which statement below correctly describes how to manage span of control using the modular concept?

The correct statement is:

Span of control is accomplished by organizing resources into Teams, Divisions, Groups, Branches, or Sections.

Quick scoop answer

In Incident Command System (ICS) and NIMS, the modular organization lets leaders keep a manageable span of control (typically about 1:5) by expanding or contracting the structure as the incident grows or shrinks. This is done by adding or removing Teams, Divisions, Groups, Branches, or entire Sections so that no one supervisor directly oversees too many people.

What “modular concept” means here

• The organization starts small and then builds out modules (like Operations Section, Divisions, Groups) only when needed.

• When things calm down, modules can be merged or demobilized so supervisors are not managing too few resources either.

How it manages span of control

• If one supervisor has too many subordinates, new Teams/Divisions/Groups/Branches/Sections are created and responsibilities are split.

• If the span of control is too narrow (too few people per supervisor), the structure can be simplified by combining elements.

Why other statements are wrong (common options)

Typical incorrect options seen in practice include:

• Saying span of control can be extended beyond 1:10 just to deploy more resources. This contradicts ICS guidance about maintaining an effective supervision ratio.

• Saying span of control is less important for short incidents, or that it should be set without considering incident type, task nature, or hazards, which ignores safety and operational complexity.

Bottom line: the modular concept manages span of control by organizing and re-organizing resources into appropriate ICS units (Teams, Divisions, Groups, Branches, Sections) as the incident changes.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.