In the ICS system, which set of roles comprises the command staff?

• A. Incident Commander, Operations Section Chief, and Logistics Chief
• B. Public Health Officer, Safety Officer, and Liaison
• C. PIO, Liaison Officer, and Safety Officer
• D. Finance/Administration Chief

Answer: (C)

In the Incident Command System, the command staff are the Public Information Officer, the Liaison Officer, and the Safety Officer. These roles report directly to the Incident Commander and focus on communicating with the public and media, coordinating with other agencies and organizations, and ensuring overall safety on the incident site. They do not manage field operations or support functions, which are handled by the General Staff (such as Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration). The combination of Public Information Officer, Liaison Officer, and Safety Officer is the standard command staff set because it covers information sharing, interagency coordination, and safety oversight—essential elements that support the command function without getting into tactical operations. The other options mix in roles that belong to the General Staff or replace a standard command role with an nonstandard one, which is why they don’t fit as the command staff.