An incident action plan (IAP) helps to maintain ___________ of effort.

• A. Coordination
• B. Unity
• C. Consistency
• D. Efficiency

Answer: (B)

An incident action plan maintains unity of effort by aligning objectives, strategies, and resource use across all responding agencies and disciplines. When everyone works from a single plan, priorities stay consistent, actions are coordinated, and there’s less duplication or conflict as the incident unfolds. The IAP assigns responsibilities and timelines so each group knows how their work fits into the overall mission, which is why the emphasis is on keeping all responders moving toward the same goals. Coordination, consistency, and efficiency are important outcomes, but the core idea the IAP supports is unity of effort across diverse teams.