Chief Officers Training Curriculum

1. Chief Officers Training Curriculum Operations Module 3: Incident Action Plan (IAP)/Planning

2. Objectives • Identify units within the planning section • Identify the roles and responsibilities within each unit • Explain the planning process

3. Overview • Planning section is the “nerve center” of successfully organized incident • Intuitive mental process—small incidents • More conscious thought process—major disasters

4. Overview (continued) Commanders: • Use assistant to document resources and record this placement/actions • Require input from technical specialists: • Haz Mat • US&R • Environmental issues

5. The Planning Section Section responsibilities include: • Collection, evaluation, and dissemination of tactical information

6. The Planning Section (continued) Other section responsibilities include: • Preparing incident-related documentation • Collecting incident information / intelligence and developing an action plan • Providing a primary location for technical specialists

7. The Incident Action Plan (IAP) • Planning’s documentation unit responsible for preparing IAP • ICS requires a plan for every incident

8. The Verbal IAP • Simple (or small) incidents of short duration • Developed by the IC • Communicated to subordinates through verbal briefing • Typically used for every response

9. The Written IAP • Complicated (or large) incidents of long duration • Incidents of an unusual nature • Two or more jurisdictions involved • Several incident organizational elements have been activated

10. The Written IAP (continued) • Contains command decisions • Provides clear statement of objectives and actions • Prepared for specific operational period

11. Operational Periods Duration determined by: • Time needed to achieve tactical objectives • Availability of fresh resources • Environment • Personnel safety

12. IAP Development Develop early enough to ensure: • Completion of written plan • Availability and briefing of additional resources

13. Planning Section Chief • One of four general staff positions appointed by and reporting to the IC • May have a deputy • Determines need to activate/deactivate planning section units

14. Planning Section Units Four primary units exist: • Resource • Situation • Documentation • Demobilization

15. Resource Unit • Maintains status on all resources(equipment and personnel)assigned to incident

16. Situation Unit • Collects and processes information on the current situation • Prepares situation displays and summaries • Develops maps • Provides projections for future situations)

17. Documentation Unit • Prepares IAP • Maintains accurate, up-to-date incident files (on incident-related documentation) • Provides duplication services

18. Demobilization Unit • Ensures orderly, safe, and cost-effective movement of personnel • Develops incident demobilization plan • Single-agency and/or smaller incidents may not require written plan or demob unit • Larger incidents require demob unit established early

19. Technical Specialists • Report to and work within Planning Section • May be reassigned wherever needed • Often assigned to situation unit (if needed for short time only) • May have own unit established

20. Information and Intelligence Unit • Appropriate in an incident with some need for tactical intelligence • When no law enforcement entity is a member of the Unified Command

21. The Planning Process • Includes all steps taken by IC to produce IAP • Begins with rapid planning effort of initial response IC • Improved by implementing formalized steps and staffing needed for IAP development

22. Applying ICS to an Incident Apply ICS when: • Planning for event or possible incident • Reacting to unexpected event or incident

23. Planned Events/Possible Incidents • Easiest to prepare for • Planners: • Must know as much as possible about event • Build an organizational structure to meet need • Establish exactly what is required—before event

24. Planning Stage Considerations include: • Type of event • Location/size/duration • Single or multi-agency • Single or multijurisdiction • Command staff needs • Kind, type, number of resources

25. Planning Stage (continued) Considerations include: • Staging areas • Other required facilities • Kind and type of logistical support • Known limitations or restrictions • Communications available

26. Unexpected Major Incidents • Most common • Characterized by: • Time pressure • Scarce/specialized resource needs • Rapid expansion of incident • Overloaded communications • Incomplete information • Inexperienced on-scene staff

27. Unexpected Major Incidents (continued) • Staff experienced in control but inexperienced in expanded incidents • Require immediate action • First-responding units take initial steps to provide organization

28. Any Incident • Size up the situation • Determine if human life at immediate risk • Establish immediate objectives • Determine number and kind of resources • Develop action plan

29. Any Incident (continued) • Establish initial organization • Consider span-of-control limits • Ensure personnel safety • Determine environmental issues • Monitor work progress • Review/modify objectives (and adjust plan)

30. Transfer of Command Incoming IC is briefed and performs assessment of incident with initial response IC.

31. Incoming IC Briefing Covers: • Incident history • Initial priorities and objectives • Current plan • Resource assignments • Incident organization • Resource ordering/needed

32. Incoming IC Briefing (continued) Covers: • Facilities established • Status of communications • Constraints or limitations • Incident potential • Delegation of authority

33. Command Worksheet/Initial Written IAP • Verbal for small, uncomplicated incidents • Command worksheet at the Bn. • Chief vehicle on larger, complex or unusual incidents

34. Command Worksheet/ICS Form 201 Contains the following information: • Map sketch • Summary of current objectives and actions • Current organization • Resources summary

35. ICS Form 201 • Is used on initial attack wildfires • Serves the same purpose as the command worksheet • Used to move from a verbal to written IAP • Only IAP used for first operational period

36. Expanded, Written IAP • For large, complex, or unusual events • Many ICS functional groups contribute • Initial IC may have started • Composed of series of ICS forms

37. Transferring Command • Method #1: • Incoming IMT briefed by initial IC • IMT then takes over the incident • Method #2: • Incoming IMT phases in for several hours; then takes over the incident

38. Transferring Command (continued) • Method #3: • Incoming IMT sits in on present team's planning meeting • IAP preparation takes place jointly • New team briefs and takes over next operational period

39. Unit/Activity Log • Every resource maintains this log • Documents individual unit actions to: • Assist in developing after-action report • Justify state and Federal financial reimbursement • Collected during demobilization

40. Incident Action Plan Cycle Consists of eight sequential steps: • Understanding situation • Establishing incident objectives • Developing tactical direction and resource assignments • Conducting planning meeting

41. Incident Action Plan Cycle (continued) Consists of eight sequential steps: • Preparing plan • Conducting operations briefing • Implementing plan • Evaluating plan

42. Understanding the Situation Involves knowing: • What has occurred • Progress made • Effectiveness (of current plan) • If incident will expand (or get smaller) • Present (and future) resource and organizational needs

43. Developing Control Objectives Incident Priorities: • Life safety • Incident stabilization • Environmental protection • Property conservation

44. Lloyd Layman’s Seven Strategies RECEO VS • Rescue • Exposures • Confine • Extinguish • Overhaul • Ventilation • Salvage

45. Establishing Incident Control Objectives Objectives must be: • Attainable • Measurable • Flexible and broad

46. Sample Control Objectives • Mitigate, stabilize, or isolate all hazards that could cause personal injury within city limits • Evacuate all residents from projected flood area by 1400 hours • Search all damaged structures within city limits for casualties by 1600 hours

47. Control Operations (Work Assignments) • Work assignments that need to be accomplished by operations resources to complete a control objective • Can be written as a strategy—answers what needs to be done • Can be written as a tactic—answers how it will be accomplished

48. Developing Control Operations • The operations section chief collaborates with the IC on control objectives • Develops the control operations (work assignments) to achieve the control objectives

49. Developing Control Operations (continued) Control operations: • Developed around specific operational period • Must have measurable results

50. Developing Control Operations (continued) State control operations in terms of accomplishments that can be achieved realistically within the operational period.