In the Incident Command System, what are the three levels of command?

• A. Strategic, Tactical, and Task levels
• B. Strategic, Operational, and Tactical levels
• C. Command, Control, and Communications
• D. Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary levels

Answer: (A)

In the Incident Command System, command is organized by scope of decision-making and supervision into three levels: strategic, tactical, and task. The strategic level handles the overall direction—setting incident objectives, prioritizing needs, and coordinating with other agencies. The tactical level translates those objectives into specific actions, directing how resources will be used and supervising the on-scene teams to implement the plan. The task level involves the actual hands-on work by individuals or small crews carrying out assigned tasks and reporting progress back to the tactical level. This structure explains why the best choice lists Strategic, Tactical, and Task levels—the terms map directly to how ICS organizes authority from broad planning to concrete execution. The other options mix concepts that aren’t the recognized three command levels in this framework.