What is the purpose of the On-Deck position?

• A. To assign companies to the warm zone of attack positions and serve as a link between staging and IDLH area.
• B. To manage medical triage.
• C. To control water supply.
• D. To supervise entry into IDLH.

Answer: (A)

The On-Deck position is the bridge between staging and interior operations. Its main purpose is to assign responding companies to specific attack tasks in the warm zone and coordinate their entry into the structure, ensuring teams move in a controlled, organized way with proper accountability. This role keeps the flow from staging to inside the IDLH area smooth and prevents confusion or gaps in coverage as crews advance.

Other functions described don’t fit this role: medical triage is handled by medical commands, water supply is the pump operator’s or logistics task, and supervising entry into the IDLH is typically the responsibility of the entry supervisor or incident command.