Which activity is part of the preparedness phase of disaster management?

Which activity is part of the preparedness phase of disaster management?

• A. Establishing ICS
• B. On-scene triage during an incident
• C. Transporting patients to hospital
• D. Conducting mass casualty decontamination

Answer: (A)

Setting up the Incident Command System creates the organizational framework responders rely on before an incident starts. This preparedness activity establishes clear roles, responsibility, and lines of communication so that, when a real event occurs, a unified command structure can be activated quickly and resources can be coordinated effectively. Triage, transport to hospital, and mass casualty decontamination happen after an incident has begun and are part of the response phase, focusing on managing casualties and protecting people as the situation unfolds. ICS, by contrast, is about planning, training, and arranging how the response will be carried out, making it foundational before any incident occurs.

Setting up the Incident Command System creates the organizational framework responders rely on before an incident starts. This preparedness activity establishes clear roles, responsibility, and lines of communication so that, when a real event occurs, a unified command structure can be activated quickly and resources can be coordinated effectively.

Triage, transport to hospital, and mass casualty decontamination happen after an incident has begun and are part of the response phase, focusing on managing casualties and protecting people as the situation unfolds. ICS, by contrast, is about planning, training, and arranging how the response will be carried out, making it foundational before any incident occurs.