Which acronym stands for primary plan, alternative plan, contingency plan, and emergency plan?

• A. Back-up plan
• B. Safety plan
• C. Emergency plan
• D. Alternate plan

Answer: (C)

In planning under changing and potentially dangerous conditions, you use four levels of response: Primary plan, Alternative plan, Contingency plan, and Emergency plan. The acronym that stands for all four of these levels is PACE. Each level serves a purpose: the Primary plan is what you intend to do if everything goes as expected; the Alternative plan is a backup route if the primary can’t be followed; the Contingency plan covers further changes or surprises in the situation; and the Emergency plan is the action taken when conditions become so unsafe that immediate action is required. None of the provided options alone captures all four concepts together; the Emergency plan is simply one component within the four-part structure, which is represented by PACE.