What is the collective term for the chiefs of the four major functional sections in the incident command system?

• A. ICS Board of Directors
• B. ICS General Staff
• C. Command Staff and General Staff
• D. Incident Management Team

Answer: (B)

In ICS, the four major functional sections are Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration, and the chiefs of those sections form the General Staff. These leaders coordinate the core support functions that keep the incident moving forward, reporting to the Incident Commander. The Command Staff—which includes roles like the Public Information Officer, Safety Officer, and Liaison Officer—supports the Incident Commander but is separate from the General Staff. The term Incident Management Team refers to the broader assembled group for a response, not specifically to the chiefs of the four main sections.