Incident Action Planning Process

The management by objectives focus of ICS is reinforced and implemented through the planning process.

Personnel managing the incident develop an Incident Action Plan (IAP) for each operational period.

For resource management the IAP:

Informs incident personnel of the incident objectives for the operational period
Identifies the specific resources that will be applied and actions that will be taken during the operational period to achieve the objectives
Shows how supervisory personnel and operational elements fit into the organization

Implementing the formal incident action planning process early in the incident, and maintaining the discipline imposed by it, helps the ICS organization attain its objectives.

Operational Period Planning Cycle in the shape of a capital P. Shown in order on the image:Initial Response and Assessment, Agency Administrator Briefing, Incident Briefing, Initial Unified Command Meeting, Objectives Development/Update, Strategy Meeting/Command and General Staff Meeting, Preparing for the Tactics Meeting, Tactics Meeting, Preparing for the Planning Meeting, Planning Meeting, IAP Preparation and Approval, Operational Period Briefing.