
In 5 Key Takeaways from the Planning Section Chief Course, I walk the listener through the main outline of the FEMA L962: All-Hazards Position Specific Planning Section Chief course. I then provide my advice on the practical application of the concepts from the course as I learned during my credentialing process and through field deployments.
Official Planning Section Chief Course Description:
“This course provides local- and state-level emergency responders with a robust understanding of the duties, responsibilities, and capabilities of an effective Planning Section Chief on an All-Hazards Incident Management Team (AHIMT). These responsibilities fall into two categories: 1) managing the planning cycle, and 2) tracking resources and incident status. Exercises, simulations, discussions, and a final exam enable participants to process and apply their new knowledge.” – From https://www.firstrespondertraining.gov/frts/npccatalog?catalog=EMI
‘Between the Slides 5’:
- Complete the O-305 course first (O-305 episode)
- Be familiar with the Planning Section Units
- Know the Planning “P” (Planning “P” reference)
- Know “who contributes what”
- Remember fundamentals are the same for a planned event or no-notice incident
I hope 5 Key Takeaways from the Planning Section Chief Course were helpful. To learn more about position-specific courses available from FEMA go to https://training.fema.gov/allhazards/

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Kevin Pannell, PMP | Founder of KPannell Productions, LLC | Creator & Host of the KEV Talks Podcast | Principal on the @Pannell5Fit and KEV Talks YouTube Channels
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