Skip to main content

Planning Section Chief Complex

PSCC decorative banner: photos depicting PSCC position. PSCC Position Description: The Planning Section Chief Complex (PSCC) manages all aspects of incident planning, situation and resource status, and demobilization of an incident.

The Planning Section Chief Complex (PSCC) manages all aspects of incident planning, situation and resource status, and demobilization of an incident. The PSCC supervises members of the Planning Section. The PSCC is part of the Command and General Staff (C&G) and reports to the Incident Commander (IC). The PSCC works in the Planning functional area.

USWDS Paragraphs

The Forest Service and Department of Interior are enabled by Administratively Determined Pay Plans (AD Pay Plans) to hire persons for temporary duration for the following reasons:

  1. To cope with a sudden and unexpected emergency caused by a fire, or extreme fire potential, flood, storm, or any other all-hazard emergency that threatens damage to federally protected property, has the potential to cause loss of life, serious injury, public health risk, or damage to natural or cultural resources unless brought under immediate control.
  2. To provide emergency assistance to States under formalized agreements.
  3. To meet mission assignments issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Incident Business Committee (IBC) reviews positions annually and establishes pay rate classifications for each position.

For more information on the AD Pay Plans, visit Incident Business Committee.

Date: Jan 2025

Removed: X-520, NWCG CIM Field Evaluation Form

Date: Jan 2024

Updated Positions Qualification Requirements as follows:

Added:

  • To PSCC Qualification Requirements: ***S-420, Command and General Staff or L-481, Advanced Leadership for Command and General Staff or O-305, Type 3 All-Hazard Incident Management Team, and I-400, Advanced ICS for Command and General Staff, must be completed before initiating the NWCG Planning Section Chief Complex, Position Task Book, PMS 311-123.

Updated: 

  • S-520, Advanced Incident Management OR Complex Incident Management Course (CIMC) OR Complex Incident Management Field Evaluation (PDF) OR a completed X-520,NWCG CIM Field Evaluation Form (PDF).
Date: Jan 2023

Added:

To Required Training:

To Required Experience:

OR

  • Satisfactory performance as a Situation Unit Leader (SITL)
  • AND Completion and Certification of NWCG Planning Section Chief Complex (PSCC) Position Task Book, PMS 311-123

OR

  • Satisfactory performance as a Resources Unit Leader (RESL)
  • AND Completion and Certification of NWCG Planning Section Chief Complex (PSCC) Position Task Book, PMS 311-123

OR

  • Satisfactory performance as a Planning Section Chief Type 3 (PSC3)
  • AND Completion and Certification of NWCG Planning Section Chief Complex (PSCC) Position Task Book, PMS 311-123 (see note)

OR

  • Satisfactory performance as a Operations Section Chief Complex (OSCC)
  • AND Completion and Certification of NWCG Planning Section Chief Complex (PSCC) Position Task Book, PMS 311-123 (see note)

OR

  • Satisfactory performance as a Logistics Section Chief Complex (LSCC)
  • AND Completion and Certification of NWCG Planning Section Chief Complex (PSCC) Position Task Book, PMS 311-123 (see note)

OR

  • Satisfactory performance as a Complex Incident Safety Officer (SOFC)
  • AND Completion and Certification of NWCG Planning Section Chief Complex (PSCC) Position Task Book, PMS 311-123 (see note)

Note: Individuals utilizing this pathway must complete the Planning Section Chief Course (S-440) prior to position qualification.

To These Positions Maintain Currency for PSCC:

  • Incident Commander Type 2 (ICT2)
  • Planning Section Chief Type 3 (PSC3)
  • Resources Unit Leader (RESL)
  • Situation Unit Leader (SITL)

To PSCC Maintains Currency For These Positions:

  • Demobilization Unit Leader (DMOB)
  • Documentation Unit Leader (DOCL)
  • Planning Section Chief Type 3 (PSC3)

To Other Training Which Supports Development of Knowledge and Skills:

Date: May 2022

Added: Area Commander (ACDR), Assistant Area Commander, Planning (ACPC), Incident Commander Complex (ICCI), and Incident Commander Type 1 (ICT1) to "These Positions Maintain Currency For PSCC ".

Added: Assistant Area Commander, Planning (ACPC), Incident Commander Complex (ICCI), Incident Commander Type 1 (ICT1), Incident Commander Type 2 (ICT2), Resources Unit Leader (RESL), Situation Unit Leader (SITL), and Status/Check-In Recorder (SCKN) to "PSCC Maintains Currency For These Positions."

Position created.

USWDS Paragraph Bundles



Last Modified / Reviewed:

Please Provide Feedback

NWCG values your constructive input and we thank you for taking the time to provide feedback.

Although contact information is optional, we hope that you provide a way for us to contact you in case we need clarification on your comment. If you would like to be contacted regarding your feedback, you must provide contact information. 

Would you like a response?
If you would like a response, you must provide contact information (name and email) below.
One file only.
9.28 GB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, jpeg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, mp4, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.

NWCG Latest Announcements

WFSTAR 2025 Core Component Module Package and 2024 Fire Year in Review Now Available

Date: March 14, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Joe Schindel at mschindel@blm.gov
 

The 2025 Core Component Module Package for RT-130, Wildland Fire Safety Training Annual Refresher (WFSTAR) and the 2024 Fire Year in Review are now available on the NWCG website. The 2025 Core Component Module Package provides all content needed to deliver RT-130.

References:

2025 Core Component Module Package

2024 Fire Year in Review Module

NEW! NWCG Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Field Guide, PMS 053

Date: March 12, 2025
Contact: Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Committee

The NWCG Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Field Guide, PMS 053 provides mitigation practitioners at all experience levels with recommendations on the most effective and efficient ways to accomplish mitigation work in communities at risk to wildfire damage or destruction. The content in this guide was written in coordination with the NWCG Standards for Mitigation in the Wildland Urban Interface, PMS 052.

References:

NWCG Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Field Guide, PMS 053 

Updated, NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Module Operations, PMS 430

Date: March 11, 2025
Contact: Fire Use Subcommittee
Wildland Fire Module Unit

The NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Module Operations, PMS 430 standardizes procedures and expectations for Wildland Fire Modules (WFMs). These standards are to be used by staff, supervisors, specialists, and technicians for planning, administering, and conducting WFM operations. These standards will also be used as a measure of WFM qualifications, capabilities, and expected performance, for both Type 1 and Type 2 WFMs.

References:

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Module Operations, PMS 430

NEW! NWCG Standards for Airtanker Operations, PMS 514

Date: March 7, 2025
Contact: National Interagency Aviation Committee

The NWCG Standards for Airtanker Operations, PMS 514 establishes the standards for dispatching, utilizing, and coordinating airtankers on interagency wildland fires. These standards should be used in conjunction with the NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision (SAS), PMS 505, NWCG Standards for Airtanker Base Operations (SABO), PMS 508, and any applicable agency plans.

References:

NWCG Standards for Airtanker Operations, PMS 514