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The Evolution and Understanding of the Planning Section at Emergency Operations Center With the emphasis of Incident Command System training across the nation, using an ICS structure in the Emergency Operations Center has become an option. The management by objectives approach eases the use of this concept. While the command system in the field during an expanding incident is executing the operational planning cycle, the planning section at the Emergency Operations Center is supporting what the plans chief in the field is the trying to accomplish. On two occasions in 2008, this has occurred at the Colorado State Emergency Operations Center. With each incident and each operational period within those incidents, the communication seemed to evolve. Some of the interaction between the various planning section components were; scheduled conference calls, the submittal of a daily ICS 209 (Incident Intelligence Summary) and the sharing of Incident Action Plans and Incident Support Plans. In a complex incident like the Alamosa Salmonella Outbreak, additional planning components were in play such as the Plans section at the Colorado Department of Health and Environments / DOC (Department Operations Center). A key to making this intricate set of relationships work is training together. In late April of this year, the Eastern Colorado Incident Management Team hosted the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, S-440 Planning Section Chief course, at the Colorado State Emergency Operations Center. The course was taught by two, Type 1 planning section chiefs. It included the entire planning section from the Eastern Colorado team, an incident commander from the Northwest Incident Management Team, an incident commander and plans section chiefs from the Denver International Airport Incident Management Team, planning section chiefs from the newly forming Ft. Carson Incident Management Team, a plans chief from the Douglas County Incident Management Team, the Colorado Division of Emergency Managements/ State Emergency Operations Center planning officer, and one of the planning section chiefs from Colorado Department of Public Health Environment /Department Operations Center. 
The above photo was taken during an EOC activation exercise during 2008 In Colorado, the evolution of the planning section at the State Emergency Operations Center includes addressing the advanced stages of objective development. The application of breaking objectives down into the acronym P.A.C.E. , Primary, Alternative, Contingency and Emergency Objectives was used during the Windsor Tornado in the State Emergency Operations Center planning section to better align resource support and the supporting the Incident management Team in the field. The planning section in the Emergency Operations Center or Department Operations Center in some cases becomes much more of a think tank then its field counterparts. However, these activities can only be based on the best information available from the field. As a result, regular interaction between the ICS organization in the field and the EOC planning components becomes essential. The section does many things that are consistent with traditional planning section activities in the field. These include creating a daily document called the Incident Support Plan which is similar to the Incident Action Plan, coming from the field for each operational period. Lastly, creating and maintaining appropriate incident displays for the presumed audience of agency administrators that may visit a County, Department or State Emergency Operations Center is a new challenge. A scrolling powerpoint of contemporary information in the State Emergency Operations Center was designed by the planning section on the last two State Emergency Operations Center activations and during a recent exercise in preparation for the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Denver. This is very effective tool not only to maintain a common operating picture for incident participants, but to also instill confidence in high level officials. The critical nature of situational awareness is placed squarely on the shoulders of the planning section in the Emergency Operations Center for both the Essential Support Functions participants and the Emergency Operations Center managers and high level directorship. New display and communications responsibilities include, but are not limited to, map displays, usage of various computer programs ( Web EOC, I Suite, CAMEO, SA Tool, HC Standard) running the polycom phone, video conferencing, and of course facilitating briefings. To continue the advancement of this evolution, continued communication, study and exploration of concepts in the EOC planning section and its support of the planning section chiefs in the field will be needed. About the Author: Todd Manns is the Emergency Management Coordinator for the Berthoud Fire Protection District, Berthoud Colorado. He is currently a qualified type 3 planning section chief and a type 2 trainee. In 2008, he responded to the South Park Snow Drift / Snow Emergency, and the Alamosa Salmonella Outbreak as a plans chief in the field. Additionally, he has served as the deputy planning section chief on three occasions in 2008, at the Colorado State Emergency Operations Center. In recent planned events, he was the planning section chief at the 2008 Colorado Wildfire and Incident Management Academy and the 2008 Colorado Governors Conference on Emergency Management. As the planning section chief on the Eastern Colorado Incident Management Team, he supervises a planning section with 5 members. In August of 2008 he served as the shift “B” planning section chief at the Colorado State Emergency Operations Center for eight days during the history making Democratic National Convention in Denver. Taken with permission from http://www.thebluecell.com
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