What is the main responsibility of the planning section?

The primary responsibility of the planning section in an incident command system is to draft the Incident Action Plan (IAP). The IAP is a critical document that outlines the objectives, strategies, and tactics for managing an incident. It serves as a roadmap for the operations and guides the entire response team on how to effectively tackle the situation at hand.

By developing the IAP, the planning section ensures all necessary resources are allocated efficiently and that everyone involved in the response is on the same page regarding priorities and operational procedures. This role is vital for maintaining organization and facilitating communication among various teams and agencies involved in the incident.

While managing logistics, tracking time and costs, and providing medical support are important functions within emergency response, they fall under different sections or roles within the incident command structure. The logistics section would handle supply and resource management, the finance section would be responsible for tracking costs, and medical support would typically be part of the operations section, focusing on the health and safety of victims. These functions contribute to the overall response but do not encompass the core responsibility of drafting the IAP.