USFA Releases After-Action Critiques Technical Report

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USFA Press Office: (301) 447-1853

Emmitsburg, MD. - The United States Fire Administration (USFA) released today, as part of their technical report series, a new report titled The After Action Critique: Training Through Lessons Learned. This report is designed to assist all fire service members to be able to gather critical preparedness, response, and recovery information from all emergencies; document the lessons learned; and assist with the continuous evolution of firefighter training.

“Unless feedback on incident response and command is shared with other personnel in the fire service, a valuable learning opportunity can be lost.”

"The fire service is always seeking ways to improve its operations. At training classes and seminars, fire service members seek out insight into tactics and discuss new technologies for their applicability to other jurisdictions," said U.S. Fire Administrator Greg Cade. "Lessons are also learned from each response to an emergency incident. Unless feedback on incident response and command is shared with other personnel in the fire service, a valuable learning opportunity can be lost."

The USFA develops reports on selected major fires throughout the country. Under this project, the USFA also develops special reports addressing a variety of issues that affect the fire service such as homeland security and disaster preparedness, new technologies, training, fire-ground tactics, and firefighter health and safety. This body of work provides detailed information on the nature of the fire problem and the many types of services provided by fire departments. The information informs policymakers – who must decide on allocations of resources between fire and other pressing problems – and personnel within the fire service, who must decide on how best to improve codes and code enforcement, training, public fire education, building technology, and other related areas.

"These reports provide detailed information for policymakers and individuals within the fire service who can use the information to improve codes and code enforcement, training, public fire education, building technology, and other areas of fire service responsibility," continued Cade.

For additional information regarding this report, or other USFA Technical Reports, visit the Publications section of the USFA Web site.

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The United States Fire Administration recommends everyone should have a comprehensive fire protection plan that includes smoke alarms, residential sprinklers, and practicing a home fire escape plan.