those positions are staffed.
The standard applies modular organization to EOCs: where staffing and space are limited, the person in charge can perform the director's duties and the duties of unstaffed positions until they are filled. Waiting for full staffing contradicts the modular approach, and the standard does not require handing the role to an official or switching to unified command.
“In an EOC where staffing and space are limited, the individual in charge may perform not only the duties of the EOC director, but also the duties of other EOC team members unless or until those other positions are staffed.”
A scaffold collapse at a high-rise site triggers a multi-agency response organized under NIMS. The site's safety technician is assigned to the incident's Safety function. Both the fire branch director and the general contractor's project manager are now giving the technician conflicting, simultaneous instructions on where to stage the injured workers' triage area. Which NIMS principle is being violated, and what does it require?
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Answer: A. Unity of command, which requires that each individual report to only one person
Unity of command means each individual reports to only one person, which prevents confusion from multiple, conflicting directives like those in this case. The span of control and information management options do not address conflicting directions to one person, and the standard does not tie dispatch to agency ownership.
“Unity of command means that each individual only reports to one person. This clarifies reporting relationships and reduces confusion caused by multiple, conflicting directives, enabling leadership at all levels to effectively direct the personnel under their supervision.”
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