How to Fill Out FEMA ICS Incident Action Plan Forms

A FEMA Incident Action Plan is assembled from a fixed set of standardized ICS forms, and filling out the FEMA ICS Incident Action Plan forms means completing each one in the right order, by the right role, with headers that match across the packet and a single Incident Commander signature that authorizes the whole plan. Blank fillable PDFs for every form live at FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute at training.fema.gov/icsresource/icsforms.aspx.¹ What follows walks through the forms in the order you will actually complete them, block by block.

The Seven Forms in the Core Packet

A complete written IAP always includes at least seven standardized forms, with more added as the incident demands.² The set covers one operational period, typically 12 to 24 hours.³

ICS 200 — cover sheet with plan number, incident name, declaration numbers, facility address, and approval blocks.
ICS 202 — Incident Objectives, carrying the IC signature that approves the IAP.⁴
ICS 204 — Assignment List, one per division or group.⁵
ICS 205A — Communications List (personnel directory).⁶
ICS 206 — Medical Plan.⁷
ICS 207 — Incident Organization Chart, usually printed large and wall-mounted at the Command Post.⁸
ICS 230 — Meeting Schedule.

The ICS 203 (Organization Assignment List) and ICS 205 (Incident Radio Communications Plan) commonly ride along with the core set, and an ICS 208 (Safety Message/Plan) is added when the Safety Officer decides conditions warrant one.⁹

Header Rules That Apply to Every Form

Every standard ICS form uses Block 1 for the incident name and Block 2 for the operational period start and end dates and times.¹⁰ Enter dates as month/day/year and use the 24-hour clock. The incident name and operational period must read identically across every form in the packet. Mismatched headers are the fastest way for pages to get separated during a large response.

Write in plain language throughout. NIMS requires clear text: no agency-specific ten-codes, no local jargon that responders from other jurisdictions might misread.¹¹ If a block does not apply to your incident, enter “N/A” rather than leaving it empty. A blank field looks like an oversight; a deliberate N/A shows the question was considered.

ICS 202 — Incident Objectives

The Planning Section completes the ICS 202 after each Command and General Staff meeting.⁴

Block 3 holds the objective statements. Write them so they are measurable and tied to specific outcomes for the upcoming operational period, not vague aspirations. Block 4 captures the operational strategy for meeting those objectives. Block 5 records weather or environmental factors that will affect operations. Block 6 covers general situational awareness; if a safety message goes here, the Safety Officer should review it for consistency with any ICS 208 attached to the packet.

Block 7 lists every attachment traveling with the plan — ICS 203, 204, 205, 206, 208, and any others in play. Block 8 is the approval block. The Incident Commander signs here, and that signature authorizes the entire IAP. Under Unified Command, a single IC may sign, or additional signatures can go on an attached page.

ICS 203 — Organization Assignment List

The Resources Unit prepares the ICS 203 under direction of the Planning Section Chief. It lists every activated position and the person filling it, grouped by Command Staff, Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration. Use at least the first initial and last name for each individual. Under Unified Command, add the agency name next to each commander. If a shift change is scheduled within the operational period, list both names separated by a slash. The completed form is duplicated and attached to the ICS 202 for distribution.

ICS 204 — Assignment List

The ICS 204 is where tactical work gets committed to paper, and a separate 204 is produced for each division, group, or staging area.⁵ The Resources Unit normally prepares it using the ICS 202 objectives, the ICS 215 Operational Planning Worksheet, and guidance from the Operations Section Chief.

Block 3 identifies the branch, division, or group with standard alphanumeric labels such as “Division D” or “Group 1A.” Block 4 lists names and contact numbers for the Operations Section Chief, Branch Director, and Division or Group Supervisor. Block 5 lists assigned resources: unique identifier, leader name, number of personnel, and contact method for each. Block 6 states the tactical objectives for the group during the period. Block 7 covers special instructions — safety precautions, pickup and drop-off points, other critical notes. Block 8 records communications information pulled from the ICS 205. The Incident Commander must approve each ICS 204, and the Planning Section Chief and Operations Section Chief may review and initial it.

ICS 205 and 205A — Communications

The Communications Unit Leader prepares the ICS 205 and hands it to the Planning Section Chief for inclusion in the IAP.¹² The form assigns specific frequencies and channels for command, tactical, support, and air functions, going deeper than the directory-style 205A.

The ICS 205A is the personnel contact directory: phone numbers, pager numbers, and radio callsigns for individuals assigned to the incident.⁶ Most incidents that produce a written IAP include both forms.

ICS 206 — Medical Plan

The Medical Unit Leader prepares the ICS 206, and the Safety Officer reviews it before it goes into the packet.⁷

Block 3 lists on-scene medical aid stations with locations, contact numbers, and whether paramedics are present. Block 4 identifies ambulance services, their locations, contact information, and level of service (ALS or BLS). Block 5 lists hospitals that could serve the incident, and this is the block that most rewards thoroughness. For each hospital, enter the name, physical address, latitude and longitude if there is a helipad, contact numbers, travel time by both air and ground, trauma center level, and whether the facility has a burn center. If aviation assets will fly medical evacuations, coordinate with Air Operations and check the appropriate box in Block 6. Block 6 also captures any special emergency procedures and who to contact for them.

ICS 207 and ICS 208

The ICS 207 Incident Organization Chart is a visual layout of activated ICS positions and the people filling them, typically printed on a plotter and posted at the Incident Command Post.⁸ It complements the text roster on the ICS 203.

The ICS 208 is optional. The Safety Officer prepares it when conditions create specific hazards worth a standalone document.⁹ Block 3 holds the safety message; write to the actual risks on scene instead of pasting boilerplate. Block 4 addresses site safety concerns like hazardous materials exposure, structural instability, or extreme weather. The Safety Officer signs in Block 5. When an ICS 208 is included, it is duplicated with the rest of the IAP and distributed to every recipient.

Before the First Written IAP: the ICS 201

At the start of an incident, before there is time to build a full written IAP, the initial Incident Commander fills out the ICS 201 Incident Briefing.¹³ It contains a situation map or sketch, a summary of current and planned actions, the organizational structure already in place, and a resource summary. When a relief IC arrives, the ICS 201 transfers with an oral briefing. Sections then feed the planning cycle: the map and tactics sections go to the Situation Unit; organization and resource data flow into the ICS 203 and ICS 204. The completed 201 can also serve as part of the initial IAP itself.

Approval and Distribution

Before the packet goes out, the Planning Section Chief reviews it for completeness and consistency — matching incident names, correct operational period times, no missing attachments. The Incident Commander then signs Block 8 of the ICS 202 to formally approve the plan.⁴ Under Unified Command, at least one IC signs, with additional signatures on an attached page if needed. That signature is what authorizes personnel to begin executing assignments for the next operational period.

Physical copies are assembled and handed out during the Operations Briefing at the start of the new operational period. Supervisors receive their copies there and brief their assigned personnel from those pages.¹⁴ Digital copies go to a shared incident management portal or secure server so off-site stakeholders and support agencies have real-time access. Platforms like WebEOC can automate parts of this workflow, including transferring data between forms and archiving published plans with timestamps.¹⁵

Companion Forms for Cost Recovery

The core IAP forms document what was planned. Two additional forms document what actually happened, and both matter for FEMA reimbursement after a declared disaster. They are not part of the IAP packet itself, but the same people preparing the IAP typically produce them.

The ICS 211 Incident Check-In List records the arrival and departure of every resource at the incident: agency affiliation, unique resource identifiers, order request numbers, number of personnel, arrival and departure dates and times, and initial assignments.¹⁶ Completed forms go to the Resources Unit, the Demobilization Unit, and the Finance/Administration Section. Without those check-in records tying a resource to a specific incident and time window, there is no paper trail to support a cost claim.

The ICS 214 Activity Log provides a chronological record of what each resource or unit actually did during the operational period.¹⁷ Block 6 lists all assigned resources with names, ICS positions, and home agencies. Block 7 is the activity log itself: time-stamped entries describing task assignments, completions, injuries, and difficulties. The preparer signs and submits to a supervisor, who forwards it to the Documentation Unit. Fill these out contemporaneously. Reconstructing an activity log weeks later from memory rarely passes federal scrutiny.

Mistakes That Sink an IAP at Audit

Most IAP errors surface not in the field but during post-incident audits or reimbursement reviews, which makes them easy to shrug off under time pressure and painful to fix later.

Inconsistent headers. Pick one exact incident name at the start and use it, character for character, on every form. Different abbreviations or date formats cause pages to be separated from the plan they belong to.
Time standard confusion. The date and time format is set by the Incident Command or Unified Command and applied consistently. Local time is the norm, but if the incident spans time zones or involves federal partners operating on UTC, settle the standard early and put it in writing.¹⁰
Blank fields with no explanation. Mark inapplicable blocks “N/A” so reviewers see the question was considered.
Jargon and ten-codes. NIMS requires plain language for all incident communications, including the written IAP.¹⁸
Adapted forms without labeling. If your jurisdiction modifies a standard ICS form, the title must indicate it clearly, for example “ICS 215A — Adapted for [Jurisdiction].” Unlabeled modifications raise questions about data validity during audits.¹⁰
Missing companion documentation. The ICS 211 and ICS 214 sit outside the IAP packet, but without them, personnel and equipment costs have no auditable trail back to specific incident assignments.

1
Federal Emergency Management Agency. Emergency Management Institute – ICS Fillable Forms
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Federal Emergency Management Agency. Incident Action Planning Guide Revision 1
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National Wildfire Coordinating Group. Operational Period
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Federal Emergency Management Agency. ICS Form 202 Incident Objectives
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Federal Emergency Management Agency. ICS Form 204 Assignment List
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Texas A&M University at Galveston. ICS Form 205A Communications List
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Federal Emergency Management Agency. ICS Form 206 Medical Plan
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FEMA Emergency Management Institute. Incident Organization Chart ICS 207
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Texas A&M University at Galveston. Safety Message/Plan ICS 208
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Federal Emergency Management Agency. NIMS ICS Forms Booklet
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Federal Emergency Management Agency. National Incident Management System
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Federal Emergency Management Agency. Incident Radio Communications Plan ICS 205
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FEMA. ICS 201 Incident Briefing
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Federal Emergency Management Agency. Incident Action Planning Process
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Juvare. Incident Action Plan
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FEMA. Incident Check-In List ICS 211
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FEMA Emergency Management Institute. ICS 214 Activity Log
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Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Plain Language Guide – Making the Transition from Ten Codes to Plain Language