Most veterinarians work in which ICS functional area?

• A. Planning
• B. Logistics
• C. Operations
• D. Finance/Administration

Answer: (C)

In ICS, the part of the organization that handles the actual response work in the field is Operations. Most veterinarians are on the front lines delivering care to animals, triaging, treating, moving or stabilizing animals, and supporting field rescue or containment efforts. These are direct, hands-on activities that implement what the incident action plan calls for, which is exactly what the Operations Section coordinates.

Planning focuses on creating the plan, tracking resources, and directing information; Logistics provides the resources and support services needed to carry out the response; Finance/Administration handles cost, contracts, and administration. While those areas are important, they don’t represent where most veterinarians spend their day-to-day work during an incident, which is in the field carrying out the care and relief activities.