FEMA Releases National Planning System Description
The document contains both the Planning Architecture, which describes the strategic, operational, and tactical levels of planning and planning integration, and the Planning Process, which describes the steps necessary to develop a comprehensive plan, from forming a team to implementing the plan.
The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency has released the National Planning System description, a document that contains an overview of the National Planning System and includes:
- The Planning Architecture, which describes the strategic, operational, and tactical levels of planning and planning integration
- The Planning Process, which describes the steps necessary to develop a comprehensive plan, from forming a team to implementing the plan
"Planning is fundamental for our national preparedness. We use planning to engage the whole community in the development of executable strategic, operational, and tactical approaches to meet defined objectives. The National Planning System provides a unified approach and common terminology to plan for all-threats and hazards and across all mission areas of Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery. In addition, a shared understanding of the types and levels of planning will enable the whole community to think through potential crises, determine capability requirements and address the collective risk identified during the risk assessment process," according to the agency's announcement.
It says the current U.S. homeland security environment is complex, involving an increasing number and type of partners who must work together to meet preparedness objectives. The NPS facilitates a consistent approach to planning across multiple organizations, facilitating better collaboration, situational awareness, and unity of effort, FEMA notes.
To learn more about the NPS, visit http://www.fema.gov/national-preparedness.