What is the purpose of an After Action Review after an incident?

• A. To assign blame to responders.
• B. To identify what happened, assess performance, capture lessons learned, and update procedures, training plans, and equipment needs.
• C. To publish a public report.
• D. To confiscate equipment used.

Answer: (B)

After Action Reviews are about learning from an incident to improve future responses. The purpose is to identify what happened, assess how well the team performed, capture lessons learned, and translate those insights into concrete updates to procedures, training plans, and equipment needs. This structured reflection helps fix gaps, reinforce effective actions, and guide improvements so similar incidents are handled more smoothly next time. The review is typically non-punitive and confidential to encourage open discussion. It isn’t about assigning blame, publishing a public report, or confiscating equipment.