What is the highest level of planning in the National Planning System?

The highest level of planning in the National Planning System is strategic planning. This level is characterized by its broad-scale goals and objectives that guide the overall direction and priorities for emergency management.

Strategic planning focuses on long-term vision and frameworks that establish how agencies and organizations will prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate emergencies and disasters. It involves setting significant policies and allocating resources to achieve the national priorities for emergency management.

In contrast, operational planning involves the day-to-day execution of tasks and activities necessary to implement the strategies defined during the strategic planning phase. Tactical planning, while important, operates at a more specific and immediate level, detailing how resources will be deployed to achieve particular goals set forth in the operational plans. Contingency planning, while also vital, serves as a mechanism for handling unexpected scenarios and is a subset of the overall strategic approach.

Thus, understanding that strategic planning encompasses the highest level of decision-making and long-term goal setting helps clarify why this is the correct answer.