ICS designates three resource status categories. Which is one?

• A. Assigned
• B. Available
• C. In Use
• D. Out-of-service

Answer: (A)

In ICS, keeping track of each resource’s status helps command know who’s ready, who’s assigned, and who’s unavailable. One of the standard statuses used to indicate a resource has been allocated to a task or unit is Assigned. When a resource is assigned, it’s tied to a specific objective and isn’t free for new assignments until it’s demobilized or reassigned. This designation clarifies that the resource is actively supporting an incident, which is why it’s the best choice here.

Available means the resource is ready to be assigned, and In Use is another way to describe active work but is typically represented by the Assigned status in the tracking system. Out-of-service signals the resource can’t be used right now due to maintenance or repair, and isn’t part of the ongoing status flow for active incident management.