Incident Action Planning Process
“The Planning P”
EXTRACTED FROM - E/L/G 0300 INTERMEDIATE INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM FOR EXPANDING
INCIDENTS,
ICS 300
March 2018 Incident Action Planning Process
EXTRACTED FROM - E/L/G 0300
Intermediate Incident Command System for Expanding Incidents,
ICS 300
2
Incident Action Planning Process
The incident action planning process and IAPs are central to managing incidents. The
incident action planning process helps synchronize operations and ensure that they
support incident objectives. Incident action planning is more than producing an IAP and
completing forms—it provides a consistent rhythm and structure to incident
management.
Personnel managing the incident develop an IAP for each operational period. A concise
IAP template is essential to guide the initial incident management decision process and
the continuing collective planning activities. The IAP is the vehicle by which leaders on
an incident communicate their expectations and provide clear guidance to those
managing the incident. The IAP:
• Informs incident personnel of the incident objectives for the operational
period, the specific resources that will be applied, actions taken during the
operational period to achieve the objectives, and other operational information
(e.g., weather, constraints, limitations, etc.);
• Informs partners, EOC staff, and MAC Group members regarding the
objectives and operational activities planned for the coming operational
period;
• Identifies work assignments and provides a roadmap of operations during the
operational period to help individuals understand how their efforts affect the
success of the operation;
• Shows how specific supervisory personnel and various operational elements
fit into the organization; and
• Often provides a schedule of the key meetings and briefings during the
operational period.
The IAP provides clear direction and includes a comprehensive listing of the tactics,
resources, and support needed to accomplish the objectives. The various steps in the
process, executed in sequence, help ensure a comprehensive IAP. These steps support
the accomplishment of objectives within a specified time.
The development of IAPs is a cyclical process, and personnel repeat the planning steps
every operational period. The Operational Period Planning Cycle (Planning P) is a
graphic depiction of this cycle. Personnel develop the IAP using the best information
available at the time of the Planning Meeting. Personnel should not delay planning
meetings in anticipation of future information.
In the Planning P, the leg of the “P” describes the initial stages of an incident, when
personnel work to gain awareness of the situation and establish the organization for
incident management.
March 2018 Incident Action Planning Process
EXTRACTED FROM - E/L/G 0300
Intermediate Incident Command System for Expanding Incidents,
ICS 300
3
During the initial stage of incident management, the Incident Commander typically
develops a simple plan and communicates the plan through concise oral briefings. In
the beginning of an incident, the situation can be chaotic and situational awareness
hard to obtain, so the Incident Commander often develops this initial plan very quickly
and with incomplete situation information. As the incident management effort evolves,
additional lead time, staff, information systems, and technologies enable more detailed
planning and cataloging of events and lessons learned. The steps of the planning
process are essentially the same for the first responders on scene determining initial
tactics and for personnel developing formal written IAPs.
Incident personnel perform the steps in the leg of the “P” only one time. Once they are
accomplished, incident management shifts into a cycle of planning and operations,
informed by ongoing situational awareness and repeated each operational period
The following are brief descriptions of the meetings and briefings that are repeated each
operational cycle until the conclusion of the incident or event.
Objectives Development/Update: The IC/UC establishes the incident objectives
for the initial operational period. After the initial operational period, the IC/UC
reviews the incident objectives and may validate them, modify them, or develop
new objectives.
Strategy Meeting/Command and General Staff Meeting: After developing or
revising the incident objectives, the IC/UC typically meets with the Command and
General Staff, and sometimes others, to discuss the incident objectives and
provide direction.
Preparing for the Tactics Meeting: Once the approach to achieving or working
toward achieving the incident objectives is determined, the Operations Section
Chief and staff prepare for the Tactics Meeting by developing tactics and
determining the resources that will be applied during the operational period.
Tactics Meeting: In the Tactics Meeting, key players review the proposed tactics
developed by the Operations Section and conduct planning for resource
assignments. The OPS Section Chief leads the Tactics Meeting, and key
participants include the LOG Section Chief, Safety Officer, a Planning
representative and others invitees.
Preparing for the Planning Meeting: Following the Tactics Meeting, staff
collaborate to identify support needs and assign specific resources to accomplish
the plan.
Planning Meeting: The Planning Meeting serves as a final review and approval of
operational plans and resource assignments developed during and after the
Tactics Meeting. At the end of the Planning Meeting, Command and General
Staff confirm that they can support the plan.
March 2018 Incident Action Planning Process
EXTRACTED FROM - E/L/G 0300
Intermediate Incident Command System for Expanding Incidents,
ICS 300
4
IAP Preparation and Approval: Based on concurrence from all elements at the
end of the Planning Meeting, the Incident Commander or Unified Command
approves the plan.
Operational Period Briefing: Each operational period starts with an Operational
Period Briefing. Incident supervisory and tactical personnel receive the IAP
during the briefing. Members of the Command and General Staff present the
incident objectives, review the current situation, and share information related to
communications or safety. Following the Briefing, supervisors brief their assigned
personnel on their respective assignments.
Operational Period Planning Cycle (Planning P)
