Which is a location near the incident scene where resources are held, ready to be assigned if needed?

The staging area is a strategic location near the incident scene where additional resources, such as personnel and equipment, are held in readiness for deployment as needed. This area allows for efficient organization and management of resources, ensuring that they can be quickly mobilized to assist in the response without interfering with ongoing operations at the incident scene.

In an emergency situation, managing the flow of resources is critical. The staging area serves as the control point where responders can wait until they are assigned specific tasks. This minimizes confusion and allows for a clear structure in incident command, facilitating seamless integration of new resources into the operational environment.

While the check-in area is primarily focused on tracking which responders are present, and a camp is more about providing rest and resource support for long-term operations, the staging area specifically emphasizes readiness and immediate deployability. The incident base functions as the central command location for an incident but does not typically serve as a holding area for operational resources poised for rapid task assignment.