NIMS/ICS
NIMS/ICS (Introduction to the Incident Command System, ICS 100 / An Introduction to the National Incident Management System)
More study resources
Cheat sheet
Keep the key ideas within reach.
ExploreKey terms
Get comfortable with the vocabulary.
ExploreStudy plan
Give each week a clear focus.
ExploreCommon mistakes
Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
ExploreCase studies
Put your knowledge to work in context.
ExploreExam-day guide
Prepare for the day ahead.
ExploreAbout this exam
NIMS/ICS refers to two separate FEMA Emergency Management Institute Independent Study courses that together form the entry point to incident management training. IS-100.C, Introduction to the Incident Command System, introduces ICS and provides the foundation for higher level ICS training; it describes the history, features and principles, and organizational structure of ICS, and explains the relationship between ICS and the National Incident Management System. IS-700.B, An Introduction to the National Incident Management System, gives learners a basic understanding of NIMS concepts, principles, and components, including resource management, the NIMS Management Characteristics, ICS organizational structures, Emergency Operations Center functions, and the coordination structures that link ICS, EOCs, the Joint Information System, and Multiagency Coordination Groups. Both are interactive web-based courses taken online, each with a final exam, and both require a FEMA SID account. IS-100.C is listed at 2 hours with 0.2 CEUs and no prerequisites; IS-700.B is listed at 3.5 hours with 0.4 CEUs and no prerequisites. The five IS-100.C course objectives map directly onto the domains tested here: ICS principles and structure, NIMS management characteristics, functional areas and the Incident Commander and Command Staff, General Staff roles, and applying NIMS characteristics across roles and disciplines. Prepare by working the objectives in order, then testing yourself on role definitions and characteristic names, which are the most commonly confused items. This page is independent study material and is not affiliated with FEMA or EMI.
What you'll study
About NIMS/ICS preparation
Is this the same as the official FEMA course?
No. The official courses are IS-100.C and IS-700.B, delivered as interactive web-based courses through the FEMA Emergency Management Institute Independent Study Program. This page is independent practice material built around the published course objectives. Completing practice questions here does not enroll you in, or issue credit for, either official course.
How long does each course take?
The IS-100.C course overview lists a course length of 2 hours and 0.2 CEUs. The IS-700.B overview lists 3.5 hours and 0.4 CEUs. These are the published estimates; actual time depends on how quickly you read and how often you revisit sections before attempting the final exam.
Are there any prerequisites?
Neither course lists a prerequisite. IS-100.C states "Prerequisites None" and IS-700.B states "Prerequisites none." You can start either one without prior ICS or NIMS training, though many candidates take IS-100.C first because it establishes the ICS vocabulary that IS-700.B assumes when discussing organizational structures.
What do I need before I can take the final exam?
You need a FEMA SID account. Both course pages state that you will need a FEMA SID account and link to registration if you do not already have one. Set the SID up before you begin the course so that your course completion and exam result are recorded against the correct student identifier.
What is the exam format?
Both courses are listed as interactive web-based courses with an online final exam. Each course page also carries a notice that test questions are scrambled to protect test integrity, so question order will not match the order of the lesson material. Work through the content sequentially rather than trying to memorize a fixed sequence.
Which course should I study first?
Start with IS-100.C. Its objectives cover ICS principles and structure, the NIMS management characteristics, functional areas, the Incident Commander and Command Staff, and General Staff roles. IS-700.B then widens the frame to NIMS as a whole, including resource management, EOC functions, and multiagency coordination, which is easier to absorb once the ICS vocabulary is solid.
What trips people up most?
Role boundaries and characteristic names. Candidates mix up Command Staff positions with General Staff positions, and they blur similar-sounding management characteristics. Another common problem is answering from habit rather than from the scenario: many items ask who performs a function or which characteristic is illustrated, so read for the specific situation before choosing.
Is there a stated retake policy or passing score?
The course overview pages do not publish a passing score, a retake policy, or a validity period for either course. Because those values are not stated in the source material, treat any figure you see elsewhere with caution and confirm current requirements through the official Independent Study program before relying on them.
How should I use these practice questions?
Use them as a diagnostic, not a substitute for the course. Read the lesson content first, then answer by domain so you can see which of the five objective areas is weakest. Review the explanation for every item you miss, including ones you guessed correctly, since a lucky guess hides the same gap as a wrong answer.