Which term best describes the written set of objectives, priorities, and resource assignments for an incident?

• A. Incident Action Plan
• B. Operational policies
• C. Plan of operation
• D. Mitigation plan

Answer: (A)

The written set of objectives, priorities, and resource assignments for an incident is the Incident Action Plan. In the Incident Command System, the IAP is the central planning document created to guide all incident operations for the current operational period. It translates incident objectives into actionable tasks, assigns which resources will handle each task, and establishes safety, communication, and coordination details. This makes it the best description because it consolidates what must be accomplished, the order of priorities, and exactly who or what is assigned to carry out those tasks in one formal plan.

Other terms don’t fit because they refer to different things: policies are general guidelines used by an organization rather than a specific incident’s plan; a plan of operation isn’t the standard ICS term for guiding incident response; and a mitigation plan focuses on reducing risk or remedying vulnerabilities rather than directing immediate incident response.