Incident Action 

Planning Guide 

Revision 1 

July 2015 

Incident Action 

Planning Guide 

Revision 1 / July 2015 

U. S. DEPARTMENT

OF 

HOMELAND SECURITY

FEMA



 

Table of Contents 

Chapter 1: Introduction................................................................................................................... 1 

Purpose........................................................................................................................................ 1 

Applicability and Scope .............................................................................................................. 1 

Supersession................................................................................................................................ 1 

Authorities and Foundational Documents................................................................................... 1 

Chapter 2: What is An Incident Action Plan?................................................................................. 3 

Incident Action Planning............................................................................................................. 5 

Incident Action Plan Considerations........................................................................................... 6 

Resolving Inconsistencies between FEMA and State, Tribal, or Territorial Incident Action 

Plan Guidance ......................................................................................................................... 7 

Multiple Incident Action Plans ............................................................................................... 7 

Incident Action Planning with Tribal Governments............................................................... 7 

Planning Process Phases.............................................................................................................. 8 

IAP Forms during the Process..................................................................................................... 9 

Initial IAP.................................................................................................................................. 11 

Deliberate Plans .................................................................................................................... 11 

Using a FEMA Deliberate Plan to Develop an IAP ............................................................. 12 

Linking National/Regional Support Plans to Incident Action Planning ................................... 12 

Chapter 3: Phase 1—Understand The Situation ........................................................................... 13 

Gaining Initial Situational Awareness ...................................................................................... 13 

Collection.............................................................................................................................. 13 

Analysis................................................................................................................................. 13 

Dissemination ....................................................................................................................... 14 

Ongoing Assessment/Situational Awareness........................................................................ 14 

Establishing Initial Incident Priorities .................................................................................. 14 

Developing the Action Planning Team................................................................................. 16 

Initiating Incident Action Planning....................................................................................... 16 

Conducting Incident Action Planning Meetings and Briefings ............................................ 16 

Chapter 4: Phase 2—Establish Incident Objectives...................................................................... 21 

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Responsibilities ......................................................................................................................... 21 

Priorities .................................................................................................................................... 21 

Incident Objectives.................................................................................................................... 22 

Unified Coordination Group Develops and Updates Objectives .............................................. 24 

The Command & General Staff Meeting .................................................................................. 24 

Chapter 5: Phase 3 - Develop the Plan.......................................................................................... 26 

Strategies ................................................................................................................................... 26 

Determining Strategies.......................................................................................................... 27 

Determining Tactics.............................................................................................................. 27 

Assigning Resources and Describing Work Assignments.................................................... 28 

Identify the Reporting Location............................................................................................ 30 

Determine Logistical Support Needs to Complete the Assignment ..................................... 30 

Using the Operational Planning Worksheet.............................................................................. 30 

The Operations Tactics Meeting ............................................................................................... 32 

Chapter 6: Phase 4 - Prepare and Disseminate the Plan ............................................................... 34 

Planning Section Responsibilities............................................................................................. 35 

Planning Section Chief ......................................................................................................... 35 

Resource Unit........................................................................................................................ 36 

Situation Unit........................................................................................................................ 38 

Planning Support Unit........................................................................................................... 39 

Command/General Staff ....................................................................................................... 39 

Logistics Section................................................................................................................... 41 

Air Operations Branch (Operations Section)........................................................................ 41 

Additional Items to the IAP .................................................................................................. 41 

The Planning Meeting........................................................................................................... 41 

Printing and Distributing the IAP ......................................................................................... 42 

Chapter 7: Phase 5 - Execute, Evaluate, and Revise the Plan....................................................... 43 

Operations Briefing................................................................................................................... 43 

Assess Progress and Effectiveness........................................................................................ 44 

Ending Incident Action Planning.......................................................................................... 45 

Annex 1: Acronyms ...................................................................................................................... 46 

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Annex 2: Glossary......................................................................................................................... 48 

Appendix A: How to Develop Incident Objectives ...................................................................... 51 

Appendix B: Incident Command System Map Symbols .............................................................. 56 

Appendix C: Job Aids for Staff Preparing FEMA ICS Forms for the IAP .................................. 57 

Appendix D: Final Quality Assurance Checklist.......................................................................... 65 

Appendix E: Maintaining Situational Awareness Throughout the Life Cycle of the Incident..... 66 

Incorporating Deliberate Plans into Initial Situation Assessment............................................. 66 

Post Initial Situation Awareness ........................................................................................... 68 

Information Collection Plan...................................................................................................... 68 

Situational Awareness Products................................................................................................ 68 

Situation Reports................................................................................................................... 69 

Spot Reports.......................................................................................................................... 69 

Situation Update Briefing.......................................................................................................... 69 

Responsibilities ......................................................................................................................... 70 

Summary ................................................................................................................................... 70 

Table of Figures 

Figure 1: IAPs Developed Across All Echelons of an Incident...................................................... 4 

Figure 2: The Planning “P” – The Incident Action Planning Process ............................................ 8 

Figure 3: The Operations “O” – The Operational Period Cycle of the Incident Action Planning 

Process ............................................................................................................................................ 9 

Figure 4: Where ICS Forms are executed during the Incident Action Planning Process ............. 11 

Figure 5: Phase 1 of the Incident Action Planning Process.......................................................... 16 

Figure 6: Phase 2 of the Incident Action Planning Process.......................................................... 21 

Figure 7: Phase 3 of the Incident Action Planning Process.......................................................... 26 

Figure 8: Phase 4 of the Incident Action Planning Process.......................................................... 34 

Figure 9: Phase 5 in the Incident Action Planning Process .......................................................... 43 

Figure 10: Incident Command Map and Symbols ........................................................................ 56 

Figure 11: Understanding the Situation ........................................................................................ 68 

Table of Tables 

Table 1: ICS Forms and Description ............................................................................................ 10 

Table 2: Linkage between Incident Action Planning Process and Deliberate Plans .................... 12 

Table 3: Core Capabilities by Mission Area (from National Preparedness Goal) ...................... 15 

Table 4: Priorities—Objectives—Strategies—Tactics, Tasks, Work Assignments ..................... 23 

Table 5: Sample Agenda for the C&GS meeting.......................................................................... 25 

Table 6: Sample Agenda for the Operations Tactics Meeting...................................................... 33 

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Table 7: IAP Components and Sequence of Assembly ................................................................ 35 

Table 8: Assignment Lists Dos and Don'ts................................................................................... 36 

Table 9: Sample Agenda Items for the Planning Meeting............................................................ 42 

Table 10: Sample Agenda for Operations Briefing ...................................................................... 43 

Table 11: Relating Incident Objectives to Incident Priorities....................................................... 51 

Table 12: Suggestions for Writing Incident Objectives................................................................ 52 

Table 13: Examples of Good Incident Objectives ........................................................................ 54 

Table 14: Deliberate Plan Elements and their Application in IAPs.............................................. 66 

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 

Purpose 

This guide is intended to promote the effectiveness of incident operations by standardizing the 

incident action planning process. The guide describes how the Federal Emergency Management 

Agency (FEMA) applies the Incident Command System (ICS) incident action planning process. 

It also defines the specific roles and responsibilities of the various organizations, and establishes 

standards for incident action planning on FEMA incidents. This guide also communicates to 

partners the details of how the Agency conducts the incident action planning process. In addition, 

it serves as a reference for incident management personnel and provides the basis for incident 

action planning staffing and exercising. Finally, this guide informs required training, position 

task books, and development of courses in alignment with the FEMA Qualification System. 

Applicability and Scope 

The guidance contained in this Incident Action Planning Guide applies to all applicable 

incidents, including those involving Stafford Act declarations, as well as Federal response 

coordination to non-Stafford Act incidents. This guidance applies to Unified Coordination Staff 

(UCS) during incident management. Finally, this guide is designed to promote cooperation and 

interoperability among all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and 

the private sector by communicating FEMA’s commitment to incident action planning to 

FEMA’s partners and sharing the details of how FEMA implements the process. 

Supersession 

This document supersedes the Incident Action Planning Guide (January 2012). 

Authorities and Foundational Documents 

A number of foundational documents provide statutory, regulatory, and executive guidance for 

FEMA incident action planning. Some key foundational documents are as follows: 

• Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Public Law 93-288, as 

amended, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5207), November 1988 

• Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Emergency Management and Assistance, 

December 1991 

• Homeland Security Act (Public Law 107-296, as amended, 6 U.S.C. §§ 101 et seq.), 

November 2002 

• Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5, “Management of Domestic Incidents,” 

February 2003 

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• Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-295, 6 

U.S.C. § 701), October 4, 2006 

• National Response Framework, May 2013 

• National Mitigation Framework, May 2013 

• National Disaster Recovery Framework, September 2011 

• National Incident Management System, December 2008 

• The Federal Emergency Management Agency Publication 1, November 2010 

• Incident Management and Support Keystone, January 2011 

• Comprehensive Preparedness Guide 101 - Developing and Maintaining Emergency 

Operations Plans, Version 2.0, November 2010 

• Presidential Policy Directive 8, “National Preparedness,” March 2011 

• National Preparedness Goal, September 2011 

• FEMA Incident Management Handbook (FEMA B-761/Interim Change 1), expires 

January 1, 2013 

• FEMA Operational Planning Keystone, February 2014 

• FEMA Operational Planning Manual, February 2014 

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CHAPTER 2: WHAT IS AN INCIDENT ACTION PLAN? 

Effective incident management helps to ensure that the efforts of all players are coordinated and 

synchronized to achieve the best results. The National Incident Management System (NIMS) is a 

systematic, proactive approach to guide departments and agencies at all levels of government, 

NGOs, and the private sector to work together seamlessly 

and manage incidents. Incident 

For FEMA, the Incident Action Plan (IAP)1 is a plan that The NIMS glossary defines incident as 

is central to managing the response to an incident using “an occurrence, natural or manmade, that 

ICS. The team that is managing an incident develops an requires a response to protect life or 

IAP each operational period, the time scheduled for property.” For the purposes of this guide, 

executing a given set of actions as specified in the IAP, the term incident is used to refer to 

using the standard ICS incident action planning process. incidents in which FEMA is involved, 

generally in support of and in partnership The IAP itself communicates the incident objectives and 

with State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial the tactics that will be used to manage the incident during (SLTT) governments. the operational period that the plan covers. 

The incident action planning process provides a tool to synchronize operations at the incident 

level and ensure that incident operations are conducted in support of incident objectives. A 

disciplined system of planning phases and meetings fosters collaboration and partnerships, and 

focuses incident operations. 

Over many years of managing all types and sizes of incidents, ICS practitioners have developed 

and refined the incident action planning process as a way to plan and execute operations on any 

incident. Incident action planning is more than producing an IAP. It is a set of activities, repeated 

each operational period, that provides a consistent rhythm and structure to incident management. 

ICS practitioners have developed and refined a set of forms that assist incident personnel in 

completing the incident action planning process. Incident leaders must ensure that the plan meets 

the needs of the incident and that form completion does not become the primary focus of the 

planning process. FEMA has modified some standard ICS forms to address the implementation 

of assistance programs and the requirements for assigning Federal resources. 

The Operations Section has the primary responsibility for incident action planning and execution 

of the IAP. The Planning Section is responsible for producing the IAP and informing operations 

decision making through situational analysis, and adopting and executing applicable deliberate 

plans. This supports the tasks per the Incident Management Handbook (IMH). Furthermore, all 

1 NIMS defines an IAP as an oral or written plan containing the general objectives reflecting the overall strategy for 

managing an incident. FEMA requires a written plan. 

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members of the Unified Coordinating Group (UCG) and 

the Command and General Staff (C&GS) play specific 

and essential roles in the process. When incidents are Determining the Operational Period 

complex, applying the incident action planning process The UCG determines the length of the 

accurately, consistently, and completely is essential to 

the success of incident operations. When each member 

operational period, which is typically 24 

hours at the beginning of incident. The 

UCG subsequently reviews and may 

plays his or her part correctly, the process can bring order adjust the length of subsequent 

to the often chaotic world of managing complex operational periods as incident response 

incidents, and it enables incident management personnel activities progress. 

to address problems that seem insurmountable. 

While the process described in this guide outlines how 

FEMA, as a part of the whole community, executes 

incident action planning, those involved must recognize 

that other incident action planning processes may also be executed (as illustrated in figure 1). For 

example, local and municipal organizations may develop IAPs to guide the actions of first 

responders. For a catastrophic incident, there may be hundreds of concurrent incident action 

planning efforts taking place simultaneously. The joint IAP that State, Tribal, and Territorial 

(STT) and Federal incident management personnel develop must support all local IAPs and 

synchronize activities at the STT and Federal level. 

Joint Federal/State/Tribal/Territorial IAP 

County IAP 

County Law 

Enforcement 

IAP 

Joint State 

and Local 

Fire IAP 

City IAP 

City Fire IAP City Police 

IAP 

Joint Search 

and Rescue 

IAP 

Joint 

Emergency 

Route 

Clearance 

County IAP County IAP 

Figure 1: IAPs Developed Across All Echelons of an Incident2 

2 The State may create its own IAP prior to forming a joint IAP. 

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Incident Action Planning 

The IAP is the vehicle by which the senior leaders of an incident—the Governor of an affected 

State, through the State Coordinating Officer (SCO); the Tribal/Territorial Chair/Council through 

the Tribal Coordinating Officer (TCO); and the President, through the Federal Coordinating 

Officer (FCO)—communicate their expectations and provide clear guidance to those managing 

an incident. The incident action planning process requires collaboration and participation among 

all incident partners involved in the incident (Emergency Support Functions [ESFs], 

NGOs/private sector, STT, etc.) to achieve unity of effort through the disciplined incident action 

planning process. 

The incident action planning process is built on the following phases: 

1. Understand the situation 

2. Establish incident objectives 

3. Develop the plan 

4. Prepare and disseminate the plan 

5. Execute, evaluate, and revise the plan 

The IAP identifies incident objectives and provides essential information regarding incident 

organization, resource allocation, work assignments, safety, and weather. A well-conceived, 

complete IAP facilitates successful incident operations and provides a basis for evaluating 

performance in achieving incident objectives. 

ICS is used on all incidents in which FEMA coordinates Federal response efforts—both Stafford 

Act and non-Stafford Act. IAPs and the incident action planning process are used for all Level I 

and II incidents and for some Level III incidents.3 

3 Consult the FEMA Incident Management and Support Keystone and Incident Management Manual for more detail 

about incident level classifications. 

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Why is an IAP useful to incident personnel? 

• Gives staff the clear objectives of STT and Federal leaders. Staff validate that their 

actions are in support of those objectives and tailor their efforts to support them. 

• Shows how individuals fit in the organization. 

• Provides a road map of all operations during an operational period to help individuals 

understand how their efforts affect the success of the operation. 

• Clearly identifies work assignments to be accomplished. 

• Provides a tool to communicate what your organization is doing to ensure that it is 

properly supported. 

• Provides a tool for staff so they can best synchronize and de-conflict their efforts by 

showing what the entire operation is doing. 

• Provides a schedule of the key events during operational periods. 

• Provides information about safety and phone numbers of key staff, and graphically 

represents the incident area. 

• Informs partners at other echelons (FEMA regional and national levels) of the objectives 

at the incident level for the next operational period and the specific resources and actions 

that will be applied to achieving those objectives. 

Incident Action Plan Considerations 

Because the IAP and the incident action planning process are inherently operational, the UCG 

may determine that an IAP is not needed for certain incidents (i.e., Level III). This is most likely 

to occur on incidents where no Federal response operations are required or anticipated and where 

FEMA activities are focusing exclusively on delivery of Public Assistance (PA) and Hazard 

Mitigation (HM) programs. Typically, such incidents are the result of Stafford Act declarations 

that are made days or even weeks after the actual disaster or emergency and after State, Local, 

Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) officials have completed response operations. In non-Stafford Act 

incidents, incidents that involve a multi-agency response the IAP process and forms may be used 

in order to ensure an organized effort. 

In the absence of an IAP, the UCG should consider utilizing an Incident Strategic Plan and/or 

other established planning products (Situation Report, etc.) and refer to those appropriate 

guidance documents for additional information. 

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Resolving Inconsistencies between FEMA and State, Tribal, or Territorial 

Incident Action Plan Guidance 

Some STT agencies have protocols for 

incident action planning that vary from Managing More Than One Incident 

FEMA’s process. In such cases and in the 

A UCS may begin managing one incident and interests of achieving unity of effort, the be required to take on another disaster in the UCG may make adjustments to the IAP and same geographic area—which will likely 

to the incident action planning process. To increase the size and complexity of the incident 

resolve the conflict, the UCG may agree to management organization. The UCG may 

refer to the Federal/State (or tribal/territorial) decide to include all incidents assigned to the 

UCS in a single IAP. The Planning Cycle and joint IAP by other names such as the Incident 

operational periods for all of the disasters will Coordination Plan. 

be the same, allowing for efficient and effective 

Multiple Incident A use of the staff’s time. The UCG will be ction Plans 

developing priorities for each disaster as it ICS doctrine states there is one IAP per develops the incident objectives in coordination incident. FEMA aligns incidents to the Joint with the Operations Section Chief. 

Field Office (JFO) or FCO identified in the 

declaration. FEMA may, therefore, have 

multiple incidents aligned with a single JFO or FCO. A single IAP will suffice for multiple 

FEMA incidents resulting from the same disaster or emergency. For example, the hurricane that 

has a pre-landfall emergency declaration and then a post-landfall major disaster declaration 

would have a single IAP. A single IAP may also suffice for multiple unrelated incidents if 

activities and timing significantly overlap. When one IAP is used for multiple declarations, each 

declaration number shall be listed on the cover page. 

Incident Action Planning with Tribal Governments 

Federally recognized tribal governments may request a Presidential emergency or major disaster 

declaration independently of a State. The tribal government may also seek assistance under a 

State declaration request. In either case, if the incident involves a federally recognized Indian 

tribe, then incident action planning shall involve the appropriate tribal officials. 

A FEMA Tribal Affairs Specialist (TBSP) may be assigned to facilitate and coordinate 

communication with tribal officials. When collaborating with tribal partners, it is important to 

understand the culture of the particular tribe(s). The TBSP may provide important background 

and cultural information to the UCG, and Planning/Operations Section personnel. 

It is important that the Planning Section Chief (PSC) works with the TBSP during the incident 

action planning process to: 

• gain tribal cultural awareness and training, as applicable 

• ensure meetings and discussions adhere to tribal customs 

• identify appropriate tribal titles and positions 

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Planning Process Phases 

The Planning “P” (figure 2) depicts the phases and activities in the incident action planning 

process. The leg of the “P” includes the initial steps to gain awareness of the situation and 

establish the organization for incident management. Although maintaining situational awareness 

is essential throughout the life cycle of the incident, the steps in Phase 1 are done only one time. 

Figure 2: The Planning “P” – The Incident Action Planning Process 

Once Phase 1 steps have been accomplished, incident management shifts into a cycle of planning 

and operations, informed by ongoing situational awareness, which continues and is repeated each 

operational period. This cycle, which is depicted in the barrel of the “P,” becomes the Operations 

“O” (figure 3). 

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Figure 3: The Operations “O” – The Operational Period Cycle of the Incident Action Planning Process 

IAP Forms during the Process 

The IAP process requires the completion of nine primary forms with the option of additional 

forms to be utilized as needed. These forms are tools used to document final decisions and 

provide an organized means of documenting and conveying tasks and resource needs for 

meetings. Form input and completion of the forms is a joint UCS responsibility. However, the 

Planning Section is responsible for the final product and publication of the IAP. A complete IAP 

always includes at least the seven forms highlighted in table 1; additional forms may be used 

dependent on the incident. (See appendix C for more information on additional forms.) 

Some forms used in the IAP process are not contained in the published IAP. The FEMA ICS 

Form 201 (Incident Briefing Form) is not included in the IAP but may be used to conduct the 

incident briefing. While not included in the published IAP, the Operational Planning Worksheet 

(FEMA ICS Form 215) is an important form. FEMA ICS Form 215 is used to document key 

tasks and resource needs of the Operations Section. These forms are initially populated prior to 

the Operations Tactics meeting, and refined following the meeting. FEMA ICS Form 215s are 

finalized in the planning meeting to determine which tasks will occur during the next operational 

period. Tasks approved by the Operations Section Chief (OSC) are transferred to the 

Assignment List (FEMA ICS Form 204). 

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Table 1: ICS Forms and Description 

Form Description 

FEMA ICS Form 200 (Cover Sheet) 

Provides the plan number, incident name, declaration 

numbers, initial operating facility (IOF)/JFO address, 

approval blocks 

FEMA ICS Form 201 (Incident 

Briefing)4 Description of current situation 

FEMA ICS Form 202 (Incident 

Objectives) 

Describes the UCG’s incident objectives, also provides 

weather and safety considerations for use during the next 

operational period 

FEMA ICS Form 204 (Assignment 

List) 

Informs field staff about their assignments, duties, 

responsibilities, and key personnel contact information for 

an operational period 

FEMA ICS Form 205 A (Incident 

Telephone Communications Plan) Lists positions, names, and phone numbers of UCS 

FEMA ICS Form 206 (Medical Plan) 

Provides important information on medical emergency 

procedures and the locations and phone numbers of 

medical aid facilities, emergency medical transportation, 

and hospitals in the incident area 

FEMA ICS Form 207 (Incident 

Organization Chart) 

Shows how incident is organized, what positions are filled, 

what the reporting structures are, and who is filling these 

positions. On Level I and II incidents, the organization 

charts include unit leaders, group/division supervisors 

positions, and above. Organizations will be configured 

according to incident needs and current accepted program 

structure. These charts will accurately reflect the 

organization. 

FEMA ICS Form 215 (Operational 

Planning Worksheet)5 

Aids Operations personnel in capturing their tactics and in 

identifying resource assignments prior to the Operations 

Tactics Meeting 

FEMA ICS Form 230 (Meeting 

Schedule) Schedule of all incident action planning process meetings 

4 The ICS Form 201 is used in the process but is not included in the final IAP. 5 The ICS Form 215 is used in the process but is not included in the final IAP. 

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These forms are completed in the five phases of the Planning “P” as shown in figure 4. 

Figure 4: Where ICS Forms are executed during the Incident Action Planning Process 

Initial IAP 

In the beginning of an incident, the situation can be chaotic and situational awareness hard to 

obtain, especially in no-notice incidents. Regional deliberate plans and the first Regional Support 

Plans (RSPs) may be used to determine priorities and objectives for the initial IAP when 

situational awareness and other sources of information are limited. Thereafter, the IAP should 

continue to reference and adapt the objectives and tasks in deliberate plans. 

Deliberate Plans 

Deliberate plans can provide a common starting point for the incident, regional, and national 

levels. This ensures that there is a common understanding of the actions that need to occur and 

what resources are necessary to ensure an efficient stand up of operations in the initial 

operational period of an incident. Deliberate plans are an important starting point in the absence 

of information. Planners and operators must determine the most current situational awareness to 

understand the points of departure from the plan. 

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Using a FEMA Deliberate Plan to Develop an IAP 

FEMA develops deliberate plans in conjunction with SLTT planners to ensure that the Agency’s 

actions during an incident are in support of SLTT response (table 2). These plans are often 

excellent tools to initiate the development of an initial IAP, particularly for Phase 1 and Phase 2 

of the IAP process. Knowing how to read and extract pertinent information from a FEMA 

deliberate plan to support IAP development is not a difficult process. The base plan contains the 

primary information on which the operation will be based. The plan contains information on the 

situation, mission, execution, finance and administration, and oversight and coordination. The 

annexes contain more information in the same format. Annexes are used to provide more 

detailed information than is found in the base plan. 

Table 2: Linkage between Incident Action Planning Process and Deliberate Plans 

Incident Action Planning Process Deliberate Plan 

Initial Situational Awareness Annex B: Critical Information Requirements 

(CIRs)/Information Collection Plan 

(ICP)/Essential Elements of Information (EEIs) 

Initial Incident Briefing (Form 201) Annex B: Intelligence 

Initial Priorities 3.0 Execution: Phase 2a Priorities 

Initial Incident Objectives (Form 202) 3.0 Execution: Phase 2a Operational Objectives 

Annex C: Critical Considerations/Critical 

Assumptions/End State 

Initial Operational Planning 3.0 Execution: Concept of Operations 

Worksheets (Form 215) Annex D: Logistics/Phase 2A resources 

Linking National/Regional Support Plans to Incident Action 

Planning 

National Support Plans (NSPs) and RSPs can vary in terms of scope, content, and granularity but 

may contain some specific components that can inform the IAP process. The UCG and C&GS 

components will review the NSP/RSP appropriately throughout the incident action planning 

process and incorporate information as applicable. Some examples of aspects of NSPs and RSPs 

that may be pertinent include: 

• resource ordering/mission assignment of future assets to meet current or unmet requests 

for resources 

• future establishment of critical logistics supply chain facilities 

• identification of resource gaps 

• key decisions and CIRs 

• status of national or regionally controlled capabilities 

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CHAPTER 3: PHASE 1—UNDERSTAND THE 

SITUATION 

Effective actions during Phase 1 may mean the difference between a successfully managed 

incident and one in which effective incident management is achieved slowly or not at all. Phase 1 

is accomplished only once, at the beginning of incident action planning for any incident. Phase 1 

activities focus on the actions that take place before joint incident action planning begins as team 

members work to understand the situation and establish initial incident priorities. 

Gaining Initial Situational Awareness 

Gaining an understanding of the situation includes gathering, recording, analyzing, and 

displaying information regarding the scale, scope, complexity, and potential incident impacts. 

Comprehensive situational awareness is essential to developing and implementing an effective 

IAP. Obtaining accurate, reliable situational awareness during the initial hours of an incident is 

often challenging. Situational awareness is further complicated by the urgency of collecting, 

analyzing, and disseminating situational information. Initial situational awareness involves the 

gathering of information from as many sources as possible, as quickly as possible, to ensure that 

decision makers have the knowledge they need 

to make the best possible decisions. Crisis Management System 

Collection A crisis management system is an AllInformation collection is based on established Hazards emergency preparedness 

software application to securely share EEIs and CIRs. 

critical information that incident 

personnel and first responders use to • EEIs are important and standard effectively prepare for, respond to, and information items that incident managers recover from an emergency. 

need to make timely and informed 

The crisis management system used by decisions. EEIs also provide context and FEMA, WebEOC®, is an example of a contribute to analysis. EEIs are included crisis management system that is a webin situation reports. enabled incident management 

• CIRs are particular elements of collaboration tool used to create and share 

information across FEMA and with information that incident leaders external emergency managers at the 

specifically requested. These items are of SLTT levels. 

such importance that leaders are notified 

immediately when the Planning Section 

receives updates on a CIR item. 

Analysis 

Analysis breaks down problems and issues into manageable smaller elements. In this way, 

complex problems that appear to be daunting may have achievable fixes. Analysis also allows 

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for the identification of sub-issues and problem areas that can be solved through effective 

decision making and planning. 

Information analysis begins during Phase 1 and continues throughout the incident. This analysis 

consists of correlating, comparing, and filtering the available information to determine the 

critical issues and the potential for changes in the situation. This analysis allows leaders to 

understand what is going on for each operational period as well as the impacts of those issues 

both currently and in the future. 

Dissemination 

Information shall be disseminated in a timely manner and provided in a readable format that the 

audience can easily understand. Doing this effectively during Phase 1, and throughout the 

incident, minimizes confusion, reduces duplication of effort, and facilitates effective and 

efficient management of incident resources. 

Ongoing Assessment/Situational Awareness 

Accurate situational awareness is essential throughout the life cycle of an incident. After the 

initial efforts to gain situational awareness, the iterative information collection process continues 

to inform all aspects of incident action planning. This process includes the collection, analysis, 

and dissemination of information to assist operations and support functions in planning for the 

provision of support and resources to disaster survivors during each operational period. 

Appendix E provides details on this continuous assessment process. 

Establishing Initial Incident Priorities 

Initial incident priorities are generally established by higher-level authorities such as the 

Governor of the affected State, tribal and territorial officials, and the Regional Administrator 

(RA). As indicated previously, priorities may be understood prior to an incident and could be 

found in resources such as deliberate plans. 

When senior officials establish priorities for the incident, a recommended approach is to 

articulate priorities based on the core capabilities described in the National Preparedness Goal 

(see table 3). The core capabilities provide a standard list of the essential prevention, protection, 

mitigation, response, and recovery activities to properly execute disaster operations. Framing 

incident priorities in terms of the core capabilities improves understanding through consistent 

titles, ensures that all the mission areas are considered, and helps to keep priorities focused 

strategically on desired outcomes. 

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Table 3: Core Capabilities by Mission Area (from National Preparedness Goal) 

Prevention Protection Mitigation Response Recovery 

Planning 

Public Information and Warning 

Operational Coordination 

Forensics and Access Control Community Critical Economic 

Attribution and Identity Resilience Transportation Recovery 

Intelligence and Verification Long-term Environmental Health and Social 

Information Cybersecurity Vulnerability Response/Health Services 

Sharing Intelligence and Reduction and Safety Housing 

Interdiction and Information Risk and Disaster Fatality Infrastructure 

Disruption Sharing Resilience Management Systems 

Screening, Interdiction and Assessment Services 

Natural and 

Search, and Disruption Threats and Infrastructure Cultural 

Detection Physical 

Protective 

Measures 

Risk Management 

for Protection 

Programs and 

Activities 

Screening, 

Search, and 

Detection 

Supply Chain 

Integrity and 

Security 

Hazard 

Identification 

Systems 

Mass Care 

Services 

Mass Search and 

Rescue 

Operations 

Fire Management 

and Suppression 

On-scene 

Security, 

Protection, and 

Law Enforcement 

Operational 

Communications 

Logistics and 

Supply Chain 

Management 

Public Health, 

Healthcare, and 

Emergency 

Medical Services 

Situational 

Assessment 

Resources 

Federal and SLTT deliberate plans may identify or suggest incident response priorities. Clear 

initial priorities are important to establishing unity of effort early in the incident response 

process. When the members of the team clearly understand the priorities, they are equipped to 

act decisively and make better decisions. While many things vie for attention, especially in the 

immediate aftermath of a disaster, not everything can be a priority. The axiom that “if everything 

is a priority, then nothing is a priority” clearly applies to incident management. 

15 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Developing the Action Planning Team 

Incident action planning requires a collaborative effort by all members of the UCS and State 

partners. This collaboration must also include other key Federal, tribal, local, NGOs, and privatesector partners. The incident action planning process fosters teamwork and unity of effort by 

promoting communication, cooperation, and coordination. While staff in the Planning Section is 

responsible for facilitating the incident action planning process and producing the final plan, the 

section primarily responsible for incident action planning and executing the IAP is the 

Operations Section. All elements of the UCS support and participate in the process, and the UCG 

provides the leadership to ensure success. 

Initiating Incident Action Planning 

The following sections describe actions for initiating a successful incident action planning 

process. A successful incident action planning process involves specific actions based on 

situational awareness and operational needs. Figure 5 depicts the steps for initial actions during 

an incident. 

Establishing the foundation for incident action 

planning: 

• Conducting an incident briefing 

• Forming the UCG 

• Developing and communicating priorities 

• Conducting the initial Incident Management

Assistance Team (IMAT) meeting 

• Designing the incident operational approach 

• Developing the C&GS organization 

• Determining initial staffing and resource

requirements 

Figure 5: Phase 1 of the Incident Action Planning Process 

Conducting Incident Action Planning Meetings and Briefings 

Collaboration and coordination are the keys to incident action planning, and it is important that 

the meetings and briefings are conducted effectively and efficiently. Guidance for conducting 

these meetings and briefings is provided in the FEMA IMH. 

Initial Incident Briefing 

The RA (or designee) is responsible for providing the initial incident briefing to the FCO and the 

IMAT to prepare them for assuming control of the incident. An Incident Briefing Form (FEMA 

ICS Form 201) can be used to present the information for this brief. The head of the National 

Response Coordination Staff or Regional Response Coordination Staff (RRCS) is typically 

responsible for assisting the RA with the initial briefing by collecting and presenting situational 

information to the FCO and C&GS. IMATs should have ICPs, which include information such 

as: 

16 
 

 

 

 

 

 

• boundaries and scope of the incident 

• number of displaced survivors 

• sheltering information 

• critical infrastructure damage assessment, locations, and types 

• status of communications and other utilities 

• incident facilities, types, and location 

• resources on hand, en route, and on order 

• STT (if applicable) emergency management organization and facilities 

• location of the IOF 

• health-related concerns, including fatalities and injuries 

• life-saving operations 

• arrangements for use of military resources (i.e., joint force command) 

Some of the situation information for use in the initial incident briefing can be found in the 

following documentation: 

• Stafford Act declaration (indicates counties/jurisdictions designation, categories of 

assistance authorized, and cost share), interagency agreement or interagency 

memorandum of understanding for non-Stafford Act incidents 

• pertinent deliberate plans 

• maps of the incident area and geospatial information systems (GIS) products and satellite 

imagery 

• preliminary damage assessment 

• telephone numbers and e-mail addresses for RRCS, STT officials, and STT emergency 

operations center (EOC) and other incident facilities 

• NSPs/RSPs 

The work product from this briefing is the RA delegating the authority for incident management 

and the control of assigned Federal resources to the FCO in writing. The delegation of authority 

document includes detailed instructions (leader’s intent) for the conduct of the incident 

management and the RA’s priorities. This initial briefing will include the transition procedures 

from the region to the incident operational level. The initial incident briefing also gives the FCO 

and C&GS situational information, including constraints and limitations, to make informed 

decisions. 

17 
 

 

 

 

 

Forming the Unified Coordination Group 

Following the initial incident briefing, the FCO typically begins efforts to establish the UCG, 

including contacting the SCO/TCO and jointly determining the need for other UCG members. 

Once the UCG is formed, members discuss:6 

• priorities 

• issues and concerns 

• integration of Federal, STT, and other stakeholders in a single incident management 

organization 

• joint incident action planning 

• logistical processes and resource ordering 

• joint information center requirements 

• roles and authorities 

Developing and Communicating Priorities 

In forming the UCG, members jointly establish initial incident priorities based on priorities of 

the Governor, Tribal Chair/Council, the RA, and other authorities as appropriate. Incident 

priorities inform the C&GS’s actions and serve as focus items in the initial UCS meeting. When 

communicating incident priorities to the staff, the UCG gives the necessary guidance to ensure 

that the staff understands the intent and context of the priorities. 

As indicated above, incident priorities should be developed based on the National Preparedness 

Goal. These priorities help to establish the order of importance for incident objectives developed 

during Phase 2 of the incident action planning process. 

Initial Command & General Staff meeting 

The purpose of the initial C&GS meeting is to ensure that incident management personnel 

understand UCG expectations. The PSC facilitates the initial C&GS meeting; however, as the 

leader of Federal response efforts, the FCO is the primary presenter, explaining the UCG’s intent 

and articulating expectations regarding team interaction, information sharing, and team processes 

for planning, decision making, coordination, and communication. The FCO describes the 

composition of the UCG and his or her plans for integrating other UCG members into the 

C&GS. The FCO outlines assumptions that the team will use if actual information is not 

available, as well as direction regarding the development of the organizational structure for the 

incident. Furthermore, the FCO reiterates the expectation for communication and collaboration 

with Federal and SLTT government partners, as well as NGOs and the private sector. 

6 See the IMH for further guidance on the UCG discussion/meeting. 

18 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Next, the FCO, OSC, or PSC describes the initial strategies proposed to address the initial 

priorities and how the initial strategies are to be accomplished. The PSC or FCO then announces 

the start time, duration of, and incident action planning meeting schedule for the first operational 

period. 

The results from the initial C&GS meeting are as follows: (1) all UCS members understand UCG 

expectations, guidance, and direction (leader’s intent) for the incident and initial strategies; (2) 

the C&GS has a clear understanding of direction and guidance to begin developing the 

organization; and (3) agreement is reached regarding the time and duration of the initial 

operational period and the incident action planning meeting schedule. 

The work products from the initial C&GS 

Importance of Providing Clear meeting are as follows: 

Guidance 

• a list of UCG priorities and strategies (for Providing clear operational guidance is distribution to the C&GS and to be an essential element of command at all 

displayed in the C&GS meeting room) levels within the incident organization. 

It provides subordinates with • the meeting schedule (FEMA ICS Form 

information that defines, refines, 230) for the first operational period or and/or places into context assignments initial incident action planning cycle or directives. It addresses constraints 

(typically published and displayed in the and limitations, establishes parameters, 

and assists in better identifying an IOF or the JFO) expected outcome. 

Establishing the Organizational Structure 

Before an organizational structure can be implemented, the incident area must be considered and 

a decision made as to whether to establish a functional or a geographic organization for 

FEMA/State incident activities. That decision dictates the operational approach to the incident. 

FEMA and State OSCs work together to decide on the organizational structure. 

The OSCs’ goal is to design an ICS-compliant organization that meets the leader’s intent, the 

Agency’s mission, and the incident’s needs. This decision has a significant effect on operational 

outcomes and the achievability of IAPs. It also impacts the Logistics Section, Planning Section, 

Finance/Administration Section, and Safety. The OSCs design the incident carefully, because 

once the organization is established it is difficult to change. For further information on 

organizational structure, refer to the Incident Management Manual. 

Develop Command & General Staff Organizations 

The C&GS and their STT counterparts jointly develop their organizations based on leader’s 

intent, the situation, and the needs of the incident. 

19 
 

 

To do this, they validate current situational information and analyze it regarding current 

conditions, damage assessment, scale of the incident, and resource status (i.e., availability of 

personnel, equipment supplies, and facilities). They also review any pertinent deliberate plans. 

The C&GS and their STT counterparts then coordinate closely with the OSCs to determine 

whether the proposed geographic or functional incident design will affect how other 

organizational elements are structured. 

Ultimately, the OSC determines what facilities (disaster recovery centers [DRCs], staging areas, 

operations field offices, aviation facilities, camps, fueling stations, etc.) are required to meet 

incident needs. The OSC then discusses these findings and recommendations with the FCO and 

SCO/TCO, or designee, for approval. 

Once approved, information regarding C&GS organizations is provided to the Planning Section 

for the GIS Unit to build the initial incident map and to the Resource Unit to develop the initial 

Incident Organization Chart (FEMA ICS Form 207). 

Develop Staffing and Resources Requirements 

After developing incident design and organizational structures, the C&GS identify the resources 

needed to staff and support their organization, and meet UCG priorities. 

To determine resource requirements the C&GS and STT counterparts consult with the Planning 

Section Resources Unit to identify resources currently assigned. The consultation also yields 

such details as the kind and type of each resource, current location and status, identifier if 

assigned, and supervisor’s contact information. If a required resource is not currently available, 

the C&GS members and STT counterparts contact the Logistics Section Ordering Unit to 

determine what resources have been ordered. Finally, if a required resource is neither currently 

available nor on order, the appropriate C&GS members and STT counterparts order them 

through the established ordering processes. More detailed information on the resource ordering 

process can be found in Phase 3. 

20 
 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 4: PHASE 2—ESTABLISH INCIDENT 

OBJECTIVES 

During Phase 2, the UCG establishes incident objectives and provides the guidance necessary to 

achieve these objectives (figure 6). 

Incident objectives drive the incident organization as it conducts response, recovery, and 

mitigation activities. The UCG establishes these objectives based on incident priorities, which 

are informed by situational awareness, leader’s intent, and delegations of authority. 

Figure 6: Phase 2 of the Incident Action Planning Process 

Responsibilities 

The UCG develops incident objectives and provides the guidance necessary for developing, 

resourcing, implementing, and evaluating the results of incident objectives. As the leader of 

Federal response efforts, the FCO is personally responsible for the development of incident 

objectives for FEMA. The C&GS often provide input to the UCG/FCO regarding incident status 

and operational requirements to support the development of incident objectives and the guidance 

to achieve them. Planning Section staff document the incident objectives on the IAP Incident 

Objectives (FEMA ICS Form 202). 

Priorities 

Incident priorities initially established by leadership during Phase 1 are reviewed and modified 

as required during each operational period and help to clarify the order and importance of 

incident objectives (table 4). While incident objectives are based on requirements, priorities 

guide the allocation of resources to objectives. Although priorities help determine incident 

21 
 

 

 

 

 

 

objectives, they are not listed on the 202. Senior leaders sometimes include non-operational 

priorities in their guidance. When this happens, these non-operational priorities are generally not 

addressed in the incident action planning process. 

Incident Objectives 

Management by objective is a key characteristic of NIMS and one that FEMA follows. Incident 

objectives, per NIMS, are “statements of guidance and direction needed to select appropriate 

strategy(s) and the tactical direction of resources. Incident objectives are based on realistic 

expectations of what can be accomplished when all allocated resources have been effectively 

deployed.” 

Incident objectives must be flexible enough to allow for strategic and tactical alternatives. 

Incident objectives set guidance and strategic direction but do not specify tactics. Incident 

objectives drive response and recovery activities. Simply stated, incident objectives answer the 

question of what must be accomplished. For example, Complete debris clearance from critical 

transportation corridors within 72 hours. 

In the initial stages of an incident response, objectives 

will often be quite general. For example, Conduct 

registrations and outreach in all affected counties 

with major damage is an acceptable incident objective 

in the immediate aftermath of a storm. As response 

work progresses, situational awareness improves, and 

resources status becomes clearer, objectives can 

become more specific, for example, Register 

individuals in shelters in designated counties. 

Good Incident Objectives: 

• are concise and stated in the 

form of a command 

• begin with an action verb (but 

not “continue” or “maintain”) 

• provide “actionable guidance” 

for the Operations Section 

• address incident operations, 

not administrative and internal 

support activities 

Incident objectives can be distinguished from tasks or work assignments by the fact that 

objectives do not answer specific questions. Tasks and work assignments identify specific 

resources and specific locations, and must be accomplished within the operational period. 

Incident objectives, on the other hand, do not specify who will accomplish the action and are not 

necessarily to be achieved in the current operational period. Appendix A provides more 

information on how to develop incident objectives. 

The UCG formulates incident objectives based on several factors: incident priorities and other 

direction from a higher authority, the situation, and members’ professional judgment and 

experience. Incident objectives should be clear, measurable, achievable, and flexible. They 

include sufficient detail to ensure understanding, but are not so prescriptive as to preclude 

innovation. 

22 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 4: Priorities—Objectives—Strategies—Tactics, Tasks, Work Assignments 

Guidance 

Element Description Developer Examples 

Priorities 

Define the intent of leaders, in general terms, 

with regard to the most important things that 

must be accomplished. They are generally 

expressed in terms of the core capabilities 

defined in the National Preparedness Goal. 

Initially established by the 

competent authorities, e.g., 

Governor, Tribal Chair/Council, 

FEMA Administrator, FEMA RA; 

subsequently reviewed and 

adjusted throughout the life 

cycle of an incident by the UCG 

Search and rescue operations 

Objectives 

Define what must be accomplished to achieve 

the priorities and based on best knowledge of 

the current situation and the resources available 

UCG Complete all search and rescue 

operations by 12 March 

Strategies 

Carefully devised plans of action to achieve one 

or more objectives. Strategies describe what 

actions and resources are required in working to 

achieve the specific objective. 

OSC 

Deploy FEMA Urban Search and Rescue 

teams, Emergency Management 

Assistance Compact search and rescue 

assets from Kentucky and Indiana, and 

Canadian search and rescue teams to 

work in a unified operation under the 

tactical control of Memphis Fire 

Services. 

Tactics/ 

Tasks 

Define how specific actions will be performed to 

achieve a planned outcome. Tactics specify who, 

what, where, and when in describing the 

deployment and direction of resources for 

implementing strategies to achieve incident 

objectives. Tactics/tasks/ work assignments are 

initially recorded on Form 215 and subsequently 

reflected on the Form 204 and included in the 

IAP for the given operational period. 

OSC 

California Task Force-3 will report to 

Memphis Fire Station 19 at the corner 

of Chelsea and Boxwood Street at 0600 

[of the operational period} with all 

equipment and support personnel to 

deploy and operate under the direction 

of Memphis Fire Services until 1800. 

Specific direction for the team will be 

provided by Memphis Fire Service 

officials. 

23 
 

 

 

FEMA has established guidelines to ensure that incident objectives are handled consistently: 

• Incident objectives are displayed on the 202. They are numbered sequentially from the 

beginning of the incident to its conclusion and are not renumbered for each operational 

period. 

o Either cross out or remove incident objectives that have been achieved. 

o Incident objectives can be modified and maintain the same tracking number as long 

as the intent of the objective does not change. 

o If an objective is modified, it is assigned a new sub-letter under the same objective 

number, and the old objective is retired. For example, if objective 2 is modified, it 

becomes 2a, and objective 2 is retired. If this objective is modified again, it 

becomes 2b, and 2a is retired. 

• The UCG prioritizes incident objectives as operational period requirements dictate. 

Incident objectives are listed on the 202 in order of priority, regardless of their tracking 

number. The first listed objective is therefore the highest priority. The last listed objective 

is the lowest priority. 

Unified Coordination Group Develops and Updates Objectives 

The UCG will meet before the C&GS meeting to review and, if necessary, revise incident 

priorities and determine the incident objectives for the next operational period. This meeting is 

often conducted informally and frequently includes the OSC and PSC. 

The expected results of this meeting are: 

• a common understanding among the UCG of the incident’s issues and the key 

requirements of the response and recovery 

• agreement regarding incident priorities and objectives for the next operational period 

• recognition of constraints and limitations affecting accomplishment of incident 

objectives, and operational guidance (for accomplishing incident objectives) that 

accounts for and mitigates identified limitations 

The work product from this meeting is a documented list of incident objectives (i.e., a FEMA 

ICS Form 202) in preparation for the C&GS Meeting. 

The Command & General Staff Meeting 

The C&GS meeting is the opportunity for the UCG to meet with the staff to gather input or to 

provide immediate direction. It is also the opportunity for the UCG to articulate and approve 

incident objectives for the next operational period and to share important information regarding 

incident management. 

The PSC facilitates this meeting. The UCG presents the priorities and incident objectives and 

articulates guidance on how incident operations will proceed. The participants review the 

24 
 

 

 

incident objectives and discuss strategies for accomplishing the objectives. Table 5 provides a 

sample agenda. 

Table 5: Sample Agenda for the C&GS meeting 

Agenda Topic Briefed By 

Roll call and introduction of new participants and guests PSC 

Opening remarks UCG 

Describe/update current situation Situation Unit Leader (SITL) 

Open discussion, including the following: 

• Current status and issues 

• Constraints, limitations, and shortfalls 

• Input needed to finalize the incident objectives and strategies 

OSC 

Others – as needed 

Present incident objectives for the upcoming operational period PSC 

Establish precedence of incident objectives based on incident 

priorities 

PSC 

Outline of guidance to achieve objectives UCG 

Open discussion (optional) PSC 

Closing remarks UCG 

25 
 

 

 

CHAPTER 5: PHASE 3 - DEVELOP THE PLAN 

Operational planning is a continuous process, but time-specific operational planning begins 

immediately following the C&GS meeting. The Operations Section develops strategies to meet 

incident objectives and tactics to accomplish the strategies (figure 7). Operations Section staff 

match the work required to execute the tactics to resources to create work assignments, which are 

documented on the Form 215. As work assignments are developed, the Safety Officer, Logistics 

Section Chief, Security Manager, and others review the work assignments and provide input. 

Figure 7: Phase 3 of the Incident Action Planning Process 

Strategies 

Strategies are ways to achieve incident objectives. Strategies may be developed during all phases 

of an operation and by all elements involved in the operation and are not restricted to specific, 

short- or long-term operational periods. Strategies describe what actions and resources are 

required to achieve specific objectives and are distinct from tactics, which address the conduct of 

specific operations. A strategy describes how things work; tactics describe what must be done. 

For example: 

• Strategy: Establish a mix of fixed and mobile DRCs to provide easy access to FEMA 

programs for survivors at the following locations: [list of locations follow] 

• Tactics: Identify when, where, and the type of DRC to be established. 

26 
 

 

 

 

 

Determining Strategies 

The process of developing strategies does not 

occur during a formal meeting. It is 

accomplished in the period between the 

C&GS Meeting and the Operations Tactics 

Meeting. 

The Operations Section staff begins the 

process of developing strategies immediately 

when they receive the incident objectives for 

an operational period. The OSC develops 

strategies collaboratively with section staff 

and in consultation with others such as 

Logistics, Safety, and Security personnel to 

ensure that the strategies are fully supportable. 

All strategies must be weighed against 

available resources, time, and the probability 

of achieving the desired outcomes. 

Strategies Inform the Development of Sound Tactics 

Strategies are developed to accomplish the UCG’s incident objectives and frame the 

development of tactics. Strategies must be complementary and able to be integrated into a single 

coordinated course of action. Effective strategies restrict the pool of possible tactics and help to 

ensure that tactical decisions do not conflict. Sound strategic planning takes into account 

dynamic situations, as well as constraints and limitations, in incidents. 

Determining Tactics 

Tactics define specific actions to be performed to achieve a planned outcome. Tactics specify 

who, what, where, and when for implementing strategies to achieve incident objectives. Tactics 

describe the deployment and direction of resources, based on the strategy to accomplish the 

incident objectives. Once the strategies have been developed, Operations personnel are 

responsible for developing the tactics to implement the strategies taking into account constraints, 

limitations, and other considerations. Examples of considerations for determining resource 

requirements include what resources are available for the next operational period and whether 

any road closures or hazardous conditions may affect tactical implementation. Once the kind, 

type, and qualification of available resources are known and any constraints or limitations are 

identified, a course of action (COA) can be developed. 

The following activities are used to develop COAs: 

1. Determine what has to be done to implement a strategy and what method(s) are likely to 

achieve success. 

Strategy Development Tips 

OSCs often hold an informal meeting with 

Operations Section staff members, who have 

operations planning responsibilities, to develop 

the operations strategies and to: 

• solicit broad input 

• ensure that staff understand and agree on 

the strategies developed 

• adjust strategies in consultation with 

branch directors and group supervisors 

Good strategies: 

• are feasible, practical, suitable, and likely 

to achieve the desired outcome 

• meet acceptable safety norms 

• are cost effective 

• reflect sound environmental practices 

• consider political implications 

• address core capabilities 

27 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Develop a list of resources (personnel, teams, equipment, supplies, and facilities) that are 

required. 

3. Provide a list of resources available (done by the Resource Unit). 

4. Compare the resources required with resources available and discuss the findings with 

the OSC prior to the Operations Tactics Meeting. 

5. Draft the COA based on this analysis. 

Additional personnel, supplies, services, and equipment required to implement the COA are 

requested. This is done with the understanding that resources will usually not arrive in time to be 

applied in the next operational period. 

Once that COA has been developed and the requisite resources identified, Operations Section 

personnel select specific resources to perform specific work assignments. They then write work 

assignments for each resource and identify reporting locations. 

Assigning Resources and Describing Work Assignments 

Work assignments for resources that are not in direct support of incident objectives and/or fieldrelated are not included in the COA unless the OSC determines that there is a compelling reason 

to do so. Planning, administration, data entry, and report writing are examples of such resources 

and activities not included in the IAP. Work assignments are also not typically included for the 

following operations leaders unless they are non-administrative in nature: OSCs, geographic and 

functional branch directors, and division and group supervisors. 

Assign Resources to Operations Organizations According to Geographic Area or Functional 

Group 

On FEMA incidents, functional operations resources and ESFs are initially assigned to a specific 

functional branch/group (Individual Assistance [IA], PA, HM, and ESF). Operations Section 

personnel consider requirements for each task and select the best resource. Representatives from 

the functional branches/groups and the primary agencies of the ESFs control their assigned 

resources when the incident is organized functionally. 

On incidents that are organized geographically, functional branches/groups assign their resources 

to geographic operations branches/divisions where the resources will be employed during the 

operational period. While assigned to a geographical operations branch/division, these resources 

are under the supervision of the Operations Branch Director-Geographic (OPBD). Resources 

assigned to the division are directly supervised by other personnel outside of the division, such as 

an OPBD, functional branch director/group supervisor, or ESFs/other Federal agencies/Recovery 

Support Functions. The functional branches/groups plan the tactical activities and assign their 

resources through the IAP to operations branches or divisions to perform designated work 

assignments during the operational period. While assigned to a division, these resources are 

under the management of the division supervisor (DIVS). However, the DIVS does not have 

28 
 

 

 

 

 

“direct supervisory authority” for any of the “resources assigned to the division.” Resources that 

are not so assigned remain under the supervision of the appropriate functional branch/group. 

Those resources assigned to a geographic branch/division are under the supervision of the 

assigned OPBD/DIVS. That DIVS ensures that the work assignments prepared by the functional 

branches, groups, and ESFs are carried out as prescribed in the work assignment. Functional 

branches, groups, and ESFs may modify work assignments in coordination with the appropriate 

geographic OPBD/DIVS. Conversely, if changes are needed to meet SLTT officials’ concerns 

that affect functional resources assigned and their work assignments, the DIVS consults with the 

OPBD, the appropriate functional branch director, the group supervisor, and the ESF lead. 

If a resource will be assigned to more than one branch or division during a single operational 

period, a work assignment is prepared for each. If a particular resource will be doing multiple 

tasks in a single division, Operations Section personnel combine the work assignments on a 

single line on the FEMA ICS Form 215 and the appropriate FEMA ICS Form 204. 

Also, when determining a reporting location, Operations Section personnel in a geographic 

organization refer to the incident map to determine to which operations branch and/or division 

the resource will be assigned. The incident map depicts the geographical boundaries of branches 

and divisions—boundaries that remain in effect throughout the life cycle of the incident. 

Operations branches and divisions can be combined when appropriate as workload diminishes. 

Combining operations branches and divisions means that multiple branches may be assigned 

under a single branch director or multiple divisions are assigned under a single division 

supervisor. The branch/division boundaries and designators remain the same. For example, 

combining Divisions A, B, and C under a single DIVS would look the same on the map but 

would identify the division as Division A, B, and C on the FEMA ICS Form 204. 

Write a Specific Work Assignment for Each Assigned Resource 

The supervisor or person responsible for the implementation and completion of the work 

assignment should receive a sufficient amount of information for the implementation and 

completion of the assignment. This information must be clear and concise and include the 

following: 

• task to be accomplished 

• objective being supported 

• reporting time and location 

• level of effort required to accomplish the task 

• any special equipment required 

• logistical support needs 

• any contact information 

• any constraints or limitations 

29 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Identify the Reporting Location 

The reporting location is where the assigned resource reports at the beginning of the operational 

period. This is not the branch, division, group, or ESF but the physical location to which the 

resource must report. Examples of reporting locations are: 

• address of the DRC 

• address or number of points of distribution for the delivery of commodities 

• location within a geographic and/or jurisdictional area for disaster survivor assistance 

activities 

• address and time for the PA applicants briefing 

• street address by the U.S. National Grid (USNG) Reference System 

• rallying point 

Sometimes a specific time for arrival may also be necessary as part of the work location. This 

could be a direction to not arrive before or after a certain time, or a period in which the work 

assignment needs to be initiated. This information should be included with the reporting location 

when relevant. 

Determine Logistical Support Needs to Complete the Assignment 

Work assignments often require specific logistical support—requirements that the functional 

branches and groups are responsible for identifying. The Logistics Section receives these 

requirements and acts to meet them. Examples of such requirements are as follows: 

• Needs for IA mobile DRC #3: 

o shade tent approximately 10x10 feet 

o water for 200 people 

o 25 folding chairs 

• Needs for HM Community, Education, and Outreach Crew #1: 

o 1 folding table, 6 feet long 

o 5 folding chairs 

• Needs for point of distribution #15: 

o 5 truckloads of water 

o 1 truckload of tarps 

o 2 truckloads of meals-ready-to-eat 

Using the Operational Planning Worksheet (FEMA ICS Form 

215) 

Developing the Operational Planning Worksheets (FEMA ICS Form 215) is an essential part of 

the incident action planning process. The worksheets are particularly important tools for the 

success of response and recovery operations on larger incidents. FEMA ICS Form 215 aids 

Operations personnel in capturing their tactics and in identifying resource assignments prior to 

30 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the Operations Tactics Meeting. Reviewing these worksheets during the Operations Tactics 

Meeting facilitates discussion and focuses on the review of tactics and resource assignments. 

Functional operations branches/groups, ESFs, and geographic branches/divisions use the Form 

215 to document the assignment of resources and supporting information as determined above. 

The worksheet is designed to capture work assignment information and to aid in both the 

operations review process and preparation of the FEMA ICS Form 204. 

For each assigned resource, the following general guidelines must be entered on the FEMA ICS 

Form 215: 

1. In the “Objective” column, indicate the number of the incident objective or objectives that 

the task supports. This will help inform the UCG of activities associated with each objective. 

If a task is not associated with any objective, the UCG may need to adjust the objectives or 

the task should be reconsidered. 

2. Include only resources that are either on hand or that the Ordering Unit verifies have been 

ordered and will be on hand for the assignment. 

3. Enter the incident name. 

4. Enter the date and time the form was prepared. 

5. Enter the date and time for the operational period. 

6. Enter the geographic branch number. 

a. If the resource is being assigned to a functional group, leave blank. 

7. Indicate a geographic or functional operations organization assignment, citing the following 

according to the level of the incident: 

a. Where applicable, for Level I and II incidents involving a geographic branch, show 

the branch number (I, II, III, etc.) and division letter (A, B, C, etc.). 

b. For Level I and II incidents involving a functional branch, cite the branch (IA, PA, 

HM, etc.) and any operational branches/groups such as air operations, staging, and 

disaster emergency communications. 

c. For Level III incidents, cite the functional group (IA, PA, HM, etc.) and any 

operational groups such as air operations, staging, and disaster emergency 

communications. 

8. Enter the resource identifier for the assigned resource. 

a. Consult with the Planning Section’s Resource Unit for resource identification 

information. 

b. When there are multiple resources of the same kind and type ensure each resource has 

an individual resource identifier assigned (i.e. Mobile DRC #3, Disaster Survivor 

Assistance Crew #3, etc.). 

9. Enter the contact name and phone number for the resource. 

a. Consult with the Planning Section’s Resource Unit to identify the resource contact 

name and number. 

10. Enter the number of people or the quantity of the resource. 

31 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a. the number of people assigned to the resource (i.e. Crews, Task Force, etc.) or 

b. the quantity of the resource (liters of water, number of meals ready to eat, number of 

tarps, etc.) 

11. Enter the work assignment. 

12. Enter the reporting location and time (as needed). 

a. For operational periods longer than one day, the date must be added if needed. 

13. Logistical needs should include what is on hand, what is required and the delta (if any). 

a. This will be helpful to stimulate discussion with Logistics Section personnel during 

the Operations Tactics Meeting. It may also necessitate a change in strategies to 

address shortfalls. 

14. Under “Additional information,” list safety issues, security concerns, etc. that may affect the 

associated task. 

Once the draft worksheet is completed, it is transmitted electronically to the Resources Unit prior 

to the Operations Tactics Meeting. The PSC and OSC negotiate the actual deadline for the 

FEMA ICS Form 215, and the OSC is responsible for ensuring that the deadline is met. 

The Resources Unit captures all FEMA ICS Form 215s and prepares them for display, review, 

and editing at the Operations Tactics Meeting. 

The Operations Tactics Meeting 

The purpose of this meeting is to review and finalize the draft FEMA ICS Form 215s. To 

accomplish this, the OSC leads participants in reviewing the work assignment drafts to determine 

whether they are complete and whether they support the incident objectives and strategies. 

Participants also identify gaps and duplication in work assignments and resolve any conflicts or 

coordination issues. Participants must also ensure that resources are identified correctly (resource 

identifier) and that when there are multiple resources of the same kind and type, an individual 

identifier is assigned. Participants also consider resource and logistical issues and identify 

shortfalls, excesses, safety issues, and the accuracy of the incident map. 

Participants in the Operations Tactics Meeting include functional branch directors (or designee 

for branch planning); functional group supervisors (when no branch director is assigned); ESF 

leads; the geographic branch director (operations branch directors) and division supervisors (if 

requested by the OSC); the Resource Unit Leader (RESL); the Logistics Section Chief (LSC); 

and the Safety Officer and Liaison Officer, and others as invited by the OSC. 

Informational items available at the Operations Tactics Meeting, supplied by the Planning 

Section, include the list of current incident objectives, a large incident map, a list of operational 

resources (including the unassigned resources available for assignment), and displays of any 

other information pertinent to the meeting. Table 6 provides an example agenda of an Operations 

Tactics Meeting; the actual agenda should be tailored as applicable. 

32 
 

 

 

 

Table 6: Sample Agenda for the Operations Tactics Meeting 

Agenda Topic Briefed By 

Review established incident objectives OSC 

Review, discuss, and concur on draft work assignments OSC 

Ensure Resources Identifiers are correctly assigned OSC 

Identify resource shortfalls and excesses RESL 

Identify the logistical needs of the work assignments LSC 

Discuss and address the safety issues of the work assignments Safety Officer 

Consider the limitations and needs of ESF support Liaison Officer 

Approve the FEMA ICS Form 215 OSC 

Update the incident map OSC & LSC 

Discuss other topics as needed OSC 

During the meeting, the OSC may determine the following options for a submitted work 

assignment: 

• Approve FEMA ICS Form 204 conversion into the final IAP 

• Disapprove for not supporting an objective, not field-based, no longer applicable, etc. 

• Retain for a future operational period 

• Capture the information in another format (i.e. FEMA ICS Form 213 General Message, 

Action Tracker, etc.) 

At the conclusion of the meeting, copies of the approved FEMA ICS Form 215s are made 

available to the Resource Unit either electronically or uploaded to a web-based application. It is 

important that the Operations entities provide the FEMA ICS Form 215s in a timely manner so 

that the Planning Section has adequate time to prepare and conduct quality assurance on the 

required information for the IAP meetings. 

33 
 

 

 

CHAPTER 6: PHASE 4 - PREPARE AND 

DISSEMINATE THE PLAN 

Phase 4 (figure 8) begins when the Planning Section receives the approved FEMA ICS Form 

215s from the Operations Section at the conclusion of the Operations Tactics Meeting. It ends 

with the IAP being approved at the planning meeting and signed by the UCG. The Planning 

Section (Planning Support Unit Leader) is responsible for completing the appropriate IAP forms 

and assembling the IAP. Other sections contribute key information and supporting documents. 

Figure 8: Phase 4 of the Incident Action Planning Process 

At the end of this phase, a draft IAP has been approved by the UCG. The items that make up the 

IAP are listed in table 7, along with pertinent information on each item. 

34 
 

 

 

Table 7: IAP Components and Sequence of Assembly 

Order FEMA ICS 

Form 

Title Required Prepared by 

1 200 Cover Sheet Always SITL 

2 202 Incident Objectives Always SITL 

3 205 Incident Radio 

Communications Plan 

As the incident 

requires – 

Radio Use 

Communications Unit Leader 

(COML)/Disaster Emergency 

Communications Group 

Supervisor/Mobile Emergency 

Response Support 

Coordinator 

4 205 A Incident Telephone 

Communications Plan 

Always RESL 

5 207 Incident Organization 

Chart 

Always RESL 

6 Incident Map Always SITL/GIS Unit Leader 

7 204 Assignment List Always RESL 

8 220 Air Operations 

Summary 

As the incident 

requires - Air 

Ops 

OSC/Air Operations Branch 

Director 

9 206 Medical Plan Always Safety Officer 

10 230 Meeting Schedule Always SITL 

11 208 Safety Message Optional Safety Officer 

12 213 General Message Optional Any Message Originator 

13 Other 

components 

as needed 

Optional Planning Support Unit Leader 

Planning Section Responsibilities 

This section is responsible for collecting the various components of the IAP and compiling them 

during the time between the Operations Tactics Meeting and the Planning Meeting. 

Planning Section Chief 

The PSC is responsible for producing the draft IAP. He or she will also track any changes made 

to the draft IAP during the final review and approval process. 

• Overseeing the IAP’s Preparation—The PSC oversees the preparation and assembling of 

the draft IAP to ensure that it is completed in time to be presented at the planning 

meeting. The PSC ensures the quality and completeness of the IAP, which includes 

coordinating with other sections and functions. The PSC adjudicates requests to add 

items to the IAP. 

• Reviewing the Assembled Draft—The PSC schedules time with the OSC to review the 

IAP prior to the Planning Meeting. 

• Facilitating the Planning Meeting—The PSC is responsible for scheduling, managing, 

and facilitating the Planning Meeting. (See the planning meeting section below.) 

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• Ensuring the IAP is approved—While all players in the incident action planning process 

contribute to the success of the plan, the PSC is responsible for obtaining the UCG’s 

approval for the IAP. 

Resource Unit 

The Resource Unit is responsible for preparing a number of forms that are key to the IAP. Those 

forms include the following: 

Assignment List (FEMA ICS Form 204) 

The Planning Section prepares the Assignment Lists (FEMA ICS 204) using information the 

Operations Section provided on the FEMA ICS Form 215s. It is the heart of the IAP and must be 

organized in a way that enables staff to understand clearly their work assignments. The 

Assignment List is prepared in accordance with the guidance in table 8. 

Table 8: Assignment Lists Dos and Don'ts 

Dos Don’ts 

• Sequence FEMA ICS Form 204 according • Do not modify the form or use a modified form. 

to the organization chart for the Operations 

Section (e.g., Branch I and Divisions A 

through G, followed by Branch II and 

• Do not include work assignments that are not 

in direct support of incident objectives. 

Divisions H through N, followed by IA • Do not include work assignments for OSCs, 

Branch and Groups, PA Branch and branch directors, division or group supervisors, 

Groups, HM Branch and Groups, etc.) and managers assigned in the JFO on the 

• If the incident is organized geographically, 

organize the FEMA ICS Form 204s 

FEMA ICS Form 204 if they are administrative 

in nature or relate to personnel management. 

geographically; if the incident is organized • Do not include more than one work assignment 

functionally, organize the FEMA ICS Form line for an individual, task force, team or crew 

204s functionally. on the FEMA ICS Form 204 for any particular 

• List all resources working in a particular 

division on that division’s FEMA ICS Form 

204. 

division. Combine multiple work assignments 

and display them on one assignment line. A 

particular individual, task force, team, or crew 

may, however, be assigned to more than one 

• Specify exactly which resource (individual, division on FEMA ICS Form 204 when assigned 

task force, team, crew, or squad with a to work locations in other divisions. 

designation number or other specific 

nomenclature) is responsible for each work 

assignment. 

• Do not leave blocks blank. Where information 

for a block is not available, use placeholders 

(“TBD,” “N/A,” or “UNK”) to indicate that the 

• Ensure that names, contact numbers, and topic of the block has been addressed. 

resource identifiers are correct. 

Incident Telephone Communications Plan (FEMA ICS Form 205 A) 

The Incident Telephone Communications Plan (FEMA ICS 205 A) is a telephone contact list of 

key staff and staff agencies (FEMA, State, other Federal agencies, etc.). The Resource Unit 

prepares and maintains this plan. 

36 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Important considerations when preparing the FEMA ICS Form 205 A are as follows: 

• Include only positions at (i.e., personnel assigned to) the division/group supervisor and 

unit leaders levels and above. 

• Ensure that the information on the plan is consistent with the information on the Incident 

Organization Chart (FEMA ICS Form 207). 

• Once the JFO is established, ensure that contact numbers listed for FCO, SCO, TCO, and 

other key staff are desk phone numbers for their administrative assistants. Do not list 

personal cell phone numbers for any staff members. Include government-issued cell 

phone numbers, if available. 

• Include the USNG coordinates with the incident facility location/address. If the address is 

not known, specify only the USNG coordinates. 

Incident Organization Chart (FEMA ICS Form 207) 

Organization charts are important to inform staff of not only how the staff is organized, but also 

what positions are filled and who is assigned to key positions. The Incident Organization Charts 

include positions/personnel assigned as unit leaders, group/division supervisors, managers 

(where appropriate), and above. The IMH provides guidance for displaying appropriate incident 

organizations. The Incident Organization Chart will accurately reflect the organization. 

The Planning Section Resource Unit prepares and maintains the Incident Organization Chart, 

using the following important considerations: 

• Include geographic branch director(s) and/or division supervisors on incidents that are 

organized geographically. Use program branches (IA, PA, and HM), Air Operations 

Branch, etc. when applicable. (See IMH, Chapter 5, Operations Section). 

• Include the major components of the C&GS organization on the organization chart. Also, 

include FEMA program areas when they are assigned, which are typically organized and 

displayed as branches but may be displayed as groups on smaller incidents. 

• Display the organization on the organization chart according to the general incident 

organization structure in the IMH. 

• Show deputy positions box in the same box as the primary position. Deputies do not have 

separate organizations under them. If there is a need for additional positions to 

accommodate span of control, assign assistants. 

• Ensure that position titles and names on the organization chart are consistent with the 

position titles and names on the Form 205 A and throughout the IAP. 

• Include only division/group supervisor and unit leader positions and above on general 

staff organization charts. Include only managers/advisors and above on command staff 

organization charts. 

• Include no more than two organization charts in the IAP (typically one for C&GS 

organization and one for the Operations Section). 

37 
 

 

 

 

 

Situation Unit 

The Situation Unit is responsible for the preparing the Incident Objectives (FEMA ICS Form 

202), Meeting Schedule (FEMA ICS Form 230), and coordinating the development of the 

Incident Map with the GIS Unit. The SITL also delivers the situation briefings at the C&GS 

meeting and the Planning Meeting and may brief at the operations briefing. The SITL also 

develops and maintains other key information items, including maps and situational displays that 

are typically posted in the Planning Meeting room. 

Incident Objectives (FEMA ICS Form 202) 

The first page of the IAP (after the cover sheet) is the Incident Objectives (FEMA ICS Form 

202). In addition to the objectives, this page also provides weather and safety information. 

Important considerations when preparing the Form 202 include the following: 

• Include only incident objectives in Block 5. 

• Number objectives sequentially from the beginning of the incident; do not renumber 

objectives for each operational period. 

• List the incident objectives in order of priority regardless of their tracking number. 

• Remove incident objectives that have been achieved. 

• Do not include items of guidance labeled “goals,” “priorities,” or “incident priorities.” 

• Focus the weather message on weather forecasted for the operational period that may 

affect operations. 

• In collaboration with the Safety Officer, focus the safety message on information that is 

relevant and actionable for field personnel. 

Meeting Schedule (FEMA ICS Form 230) 

The Meeting Schedule (FEMA ICS Form 230) describes the important incident meetings that 

will take place during the operational period and indicates where and when they will be held. 

The schedule also describes the purpose of the meetings. There is some discretion with regard to 

what meetings are listed on the schedule; incident action planning meetings and briefings are 

always included. The meeting schedule helps to ensure that other meetings do not conflict with 

incident action planning meetings. 

Important considerations when preparing the Form 230 include the following: 

• List and conduct the following for each operational period: C&GS Meeting, Operations 

Tactics Meeting, Planning Meeting, and Operations Briefing. 

• Use common terminology, as identified in the IMH, to describe all meetings and 

briefings. (Refer to IMH chapter 9 for further guidance.) 

• Do not include items on the schedule that are not meetings or briefings. 

38 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Incident Map 

The incident map is an essential IAP component that identifies key incident facilities and 

operational boundaries. The Situation Unit provides information and coordinates with the GIS 

Unit to produce the map. 

Important considerations when preparing the incident map include the following: 

• Include the following on the incident map: 

o scale 

o true north 

o date and time 

o legend 

o incident organization boundaries (branches and/or divisions, etc.) 

o key facilities 

o camps 

• Use naming conventions and map symbols as shown in appendix B. 

• Produce the map in black and white to facilitate reproduction. 

• Additional, special purpose maps may also be attached to the IAP (e.g., DRC map). 

IAP Cover Sheet (FEMA ICS Form 200) 

The IAP cover sheet provides specific information about the IAP. The incident IAP cover sheets 

must be consistent with and reflect FEMA standards. Logos for FEMA, the State, Tribe, and 

other UCG member organizations may be used on cover sheets and must be produced in black 

and white. IAP cover sheets must contain the following information: 

• title (e.g., Joint Incident Action Plan) 

• plan number (the first IAP completed is 01; subsequent IAPs are numbered sequentially) 

• incident name that identifies the nature of the disaster (e.g., severe storms) 

• declaration numbers for Stafford Act incidents and for any State or other UCG 

organization declarations 

• JFO/IOF address with USNG coordinates 

• operational period (date and time) 

• signature blocks for the SCO, TCO, FCO, and any other UCG members 

Planning Support Unit 

The Planning Support Unit compiles the completed ICS forms for the IAP, prepares the IAP 

cover sheet, and performs a quality control check on the IAP. 

Command/General Staff 

The Safety Officer, Logistics Section, and the Operations Section’s Air Operation Branch are 

also responsible for preparing and maintaining certain components of the IAP. 

39 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Safety Officer 

The Safety Officer is responsible for identifying any 

risks or threats for incident personnel and developing 

the general safety message on the FEMA ICS Form 

202, Safety Analysis (FEMA ICS Form 215 A), and 

the Medical Plan (FEMA ICS Form 206). 

General Safety Message on FEMA ICS Form 202 

The Safety Officer prepares the general safety message 

to be included on the Form 202 for each IAP. The 

message focuses on information that is relevant and 

actionable to field personnel for operations during the 

operational period. The message may be changed for 

each operational period based on conditions. 

Medical Plan (FEMA ICS Form 206) 

The Medical Plan (FEMA ICS Form 206) is key to the 

welfare of incident personnel and is included in all 

IAPs. The FEMA ICS Form 206 provides important 

information on medical emergency procedures and the locations and phone numbers of medical 

aid facilities, emergency medical transportation, and hospitals in the incident area. The Medical 

Plan includes how to contact Emergency Services, local urgent care centers, and hospitals in the 

applicable areas. 

Important considerations when preparing the FEMA ICS Form 206 are as follows: 

• List urgent care and hospital emergency rooms as well as incident aid stations established 

at the JFO and incident camps in block 5, “Incident Medical Aid Stations.” 

• Indicate the emergency phone number in block 6, “Transportation.” 

• If any ambulances are assigned to the incident, include the locations and phone numbers 

in block 6. 

• In block 7, “Hospitals,” list not only the facility that normally services the main JFO but 

also the hospitals located throughout the incident area. (Typically, those selected have 

emergency room capability.). 

• Include sufficient information in block 8, “Emergency Medical Procedures,” to enable 

incident employees to know what to do and whom to notify in the case of a medical 

emergency. 

Safety Analysis (FEMA ICS Form 215a) 

The Safety Officer reviews the Form 215 and develops the Safety Analysis (FEMA ICS Form 

215 A) in coordination with Operations Section staff as they develop the worksheets. The FEMA 

ICS Form 215 A contains the results of a systematic analysis of risks associated with each work 

The Safety Officer is 

responsible for creating the 

following: 

• FEMA ICS Form 202: 

General Safety Message 

• FEMA ICS Form 206: 

Medical Plan 

• FEMA ICS Form 208: Site 

Safety Plan (as applicable) 

• FEMA ICS Form 215A: 

IAP Safety Analysis 

The Safety Officer, or designee, 

attends and provides a high-level 

safety briefing at the Operations 

Tactics meeting when Command 

Staff support is required. 

40 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

assignment. This analysis assists Operations Section personnel in altering tactics, if necessary, to 

promote the safety of the field personnel. If this alters the work assignments or the resources 

required, the Safety Officer confers with the OSC and the PSC so that the Form 204 can be 

adjusted. 

Logistics Section 

On incidents where radio communications are used, this section is responsible for preparing the 

Incident Radio Communications Plan (FEMA ICS Form 205) and the traffic plan. 

Incident Radio Communications Plan (FEMA ICS Form 205) 

The COML/Disaster Emergency Communications Group Supervisor/Mobile Emergency 

Response Support Coordinator prepares the FEMA ICS Form 205 when radios are a significant 

part of operational communications to provide specific incident radio frequency assignments for 

the operational period. The plan shall identify all assigned radio frequencies, trunked radio 

systems, and talk group assignments for the operation elements identified on the FEMA ICS 

Form 207 and the FEMA ICS Form 203. 

Traffic Plan 

The traffic plan is included in the IAP, when required, but does not have an ICS Form number. 

The Ground Support Unit prepares the traffic plan when incident personnel must be informed of 

special traffic requirements, including required routes of travel, missing directional signage on 

incident transportation routes, and special driving conditions. 

Air Operations Branch (Operations Section) 

Air Operations Summary (FEMA ICS Form 220) 

When the Air Operations Branch is activated, it prepares the Air Operations Summary (FEMA 

ICS Form 220) to be included in the IAP. 

Additional Items to the IAP 

Additional items (i.e., FEMA ICS Form 208) may be attached to the IAP on a case-by-case basis 

with the concurrence of the OSC and PSC. 

The Planning Meeting 

The Planning Meeting is facilitated by the PSC. The purpose of the meeting is to gain 

concurrence of all participating sections for the next operational period. The meeting provides 

the opportunity for the C&GS, as well as other incident management personnel, agency officials, 

and cooperating/assisting agencies and organizations to discuss and resolve any outstanding 

issues before assembling the IAP. After the review has been completed and updates have been 

made, C&GS affirm their commitment to support the plan. Table 9 provides a sample of 

potential topics to be included in the agenda; the actual agenda should be tailored as applicable. 

41 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 9: Sample Agenda Items for the Planning Meeting 

Agenda Topic Briefed By 

Review agenda PSC 

Provide opening remarks UCG 

Provide briefing on current situation and national implications SITL 

Review incident objectives PSC 

Present and review the draft Form 204 OSC 

Ensure that the draft operational plan meets incident objectives PSC 

Review any open actions/tasks PSC 

Solicit feedback from the C&GS PSC 

Obtain commitment from the C&GS to support the plan PSC 

Obtain the UCG’s approval of the IAP PSC 

Final comments and direction UCG 

In the planning meeting, the OSC elaborates, as necessary, on the strategy and tactics to be 

employed during the operational period. 

After the Planning Meeting 

The PSC is responsible for ensuring changes are made to the IAP that were agreed upon during 

the Planning Meeting. The PSC does this by directing the Planning Support Unit to make all 

necessary changes. The PSC also ensures that the final IAP is signed by the appropriate members 

of the UCG. 

Printing and Distributing the IAP 

Once the IAP has been approved by the UCG, it is ready to be printed and distributed. This is the 

responsibility of the PSC. The Planning Support Unit reproduces hard copies of the IAP for 

members of the C&GS. Furthermore, it distributes the IAP electronically by posting it to the JFO 

Reports section of FEMA Crisis Management System (WebEOC). 

The target audience for the IAP is branch directors, division and group supervisors, task force 

leaders, team leaders, crew leaders, squad leaders, and incident support staff. Field supervisors 

are responsible for ensuring their staff can access the IAP. When optional ICS forms are included 

in the IAP, they must be available to all recipients as part of the IAP. The Planning Section 

Documentation Unit collects and archives all original IAP forms. 

42 
 

 

CHAPTER 7: PHASE 5 - EXECUTE, EVALUATE, AND 

REVISE THE PLAN 

Phase 5 (figure 9) begins with the operations briefing and continues as the IAP is executed and 

evaluated in preparation for it to be revised during the next operational period. 

Figure 9: Phase 5 in the Incident Action Planning Process 

Operations Briefing 

The OSC conducts the operations briefing before each operational period begins, ensuring that 

those who need the information have access to it. The purpose is to roll out the IAP for the 

upcoming operational period. The OSC may adjust work assignments or resource allocations 

during the briefing. Table 10 lists topics that are typically addressed in the operations briefing; 

the actual agenda should be tailored as applicable. 

Table 10: Sample Agenda for Operations Briefing 

Agenda Topic Briefed By 

Review incident objectives OSC 

Review weather conditions and forecast SITL 

Present the current situation OSC/SITL 

Brief operations field personnel OSC 

Communications COML 

Logistics LSC 

Safety Safety Officer 

Finance Finance Section Chief 

Other items Specialists 

43 
 

 

 

 

C&GS members receive the briefing if they are supporting field personnel identified in the IAP. 

Attendees also include branch directors, division/group supervisors, and others as needed. 

Once the IAP has been distributed and the operations briefing has been held, the IAP is executed. 

As field personnel perform their work assignments, supervisors assess the progress and the 

effectiveness of the work. This assessment often requires field visits to observe progress. 

Individuals, crews, and task forces inform their supervisors of the status of assignments. 

Changes are often required to reassign resources or modify work assignments during the 

operational period. The changes can come from the field level, in which case changes are 

communicated up to the OSC through the branch directors, division supervisors, and group 

supervisors. The OSC, in turn, communicates the changes to the Planning Section. Changes can 

also come from other sources and would be communicated from the OSC down to the branch 

directors, division supervisors, and group supervisors. 

Assess Progress and Effectiveness 

Determining the effectiveness of the work accomplished during each operational period is 

essential to drive activities for the following operational period. Determining items such as the 

extent to which objectives were achieved, the rate at which consumable resources were depleted, 

anticipated resource shortfalls and surpluses for the next operational period, and significant 

changes in the conditions such as weather; will drive planning during the next operational 

period’s Operations Tactics Meeting. 

Information required to evaluate the work conducted based on the last IAP is collected in a 

number of ways. An essential source is reports from field personnel. During supervisory visits, 

field personnel provide assessments of their effectiveness during the operational period. 

Supervisors pass information to the Planning Section Situation Unit. If field personnel do not 

provide input on their work during each operational period—and the Situation Unit does not 

provide a method to gather field input—then the effectiveness of the subsequent IAP may be 

compromised. 

44 
 

 

 

 

 

Ending Incident Action Planning 

As an incident progresses and a steady operational tempo is achieved, the UCG will consider 

ending incident action planning. No set rules exist on when to stop developing IAPs. This 

decision lies with the FCO and the UCG. The following criteria 

may be helpful. Examples of Post-IAP 

products used by JFO Consider halting incident action planning when: personnel can include: 

• Response activities have ended • Incident Strategic 

• There is no remaining threat to life or property Plan 

• Work occurring in the JFO is primarily programmatic • SITREP 

• All ESF resources except staff have been demobilized 

• Operations are being conducted under a Recovery Support Function organization 

• The operational period is longer than six days 

• Most Planning Section efforts are focused on reporting rather than planning 

• A Recovery Support Strategy is in place and being executed 

• The transition from a JFO and a standard ICS structure to a National Disaster Recovery 

Framework structure is underway or complete 

45 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANNEX 1: ACRONYMS 

C&GS Command and General Staff 

CIR Critical Information Requirement 

COA Course of Action 

COML Communications Unit Leader 

DIVS Division Supervisor 

DRC Disaster Recovery Center 

EEI Essential Element of Information 

EOC Emergency Operations Center 

ESF Emergency Support Function 

FCO Federal Coordinating Officer 

FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency 

GIS Geospatial Information Systems 

HM Hazard Mitigation 

IA Individual Assistance 

IAP Incident Action Plan 

ICP Information Collection Plan 

ICS Incident Command System 

IMAT Incident Management Assistance Team 

IMH Incident Management Handbook 

IOF Initial Operating Facility 

JFO Joint Field Office 

LSC Logistics Section Chief 

NGO Nongovernmental Organization 

NIMS National Incident Management System 

46 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NSP National Support Plan 

OPBD Operations Branch Director-Geographic 

OSC Operations Section Chief 

PA Public Assistance 

PSC Planning Section Chief 

RA Regional Administrator 

RESL Resource Unit Leader 

RRCS Regional Response Coordination Staff 

RSP Regional Support Plan 

SCO State Coordinating Officer 

SITL Situation Unit Leader 

SLTT State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial 

STT State, Tribal, and Territorial 

TBSP Tribal Affairs Specialist 

TCO Tribal Coordinating Officer 

UCG Unified Coordination Group 

UCS Unified Coordination Staff 

USNG U.S. National Grid 

47 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANNEX 2: GLOSSARY 

Assistant: the title indicates a level of technical capability, qualifications, and responsibility 

subordinate to the primary positions. Assistants except for subordinates of principal Command 

Staff positions (External Affairs, Safety, Chief of Staff, and Liaison Officers) are not FEMA 

Qualification System positions and will not have position task books. Assistants must be 

qualified at the next lower level to the principal position. Assistants may be used to alleviate 

span of control issues or assigned technical responsibilities. 

Branch: the organizational level having functional or geographical responsibility for major 

aspects of incident operations. A branch is organizationally situated between the section chief 

and the division or group in the Operations Section, and between the section and units in the 

Logistics Section. Branches are identified either by the use of Roman numerals or by functional 

area. 

Chain of Command: the orderly line of authority within the ranks of the incident management 

organization. 

Critical Information Requirement: particular elements of information specifically requested 

by incident leaders. These items are of such importance that leaders are notified immediately 

when the Planning Section receives updates on a CIR item. 

Constraint: requirement that dictates or prohibits an action, thus restricting freedom of action. 

Deliberate Planning: proactive planning process to address a potential situation or risk. 

Deputy: a fully qualified individual who, in the absence of a superior, can be delegated the 

authority to manage a functional operation or to perform a specific task. In some cases, a deputy 

can act as relief for a superior and therefore must be fully qualified in the position. Deputies must 

be fully qualified in the position for which they are assigned. Deputies are used to share position 

responsibilities and serve as acting during the absence of the primary superior. Deputies are not 

used to alleviate span-of-control issues. An FCO can assign a deputy to perform specific tasks. 

Division: the organizational level responsible for operations within a defined geographic area. 

Divisions are established when the number of resources exceeds the manageable span of control 

of the Section Chief. See Group. 

Essential Element of Information: important and standard information items that incident 

managers need to make timely and informed decisions. EEIs also provide context and contribute 

to analysis. EEIs are also included in situation reports. 

Functional Planning: planning conducted, as required, to address particular operational issues, 

such as interim housing, power restoration, demobilization, and continuity of operations. 

48 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Group: an organizational subdivision established to divide the incident management structure 

into functional areas of operation. Groups are composed of resources assembled to perform a 

special function not necessarily within a single geographic division. See Division. 

Incident Objective: statement of guidance and direction needed to select the appropriate 

strategy (or strategies) and the tactical direction of resources. Incident objectives are based on 

realistic expectations of what can be accomplished when all allocated resources have been 

effectively deployed. Incident objectives must be clear, achievable and measurable, yet flexible 

enough to allow strategic and tactical alternatives. 

Incident Planning: planning associated with an actual or potential incident, likely under 

emergency conditions, that involves developing procedures for responding to actual or projected 

effects. 

Joint Field Office: a temporary Federal facility established to provide a central point for Federal 

and SLTT governments and private-sector and nongovernmental organizations with 

responsibility for incident oversight, direction, and/or assistance to effectively coordinate and 

direct prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery actions. Typically, the JFO is located at 

or near the incident area of operations. The JFO may be co-located with the State EOC. 

Limitation: a factor or condition that, either temporarily or permanently, impedes mission 

accomplishment. 

Operational Period: the time scheduled for executing a given set of operation actions as 

specified in the IAP. Operational periods can be of various lengths, although usually they last 12 

to 24 hours immediately after an incident and longer as more time passes. 

Priority: Incident priorities identify the most important needs and the core capabilities needed to 

address those needs. Priorities facilitate the development of incident objectives and establish 

their order of importance. Developed by the UCG, priorities also guide the employment and 

allocation of resources. 

Span of Control: the number of resources for which a supervisor is responsible, usually 

expressed as the ratio of supervisors to individuals. Under NIMS, an appropriate span of control 

is between 1:3 and 1:7, with optimal being 1:5, or between 1:8 and 1:10 for many large-scale law 

enforcement operations. 

Strategy: statement of course of action(s) to be taken in order to execute task(s), achieve 

objective(s) or goal(s), fulfill mission(s), or realize end state(s) based on existing or expected 

resources. 

Tactic: the deployment and directing of resources on an incident to accomplish the objectives 

designated by a strategy. 

49 
 

 

 

Task Force: any combination (number and mixture) of resources assembled to support a specific 

mission or operational need. All resource elements within a task force must have common 

communications and a designated leader. A task force may be pre-established and sent to an 

incident, or formed at an incident. 

Unified Coordination Group: the structure that executes unified command and leads incident 

activities at the field level to achieve unity of effort. Its purpose is to establish and achieve shared 

objectives. The UCG is comprised of senior leaders representing State and Federal interests and, 

in certain circumstances, tribal governments, local jurisdictions, or the private sector. The FCO is 

responsible for establishing the UCG. 

Work Assignments: an assignment to be accomplished that leads to meeting an incident 

objective(s). A tactical action supporting an incident objective(s) assigned to a specific resource 

(individual, team, task force, crew etc.) and identified on Form 204 in the IAP. 

50 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX A: HOW TO DEVELOP INCIDENT 

OBJECTIVES 

Incident objectives are the focal point for conducting response and recovery activities. They 

represent the UCG’s intent for the conduct of the incident. Writing good incident objectives can 

be as challenging as it is important. The following basic rules may be helpful. 

Incident objectives are based on incident priorities 

Incident priorities define senior leaders’ perspective regarding overarching requirements and 

reflect the core capabilities outlined in the National Preparedness Goal. Incident objectives are 

based on incident priorities and provide the basis for operational guidance, strategies, tactics, and 

work assignments. Table 11 shows this relationship. 

Table 11: Relating Incident Objectives to Incident Priorities 

Based On Answers... Documented 

Who? What? Where? When? in IAP 

Incident Priorities Governor, Regional 

Administrator guidance 

Incident Objectives Incident priorities, 

situation, resources    

Tasks/Work 

Assignments Incident objectives     

Note: A black dot means always; open circle means sometimes; blank means never. 

Incident objectives: 

• Are concise statements of what needs to be done or attained; they are not descriptions of 

specific tasks. 

• May include details on where and when; they do not indicate how or why. 

• Should not address normal, inherent incident management activities, e.g., “Initiate 

incident action planning,” “Gain situational awareness,” “Deploy liaisons to the State 

EOC.”7 

• Are established for every operational period but need not be accomplished or 

accomplishable in that single operational period; they frequently carry over from one 

operational period to the next. 

7 Such activities are important and should be tracked by the appropriate elements of the UCS but should not be 

included in the IAP. 

51 
 

• Are the exclusive responsibility of the UCG and are generally developed with input and 

assistance from the command staff and general staff. 

• Are typically general during the initial operational periods of an incident and become 

more specific, in terms of where and by when, as awareness of the situation improves. 

• Must be measurable to make it possible to determine when a given objective has been 

accomplished, achieved, or attained. 

• Should address outcomes rather than outputs or program specifics whenever possible. 

• Are specifically intended to guide incident operations and are not the appropriate place to 

highlight the concerns of specific constituencies. 

Incident Objectives should: 

• Begin with a verb that describes a measureable/observable action (e.g., “provide 

[something],” “deploy [something],” “conduct [something]”) and not soft verbs such as 

“support,” “ensure,” “reinforce.” 

• Not describe or include language on how the objective is to be accomplished. Incident 

objectives should contain no adverbs (e.g., do not include “safely,” “quickly,” 

“completely,” “especially”) and avoid the use of adjectives (e.g., “prompt,” “thorough,” 

“compassionate”). 

Table 12 provides more suggestions for words to use and avoid when writing incident objectives. 

It also suggests the functional areas that are typically the focus of incident objectives. 

Table 12: Suggestions for Writing Incident Objectives 

What are good verbs to use when writing incident objectives? 

Augment Implement Dispose of 

Determine Complete Provide 

Finalize Devise Deliver 

Carry out Pre-stage Execute 

Develop Conduct 

What verbs should be avoided? 

Assess Continue Coordinate 

Monitor Work with Support 

Ensure Reinforce 

What modifiers should be avoided? 

Quickly Safely Completely 

Prompt Accessible Compassionate 

Reliable Thorough 

What functional areas do incident objectives typically focus on? 

Communication Fuel resupply Mortuary affairs 

Public messaging Search and rescue Decontamination 

Law enforcement Planning support Public safety and health 

Emergency medical services Mass care Power 

Mitigation support Public assistance support Route clearance 

Transportation Infrastructure Debris removal 

52 
 

 

 

In the IAP, on FEMA ICS Form 202: 

• Display only incident objectives—do not include priorities, strategies, or other extraneous 

information. 

• Assign individual tracking numbers to incident objectives serially from the beginning of 

the incident to its conclusion. 

• Do not renumber incident objectives. Each objective retains its original tracking number 

until the objective is accomplished or achieved at which point the objective and its 

tracking number are retired. 

• Once an incident objective has been retired, do not include it on the ICS Form 202. 

• If an objective is modified but retains its original intent, assign its tracking number a new 

sub-letter and retire the original objective. For example, if objective 2 is modified, its 

tracking number becomes 2a, and objective 2 is retired. If that objective is subsequently 

modified again, the objective becomes 2b, and 2a is retired. 

• If an incident objective is modified in a way that changes its original intent, retire the 

original objective and assign revised objective a new tracking number. 

• Prioritize incident objectives based on urgency, operational period requirements, and 

guidance from the UCG. 

o List the incident objectives on the ICS Form 202 in order of their priority, 

regardless of their tracking number. The first objective listed is the highest 

priority. The last listed objective is the lowest priority. 

o Let incident priorities guide the prioritization of objectives. “While objectives 

must be based on requirements,” the Incident Management and Support Keystone 

states, “the status in which they must be addressed is guided by priorities.” 

53 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Examples of Incident Objectives 

Table 13 provides examples of good objectives from IAPs. This list is not exhaustive and only 

meant to illustrate the rules above. 

Table 13: Examples of Good Incident Objectives 

Example Incident Objectives 

1 Identify specialty rescue assets for urban, swift water, and air search and rescue 

2 Execute urban search and rescue and air search and rescue missions 

3 Conduct medical evacuation from specified flood areas 

4 Evacuate survivors from specified areas 

5 Provide commodities and staffing to sustain shelter operations 

6 Provide sheltering and life-sustaining commodities to survivors 

7 Operate points of distribution 

8 Provide life-sustaining commodities and supplies to survivors located in isolated communities 

9 Restore power, water, wastewater disposal, and telecommunications to survivors in the 

affected area 

10 Establish and initiate operations at five Disaster Recovery Centers by DD Month YYYY and an 

additional two Disaster Recovery Centers by DD Month YYYY 

11 Establish and initiate operations at five Disaster Recovery Centers in counties of [County 

Name], [County Name], [County Name], and [County Name] by DD Month YYYY 

12 Open 18 Disaster Recovery Centers in the most impacted communities by DD Month YYYY 

13 Clear routes to provide ingress for emergency personnel and equipment and egress for 

survivors and victims 

14 Initiate turn-key debris removal operation by US Army Corps of Engineers in [City] on DD Month 

YYYY; execute debris removal operations throughout the remainder of impacted area as 

requested 

15 Provide specific guidance [to whom] regarding the proper collection, sorting, and disposal of 

debris 

16 Provide public health services in impacted areas, to include health inspections, restaurant 

inspections, and food safety and environmental assessments 

17 Provide medical care to survivors located in areas without power in Division B and Division D 

18 Provide mental health services including crisis counseling to survivors in conjunction with the 

State Department of Health 

19 Conduct damage assessments in specified counties 

20 Complete Preliminary Damage Assessments for specified counties within Branch III by DD 

Month YYYY 

21 Execute hazardous materials clean-up and pollution control operations 

22 Execute hazardous materials and pollution control operations to collect household hazardous 

materials 

23 Reopen ports and navigable waterways 

24 Operate Disaster Recovery Centers within impacted areas 

25 Increase the number of Disaster Recovery Centers in operation to 28 by DD Month YYYY 

26 Conduct refueling operations for incident personnel and specified non- incident personnel 

27 Provide housing for displaced survivors 

29 Provide temporary power and emergency repairs to enable residents to shelter in place in their 

homes in [County], [County], and [County] 

31 Assess specified beaches to provide alternative courses of action to state and county 

governments for protection of life and improved property until permanent solutions are 

developed 

54 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

35

40

45

50

55

60

Example Incident Objectives 

32 Schedule and conduct applicant briefings 

33 Conduct applicant briefings focused on expedited Immediate Needs Funding and categories A 

and B relief 

34 Conduct 14 Applicant Briefings by DD Month YYYY 

Focus and execute Housing Inspections in coastal areas that are without power 

36 Conduct registration operations 

37 Transition 90% of the current sheltered population into a better housing solution by DD Month 

YYYY 

38 Contact applicants to determine their needs for expedited category A and B projects 

39 Contact applicants to identify needs for expedited categories A and B project worksheets; 

schedule kick-off meetings within 21 days of Request for Public Assistance approval 

Conduct 200 Public Assistance exploratory calls to set-up kick-off meetings by DD Month YYYY 

41 Provide feeding and other life-sustaining commodities to survivors 

42 Restore power, feed survivors, and provide Individual Assistance registration, and housing 

inspection services 

43 Provide technical assistance to [City], [County], and [County] Hazard Mitigation Programs to 

expedite and enable municipalities to meet their obligations under the Hazard Mitigation 

Grants Program 

44 Identify and address unmet needs and integrate long-term recovery planning with daily 

operations in the most severely impacted areas 

Conduct initial community assessments for expedited recovery 

46 Raise awareness of the new Advisory Base Flood Elevation data by reaching out to affected 

communities and using that data to support reconstruction efforts 

47 Implement Personalized Applicant Assistant Services to address the remaining temporary 

sheltered hotel population and assist other eligible applicants in identifying interim housing 

solutions 

48 Identify the scope of the mold issue in disaster housing, determine assets available to address 

the problem, and provide courses of actions to state and local government partners 

49 Determine the need and validate the capacity of communities to engage in Community 

Planning and Capacity Building 

Provide commodities to designated points of distribution and isolated communities 

51 Provide technical assistance to local building inspectors for the assessment and 

determination of substantially damaged structures located within the floodplain 

52 Provide building code and mitigation technique information to minimize damage from future 

events 

53 Increase flood insurance coverage under the National Flood Insurance Program 

54 Identify housing resources for applicants impacted by the severe storms 

Execute Housing Mission: identify housing resources for applicants; install temporary housing 

units for applicant occupancy 

56 Execute Housing Mission: identify housing resources for applicants; place 26 applicants in 

temporary housing units by DD Month YYYY 

57 Install 20 temporary housing units and make 18 units ready for occupancy by COB DD Month 

YYYY 

58 Assist 12 communities to develop their long-term community recovery plans and/or strategies 

59 Conduct Disaster Case Management in support of [State] in 14 counties; transition to State 

ownership by DD Month YYYY 

Provide technical assistance to [State] in developing strategies to retain major employers 

affected by [Incident] 

55 
APPENDIX B: INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM MAP 

SYMBOLS 

SYMBOL FEATURE REPRESENTED 

Joint Field Office 

Camp (identify by name) 

Helispot (identifier) 

Helibase (include name if more than one) 

Fixed Wing Base (include name if more than one) 

Branches (use Roman numerals) 

Branch Office 

Divisions (use upper case alphabetical characters) 

Division Office 

Incident Support Base (identify by name) 

Staging Areas (identify by name) 

Disaster Recovery Center (use identifier) 

Hazard/Incident Origin 

Figure 10: Incident Command Map and Symbols 

56 
 

 

APPENDIX C: JOB AIDS FOR STAFF PREPARING 

FEMA ICS FORMS FOR THE IAP 

Using these job aid checklists will enhance the consistency of and provide standardization 

among all IAPs, with the goal of improving the execution of incident-level operations. 

Standardized IAPs are necessary for FEMA employees and all interagency, SLTT, and privatesector partners—to have a common expectation of how IAPs will be developed, formatted, and 

compiled. IAPs are critical to incident field personnel in facilitating their situational awareness 

and understanding work assignments. The individual checklists below can be provided to the 

staff members responsible for assembling each piece of the IAP. 

Cover Sheet (FEMA ICS Form 200) 

Information displayed on IAP Cover Sheets (FEMA ICS Form 200) should be consistent. IAPs are not 

strictly FEMA documents, and their cover sheets will typically reflect UCG members’ participation. IAPs 

are also national-level documents that must have a professional appearance fitting for audiences at the 

FEMA Headquarters, Department of Homeland Security, and the White House levels. 

The Cover Sheet (FEMA ICS Form 200) will include the following: Situation 

Unit Leader 

Title: Joint Incident Action Plan 

Plan number (the first IAP developed is #1: subsequent IAPs are numbered sequentially) 

Incident name that describes the nature of the disaster (severe storms, tornadoes, 

flooding, etc.) 

FEMA Declaration Number (e.g. FEMA-XXXX-XX (EM/DR)-

XX(State/Tribe/Territory)) 

State and other participating UCG members’ declaration numbers 

Joint Field Office (or initial operating facility) address and USNG 

Operational period date and time 

IAP approval signature blocks for the SCO/TCO, FCO, and any other UCG member(s). 

Logos (black and white only) may be used for FEMA, the State, and any other UCG 

member organizations 

IAP approval signature blocks for the SCO/TCO, FCO and any other UCG member 

57 
 

 

 

Incident Objectives (FEMA ICS Form 202) 

The Incident Objectives (FEMA ICS Form 202) is the first page of the IAP. This form not only describes 

the UCG’s incident objectives but also provides weather and safety considerations for use during the next 

operational period. 

Incident Objectives (FEMA ICS 202) will include the following: Situation 

Unit Leader 

In Block 5, only incident objectives will be displayed. 

Number the incident objectives: 

• Sequentially from the beginning of the incident to its conclusion. 

• Do not renumber them for each operational period. 

List the incident objectives in order of priority, regardless of their tracking number. 

• The objective listed first is the highest priority. 

• The objective listed last is the lowest priority. 

Remove numbered incident objectives that have been achieved. 

Note: Archive completed FEMA ICS Form 202 for future reference. 

Modify an incident objective if necessary and maintain the same tracking number as long 

as the original intent of the objective does not change. 

Write out the incident objectives so that they provide actionable guidance for Operations. 

Do not focus incident objectives so tightly that they become essentially similar to work 

assignments. 

Do not list “priorities” or “incident priorities” on the Form 202. 

In Block 6, focus the weather message on weather that incident personnel can expect for 

the operational period. 

In Block 7, focus the safety message on information that is relevant and actionable to 

field personnel. 

58 
 

 

 

 

Incident Telephone Communication Plans (FEMA ICS Form 205 A) 

The purpose of this form is to inform incident personnel regarding which radio communications channels 

are in use and which specific purpose each has been assigned. It is acceptable for Planning Sections to 

replace the Incident Radio Communications Plan (FEMA ICS Form 205) in the IAP, where appropriate, 

with a modified version, entitled the Incident Telephone Communications Plan (FEMA ICS Form 205 A). 

The plan is a combined Organization Assignment List (FEMA ICS Form 203) and Form 205 that includes 

professional contact telephone/cell phone numbers and professional email address (optional) for each 

person listed. It also identifies if they are FEMA, State, or from other federal agencies. The inclusion of 

both the Form 203 and Form 205 A in the IAP is unnecessarily duplicative and therefore confusing— 

adding to the length of the IAP without providing additional needed information. 

The Incident Telephone Communication Plan (FEMA ICS Form 205A) will include 

the following: 

Resource 

Unit Leader 

Only those positions and personnel assigned to division/group supervisors, unit leaders 

and above. 

Note: The exception to this is a Level III, event and the Form 205 A is no longer than one page 

in the IAP. 



Ensure that this plan does not become the incident phone directory. 

Ensure that this plan corresponds with the incident organization chart with correct names 

assigned to specific positions. 

Contact numbers listed for FCO, SCO/TCO, and other key staff are the desk numbers for 

their administrative assistants. 

Do not show personal cell phones numbers or personal email addresses for any incident 

staff. 

59 
Incident Organization Chart (FEMA ICS Form 207) 

Incident Organization Charts (FEMA ICS 207) are important for incident personnel to understand how 

the incident is organized, what positions are filled, what the reporting structures are, and who is filling 

these positions. On Level I and II incidents, the organization charts include unit leaders, group/division 

supervisors positions, and above. Organizations will be configured according to incident needs and 

current accepted program structure. These charts should accurately reflect the organization. 

Incident Organization Chart (FEMA ICS Form 207) will include the following: Resource 

Unit Leader 

Chart displayed in way that is consistent with examples provided in the Incident 

Management Handbook. 

Position naming conventions that conform to the position names in the IMH. 

Deputy positions shown in the same box as the primary position. 

Deputies will not be shown with separate organization structures. 

• If there is a need for another position to manage the span of control then the use 

of assistants is appropriate. 

The names on the chart are consistent with the names on the Form 205 A. 

Ensure that on Level I and II incidents, the following occurs: 

• Command staff includes only managers/advisors and above. 

• The organization charts include unit leaders/group and division supervisors 

positions and above only 

• The organizations are configured according to incident needs. 

• The Operations Section organization is organized geographically, unless there is 

a compelling reason to organize functionally. 

For a Level III incident, the following occurs: 

• The organization is arranged functionally. (In rare situations, it can also be 

organized geographically.) 

• Include, as necessary, all the positions/names of the whole organization on the 

chart. 

On incidents that are organized geographically, the organization chart will include the following: 

• Geographic branch director(s) and division supervisors 

• Program branch directors, group supervisors, task force leaders, managers, and 

crew leaders (IA, PA, and HM) 

• Air Operations Branch 

60 
 

 

 

 

Incident Map 

The incident map is an important IAP component for incident field personnel, which enables them to 

locate critical incident facilities and operational geographic boundaries, and other critical information 

such as declared counties. On Level I and II incidents, the incident map is extremely important for those 

doing incident action planning. FEMA program branches in Operations and others (e.g., ESFs) need to 

know where the geographic branches and divisions boundaries are located within the incident area so they 

can assign their resources to the correct branch and division on the Operational Planning Worksheet 

(FEMA ICS Form 215). The incident map is the responsibility of the Planning Section’s Situation Unit, 

however, the updating and viability is the responsibility of the Operations Section Chief. Incident maps 

should be produced in black and white using standardized fill patterns (i.e., vertical horizontal, and 

diagonal) to indicate IA, PA, IA/PA, and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program if declared. 

The incident map will include the following: Situation 

Unit Leader 

Incident geographic branches and division boundaries 

Critical operational facilities such as the following: 

• Staging Areas, both Federal and State 

• Operations field offices 

• Helibases, fixed wing bases 

• Disaster Recovery Centers 

• Incident camps or other support facilities 

• Designated counties 

Ensure that the naming and identification map symbols, are all in accordance with IMH 

Chapters 9 through 30 and appendix B of this document. 

Ensure that incident map legends use black and white patterns, not color. 

61 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assignment List (FEMA ICS Form 204) 

Assignment Lists (FEMA ICS Form 204) are critical for informing field staff about their assignments, 

duties, responsibilities, and key personnel contact information for an operational period. As a result, Form 

204 should be complete, accurate, and organized in a manner that facilitates staff’s understanding of 

operational work assignment details. Using the Operational Planning Worksheets (FEMA ICS Form 215), 

the Operations Section develops the FEMA ICS Form 204. Once Operations approves them, the FEMA 

ICS Form 215s are given to the Planning Section to prepare the FEMA ICS Form 204s. Once the UCG’s 

members affirm that the general staff can support the plan at the Planning Meeting, and the UCG then 

approves the operational plan, the FEMA ICS Form 204s are included in the IAP for duplication and 

distribution. 

The Assignment List (FEMA ICS Form 204) will include the following: Resource 

Unit Leader 

Do not use a modified FEMA ICS Form 204. 

Do not include work assignments that are not in direct support of incident objectives. 

Do not include for work assignments OSCs, geographic and program branch directors, 

division supervisors, and managers assigned in the JFO if they are administrative in 

nature or relate to personnel management. 



Sequence the list according to the Incident Organization Chart (FEMA ICS Form 207) 

for Operations. 

Example: Branch I and Divisions A through G, Branch II and Divisions H through N, IA 

Branch and Groups, PA Branch and Groups, HM Branch and Groups etc. 



Complete the list in a way that is clear and provides information for field staff to 

understand their task, reporting location, reporting time, and key personnel contact 

information. 



Do not include objective numbers on the work assignment. 

Note: It is the responsibility of the OSC to ensure work assignments are consistent with the 

FEMA ICS Form 202 during the Objectives Strategies Meeting. 



Ensure that all resources are listed on the appropriate FEMA ICS Form 204. 

Ensure that division or functional forms include no more than one work assignment line 

for an individual, crew, or task force. 

• A particular individual, crew, or task force may be assigned to more than one 

division form when assigned to work locations in other divisions. 

• Multiple work assignments are combined and displayed on one assignment line. 

No blank blocks on the list. 

Note: Where information for a block is not available, use placeholders whenever possible to 

indicate that the topic of the block has been addressed (TBD, N/A, UNK, etc.). 



The following are detailed appropriately: 

• Logistical needs 

• Safety considerations 

• Coordination requirements 

• Critical support information 

In Block 11, any special communication requirements, if different than those identified in 

the FEMA ICS Form 205 A, are fully described 

62 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Medical Plan (FEMA ICS Form 206) 

The Medical Plan (FEMA ICS Form 206) is critical for the safety of incident personnel when a medical 

emergency occurs. FEMA ICS Form 206 provides important information to incident personnel such as 

the following: medical emergency procedures, the locations of medical aid facilities within the incident 

area, emergency medical transportation locations with contact numbers—including those of hospitals 

located in or near the incident area. The responsibility for the development of the FEMA ICS Form 206 is 

the Safety Officer. 

Medical Plan (FEMA ICS 206) will include the following: Safety 

Officer 

The form being used is the official FEMA ICS Form 206 and has not been modified. 

Include in Block 3 (incident medical aid stations), both urgent care and hospital 

emergency rooms located within the incident area, and incident aid stations that may be 

established at the JFO and incident camps. 



Include in Block 4, whether 911 is the contact number for all emergency transportation 

needs in all affected areas of the incident. 

• If 911 is not the contact for all emergency transportation needs, then the IAP 

must reflect the information for each municipality. 

• If an ambulance is assigned to the incident then the correct location and contact 

numbers must be included. 

Include in Block 7, (hospitals) not only the hospital that would service the JFO, but also 

selected hospitals with emergency room capability located throughout the incident area. 

Fill Block 6, correctly and with enough information so an incident employee will know 

what to do and who to notify in the case of an accident or other medical emergency. 

63 
 

 

 

 

 

Daily Meeting Schedule (FEMA ICS Form 230) 

The Daily Meeting Schedule (FEMA ICS Form 230) provides incident staff with the information 

regarding what, where and when critical incident meetings will take place during the operational cycle. 

The schedule also lays out the purpose of the meetings. Incident action planning meetings and briefings 

will always be included in this schedule. The meeting schedule also ensures that other meetings do not 

conflict with incident action planning meetings (i.e., Command and General Staff Meeting, Objectives 

Strategies Meeting, Planning Meeting, and the Operations Briefing). The meeting schedule should reflect 

the incident action planning cycle for the operational period, and include other critical incident meetings 

as needed. 

The Daily Meeting Schedule (FEMA ICS Form 230) will include the following: Situation 

Unit Leader 

A C&GS meeting consisting of the UCG (FCO, SCO/TCO, and any other UCG 

Coordinator) and staff will be conducted and listed on the meeting schedule for each 

operational period. 



The Objective Strategies Meeting will be conducted and listed on the meeting schedule 

for each operational period. 

The Operations Briefing will be held every operational period and listed on the meetings 

schedule for each operational period. 

• Planning Meeting will be conducted and listed on the meeting schedule for each 

operational period. 

• All incident action planning meetings and briefings will have IMH compliant 

names 



Items that are not meetings are not included. 

64 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX D: FINAL QUALITY ASSURANCE 

CHECKLIST 

The checklist below is intended to serve as a tool that the PSC uses before granting final 

approval to the IAP. 

 Do the tasks listed on the Assignment List(s) (FEMA ICS Form 204) support the Incident 

Objectives (FEMA ICS Form 202)? 

 Does the incident map reflect the operation elements identified on the Incident 

Organization Chart (FEMA ICS Form 207) or the FEMA ICS Form 204? 

 Does the Incident Telephone Communications Plan (FEMA ICS Form 205 A) provide 

information on the operation elements identified on the FEMA ICS Form 207 or the 

FEMA ICS Form 204? 

 Are all assigned radio frequencies, trunked radio systems, and talk group assignments 

identified on the Incident Radio Communications Plan (FEMA ICS Form 205), and does 

the information reflect the operation elements identified on the FEMA ICS Form 207 or 

the FEMA ICS Form 204? 

 Does information on the Medical Plan (FEMA ICS Form 206) identify the closest 

medical facility to each operation element identified on the incident map, the FEMA ICS 

Form 207, or the FEMA ICS Form 204? Does it identify what should be done if someone 

is injured or is seriously ill? 

 Does the IAP use common Incident Command System terminology throughout the 

document? 

 Does the Meeting Schedule (FEMA ICS Form 230) contain at a minimum, the following? 

• appropriate incident action planning meetings 

• strategy meetings 

• team meetings 

• public meetings 

65 
 

 

 

 

APPENDIX E: MAINTAINING SITUATIONAL 

AWARENESS THROUGHOUT THE LIFE CYCLE OF 

THE INCIDENT 

It is necessary for FEMA to have an understanding of what is going on when, where, how, by 

whom, and with what throughout the life cycle of an incident. This type of information provides 

situational awareness. Initial situational awareness typically comes via the initial situation 

assessment which is facilitated by deliberate plans. Subsequent situational awareness comes 

through the information collection process. This appendix provides further information regarding 

both of these processes. 

Incorporating Deliberate Plans into Initial Situation 

Assessment 

FEMA has many deliberate plans at the national and regional level, including All-Hazards Plans 

and Incident Specific Catastrophic Plans. The contents of these plans often provide strategic and 

tactical information that has been agreed-upon between the State and FEMA. Table 14 lists 

potential plan content items that may inform the Incident Action Planning Process. 

Table 14: Deliberate Plan Elements and their Application in IAPs 

Deliberate 

Plan Element Description Application Examples 

Assumptions 

Provides baseline 

expectations for the 

content of the rest of the 

plan, including magnitude, 

impacts, location(s), and 

operational capabilities 

Allows IMAT to identify 

potentiality for plan use 

and applicability of 

operational requirements 

Earthquake Magnitude 

Hurricane Strength 

Regional Response 

Coordination Center 

Capability 

Resource Availability 

Risk Analysis 

Provides construct for 

considering where 

potential risk exists 

Provides IMAT with initial 

framework for 

understanding the 

potential impacts, 

including those that may 

not be typically considered 

Demographics 

Climate 

Geology 

Cascading Impacts 

66 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deliberate 

Plan Element Description Application Examples 

Projected 

Timelines 

Incorporates risk analysis 

and assumptions into 

currently understood 

timelines to give 

framework for expected 

timelines for delivery of 

resources, capabilities, 

and program delivery 

Informs process for 

determining delivery of 

resources, allows for 

expectations to be 

managed between State 

and FEMA 

Transportation Impacts & 

Associated Timeline 

Delays 

Facility Availability and 

Stand-up Times 

Personnel & 

Resource 

Requirements 

Provides specific, agreedupon resource 

requirements based on 

the assumed, modeled 

impacts 

Gives IMAT baseline for 

Mission Assignment 

scope, personnel ordering 

requirements, JFO size 

needs, and logistics 

footprint requirements 

Personnel Needs 

Anticipated Shortfalls & 

Federal Resource 

Requirements 

Commodity Shortfalls & 

Federal Requirements 

Operational 

Checklists 

Detailed list of actions 

required to bring forth 

personnel and resources 

required. May provide 

tactical assignment and 

anticipated force laydown. 

Gives guidelines for a 

time-phased approach to 

coordinate provision of 

required resources to the 

State. Helps to manage 

tasks within specific 

operational periods. 

Resource Request Times 

Logistics Footprint 

Establishment 

Timeframes 

Anticipated Timeline for 

Resource Delivery 

EEIs/CIRs 

EEI: Important and 

standard information 

items that incident 

managers need to make 

timely and informed 

decisions 

CIR: Particular elements of 

information specifically 

requested by incident 

leaders 

Provides initial input into 

the Planning Sectionderived ICP. 

Pre-Approved EEI List 

Pre-Approved CIR List 

Existing 

Facilities 

Listing of preapproved 

facilities and their 

anticipated use given the 

plan scenario 

Gives parameters for 

Logistics and Operations 

to identify resource 

allocation and logistics 

capabilities/limitations 

Incident Support Base 

List 

Mobilization Center List 

Pre-Approved JFO Sites 

Points of Distribution Plan 

State/Federal Staging 

Area List 

Incident 

Priorities & 

Objectives 

Pre-determined list of joint 

State/FEMA initial 

priorities and supporting 

objectives for the specific 

incident 

Gives baseline to IMAT for 

initial objectives 

development 

Pre-Approved Priorities 

List 

Pre-Approved Objectives 

List 

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Post Initial Situation Awareness 

After the initial efforts to gain situational awareness (Phase 1), the iterative information 

collection process begins during Phase 2 and continues to inform all aspects of incident action 

planning throughout the life cycle of the incident. This process includes the collection, analysis, 

and dissemination of information to assist operations and support functions in planning for 

providing support and resources to survivors during each operational period. 

Good situational awareness must be available to 

incident management personnel throughout the life 

cycle of an incident to support timely and effective 

decision making (figure 11). The quality of 

decisions is directly related to the accuracy and 

completeness of the information on which 

decisions are based. Situational awareness is 

gained from many sources. Site inspections, 

official reports, media broadcasts, maps, and 

formal and informal assessments all contribute to 

the base of knowledge about the incident. 

Developing situational awareness requires 

continual monitoring, verifying, integrating, and analyzing relevant elements of information and 

developing hazards. At its best, situational awareness provides up-to-date information on the 

status of people, critical facilities, infrastructure, resources, and the environment. 

Information Collection Plan 

A well-designed ICP is an important tool for incident management.8 The ICP is a matrix of 

information requirements that is keyed to the incident. This plan also lists sources, units of 

measure, and schedules for collecting various items. Information gathered based on an ICP can 

aid in the development of incident objectives. 

Situational Awareness Products 

Many products and reports provide situational awareness to incident personnel. Several are key 

to assessing the progress of incident operations and the effectiveness of the incident action 

planning process. Below are some examples of products that, while not part of the IAP, inform 

staff on environment and effectiveness of operations. 

Figure 11: Understanding the Situation 

8 Refer to the Incident Management Manual. 

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Situation Reports 

The Planning Section produces Situation Reports, which are the primary summary of 

information of the immediately completed operational period. Situation reports address EEIs, as 

well as other pertinent information for the last operational period. Situation reports are also tied 

directly to IAPs; reports should reflect the results of IAP work assignments. By reporting on the 

results of work assignments the Situation Report can inform adjustments to objectives, strategies, 

or priorities of the coming operational period. 

Spot Reports 

Information for Spot Reports may be generated by any element at the incident level. These 

reports provide information on occurrences and/or conditions that may have an immediate and 

significant effect on current operations. Spot Reports can provide information that is important to 

incident objectives and tactics (e.g., severe weather or hazmat spills). Spot Reports often add 

value to incident action planning efforts by providing timely information on significant aspects 

of the incident. In the early stages of a response, Spot Reports may be the only source of 

Situational Awareness until the planning cycle begins and the Situation Report is generated. 

Situation Update Briefing 

This briefing—based on the content of the Situation Report—updates leadership on the current 

situation. The Situation Unit provides situation updates during the C&GS, tactics, and planning 

meetings. 

Gathering Information 

Gathering and reporting situational awareness is accomplished using a wide variety of 

methods, including: 

• Providing planning specialist(s) to the STT Planning Section to monitor STT reporting 

systems (WebEOC®, etc.) and to create/disseminate spot reports from that information 

• Reading STT situation reports 

• Developing or using a good ICP 

• Maintaining direct communications with the Planning Sections of the RRCS and the 

National Response Coordination Staff 

• Deploying or using technical specialists such as National Weather Service 

representatives 

• Deploying and receiving reports from planning specialists 

• Embedding planning specialists (liaisons) in the Operations, Logistics, and 

Finance/Administration Sections 

• Deploying information specialists to other facilities and operation field offices 

• Analyzing and disseminating relevant geospatial products 

69 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Responsibilities 

The Command Staff and the Operations, Logistics, and Finance and Administration 

Sections are responsible for regularly providing the Planning Section with clear, timely, and 

accurate information. 

The Planning Section is responsible for providing the Operations Section with information 

products needed for effective decision making. Two units within the Planning Section are 

principally responsible for providing these information products: the Situation and Resource 

units. 

The Situation Unit processes requests for information; develops reports, briefings, and 

presentations; collects and analyzes information; and integrates geospatial and technical 

information for situational awareness. This unit is the primary organization responsible for 

maintaining situational awareness within the incident organization. The unit works with the 

GIS Unit to prepare and maintain incident maps. 

The Resources Unit develops and maintains the Incident Organization Chart (FEMA ICS 

Form 207) depicting the C&GS, as well as an organizational chart depicting only the 

Operations Section. The unit also develops the Incident Telephone Communications Plan 

(FEMA ICS Form 205 A) for each operational period detailing key staff and their contact 

information. 

Summary 

Applying accurate and timely situational awareness in each operational period includes: 

• reviewing and analyzing information that may affect incident-level operations 

• reexamining the actual or potential effects of the incident 

• providing important real-time information to the Operations Section that could modify 

one or more incident objectives 

• assessing the effectiveness of efforts undertaken during the previous operational period 

• assessing measures of effectiveness (i.e., performance metrics) 

Effective situational awareness is supported by Situation Reports, Spot Reports, and briefings, 

which in turn, support the development of incident objectives, tactics, and work assignments. 

70 

FEMA P-914 

Catalog No. 12137-1