Which is not a primary function of the Planning Section Chief?

• A. Conduct/facilitate planning meetings
• B. Determine need for specialized resources
• C. Collect and manage all incident-relevant operational data
• D. Manage tactical operations

Answer: (D)

Role separation in ICS: the Planning Section Chief guides the planning process and information management to support decision-makers. Conducting planning meetings is a direct planning activity because those meetings are used to develop the Incident Action Plan and align resources and actions. The Planning Section Chief also helps determine what specialized resources are needed by analyzing the situation and coordinating with Logistics to resource the plan. Collecting and managing incident-relevant operational data—the status of resources, maps, and situation reports—falls under planning's responsibility to keep the IAP current. However, managing tactical operations is not a Planning Section Chief duty; that task sits with the Operations Section Chief, who directs field actions and implements the plan in the field.