Preplanning was first developed in the 1970s by the fire service as a tool to make firefighting efforts more effective and ensure life safety for responders and civilians.

Preplanning for EMS introduces emergency medical services (EMS) administrators, supervisors, and providers to preincident planning, focusing exclusively on EMS concerns.

Preplanning allows EMS agencies to prepare prior to an incident by: Researching specific local facilities, events, and potential incidents, identifying hazards, developing a response plan, gathering supplies and recruiting help, coordinating with law enforcement, fire services, and other response agencies, reflecting many of the principles of the National Incident Management System (NIMS).

Preplanning for EMS encourages EMS agencies to become involved in preplanning to promote the best possible outcome in an emergency.