Which of the following is a key component of resource management in incident response?

Resource management is crucial in incident response as it ensures that the right resources are available at the right time to effectively deal with an emergency. Training and preparedness are foundational elements in this process. They equip responders with the knowledge and skills necessary to utilize resources efficiently during an incident.

Effective training simulates real-life situations, allowing responders to practice deploying resources under stressful conditions, which speeds up their response time and improves decision-making when an actual incident occurs. Preparedness also involves planning and configuration of resources, ensuring the team knows how to access and mobilize them as needed.

The other components mentioned, such as media relations, policy definition, and community outreach, while important for overall emergency management, do not specifically focus on the direct management and deployment of resources during an incident response. Media relations pertain more to communication strategies, policy definition relates to establishing protocols and guidelines, and community outreach involves engaging with the public for collaboration and awareness. These aspects support resource management but do not serve as its key component.