For the initial setup, you must create a plan. You can choose to base your plan on any of the plan templates that are available to you via your domain.

When you first access this page in eICS, you are prompted to set up a plan.

1. Choose the template from Create Plan from.
2. Select the library and incident response guide options. By default, all are selected. We generally recommend that you leave all check boxes selected.
3. Click Create Plan for (facility name).

It may take a few moments for the system to create the facility. When it is done, the plan opens in eICS.

The Create initial plan summary window also contains a Download Instructions link to a quick reference guide that walks you through each step of creating and configuring a plan.

Refer also to Plan Summary.

The plan you copied comes with a default ICS Chart and positions.

Your next task is to identify the ICS positions for the plan. This can involve renaming positions and changing the chain of command, as appropriate. You may also decide to use the chart as is.

1. On the left, click a position name. The right side shows its details.
2. In the Chain of Command drawer on the right, rename the position, add subordinates, change the supervisor, or delete the position.
3. Click the Position Contact Information drawer and enter the appropriate information.

After creating contacts and working with the library, you will likely return to the Plan Summary to continue defining ICS position details.

Refer to ICS Chart and IRGs.

The plan you copied comes with a library containing numerous EOP-related files. You can add to this library structure for your plan. You can store documents that are not related specifically to the plan in the Resource Documents folder.

As administrator, you can rename existing folders and files, add new ones, and more.

• To add a folder, select its "parent" folder on the left and click Add Folder. Give it a name.

• To add a file, select the folder and click Add File. Upload the file to the library.

• To specify ICS positions with which this file should be associated, locate and select the file on the left and click the Associations to ICS Positions on the right. Select the check box for each appropriate position and save your work.

• To specify IRGs with which this file should be associated, locate and select the file on the left and click the Associations to Incident Response Guides on the right. Select the check box for each appropriate guide and save your work.

Refer also to Library.

You must add contacts to your facility. Your Domain Administrator set you up as a contact so that you have access to eICS. You can now add Facility Staff as users of eICS, some of whom you may assign to ICS positions. You can add external contacts who need to be notified when an incident occurs, but may not need to use eICS directly.

To add an individual contact

On the left, click Add New Contact. Enter the individual's first and last name, organization, and department/title. Specify at least one phone number and select the notification order. You can also add a phone number for text notifications and information on email address/pager/other. Click Save when you are done.

To ensure the contact receives the appropriate notifications, assign the contact to one or more ICS positions.

1. On the left, select the contact. The details appear on the right.

2. Click the ICS Positions drawer.

3. Click add/remove positions.

4. In the Select Contact Depth Chart window, select one or more positions.

5. Click OK. The selected positions appear in the drawer.

Refer also to Contacts.

You can specify Command Center contact information and set up custom tabs to appear in the Incident Dashboard. Only two tabs appear in the dashboard. However, you can set up multiple websites for these tabs, and users can then select from the available options.

1. On the left, select your facility's name. Its details appear on the right.

2. Click the Details drawer.

3. Fill in the Command Center Details as appropriate.

4. Scroll down to the Incident Dashboard Tabs section, and edit or replace the existing (default) tab values.

5. Click Add Tab to add a website and specify its name and URL (website address).

6. Repeat this step to add more tabs.

7. Save your changes.

Refer also to Facilities.

The plan you copied comes with the Incident Response Guides (IRGs) that you specify should be copied into the plan. You can also add IRGs and copy an IRG to create a new one.

1. On the left, select Incident Response Guides.

2. On the right, click Create a new response guide.

3. In the Create Response Guide window, enter the name of the new guide.

4. Select its type, which assigns an appropriate icon to the IRG.

5. Click OK. The window closes and the new IRG details now appear in multiple drawers.

Working from the top drawer down, enter the appropriate information for the IRG.

Refer also to IRGs.

If you want to specify details that are included by default in a new incident of this type, select Use canned information when incident is created, and provide a name and description. The canned information appears in the dashboard when an incident is created from this IRG. Users can add to or change this information.

In addition, keep in mind this is the text the eICS notification system uses for the initial incident notification. It appears in emails, and the system converts this text to voice for notifications sent to phones.

You can also specify an incident mission statement for this guide.

Specify the positions that should be notified immediately when this type of incident occurs. When an incident is created, the contacts appearing in the depth charts for these positions appear as the contacts to be notified.

Add objectives to the guide. You can specify an objective at the incident level or assign it to a specific ICS position. You can add a description and specify the priority and operational period for the objective.

As appropriate, add locations that could assist during an incident, such as hospital locations, supply trailers, and evacuation shelters. These appear in the Map tab of the Incident Dashboard. Provide a name for each location, select the appropriate icon, and specify the location's address and coordinates.