CSI Emergency Action Planning 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The Incident Command System (ICS) uses a 'span of control' that is ideally kept within what ratio?
- 1 supervisor to 2–3 personnel
- 1 supervisor to 3–7 personnel (Correct answer)
- 1 supervisor to 8–12 personnel
- 1 supervisor to 15–20 personnel
Correct answer: 1 supervisor to 3–7 personnel
ICS recommends a span of control between 1:3 and 1:7, with 1:5 considered optimal, to maintain effective supervision without overwhelming any single supervisor.
Question 2: Which document within an emergency plan specifies the order in which a facility will restore functions after an incident?
- Hazard Vulnerability Analysis
- Business Impact Analysis
- Recovery Priorities List (Correct answer)
- Incident Action Plan
Correct answer: Recovery Priorities List
A Recovery Priorities List (or restoration priority document) ranks critical functions and systems in the order they must be restored post-incident.
Question 3: During a mass evacuation drill, the security investigator notices that employees with mobility impairments have no designated rescue assistance procedure. The BEST immediate action is to:
- Evacuate all mobility-impaired employees immediately using the nearest stairwell
- Document the gap and establish a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) for each affected individual (Correct answer)
- Post signs directing mobility-impaired employees to wait near elevators
- Report the finding only to senior management after the drill
Correct answer: Document the gap and establish a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) for each affected individual
Establishing individual PEEPs ensures that employees with mobility impairments have a documented, rehearsed plan tailored to their specific needs and the building layout.
Question 4: A 'tabletop exercise' is most useful for:
- Testing physical evacuation routes under realistic conditions
- Identifying gaps in plans through facilitated discussion without deploying resources (Correct answer)
- Training first responders in hands-on emergency techniques
- Measuring emergency response times for benchmarking
Correct answer: Identifying gaps in plans through facilitated discussion without deploying resources
Tabletop exercises gather key stakeholders to walk through scenarios verbally, exposing plan gaps, coordination issues, and decision-making weaknesses without operational disruption.
Question 5: Which communication method is generally considered MOST reliable when normal telecommunications infrastructure fails during a major disaster?
- Cellular telephone networks
- Social media platforms
- Amateur (ham) radio (Correct answer)
- Corporate email systems
Correct answer: Amateur (ham) radio
Amateur (ham) radio operates independently of commercial infrastructure and is widely used as a backup emergency communication system when cellular and internet networks are down.
Question 6: The National Incident Management System (NIMS) was designed primarily to:
- Replace local emergency response plans with federal standards
- Provide a consistent nationwide framework for government and private sector emergency management (Correct answer)
- Mandate specific equipment for all first responders
- Establish liability protections for emergency volunteers
Correct answer: Provide a consistent nationwide framework for government and private sector emergency management
NIMS provides a scalable, flexible framework enabling all levels of government, NGOs, and the private sector to work together effectively during incidents of any size.
Question 7: When should an Emergency Action Plan be reviewed and updated?
- Every five years regardless of facility changes
- Only after a major emergency has occurred
- When the plan is changed, facility layout changes, or when a drill reveals deficiencies (Correct answer)
- Whenever federal regulations require a new OSHA inspection
Correct answer: When the plan is changed, facility layout changes, or when a drill reveals deficiencies
OSHA requires EAP review whenever the plan itself changes, when occupancy or layout changes, or when post-drill/exercise review reveals inadequacies.
CSI Emergency Action Planning 3
The Incident Command System (ICS) uses a 'span of control' that is ideally kept within what ratio?