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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSOG 200.03 NEW 6-2010-AARsEffective: 6/5/2010 Revised: Replaces: 200.03 - After Action Reviews I. Guiding PhilosophX Just like a sports team reviews game tapes to learn and improve performance on the playing field, careful examination of our incident operations helps us to become more effective, efficient and safer when we are called to respond. We regularly examine our response efforts in a professional and constructive way, so that our team is the best that it can possibly be. II. Purpose The purpose of this policy is to establish a standardized approach for evaluating incident responses and improving service quality through an after -action review and revision process. III. Goals The goals of this policy are to: A. Discuss the Informal After -Action Review process. B. Detail the Formal After -Action Review and Reporting process. C. Detail the follow-up process to enable update and improvement of Standard Operating Guidelines. IV. Definitions A. Formal After Action Review— a more formal review of response operations conducted at major or more complex incidents. B. Informal After Action Review — recap of the response operation performed as soon as practical after the incident. C. AAR Report — report compiled by an appointed AAR Committee that analyzes the response and makes recommendations for future improvements. IMPORTANT NOTE: After -action reviews are conducted to make our operations safer, to improve skills proficiency and teamwork, to gain member feedback, and to review our actions as compared to Standard Operating Guidelines. At no time should an after -action review be used for fault finding, to place blame, or for disciplinary purposes. Any action or inaction that possibly warrants disciplinary follow up should be SOG 200.03 — After -Action Reviews Page 1 of 3 handled by the proper chain of command separate and apart from the after -action review. V. Informal After -Action Review A. A brief Informal After -Action Review should be conducted as soon as practical after every one -alarm fire, extrication call, small hazmat spill or other routine response. Preferably, the informal review should be facilitated immediately following the event. 1. The review can take place on scene or at a centralized station to the units involved with the response. All units who were operating at the response should be present at the time of the review unless they are needed for another event. 2. The Incident Commander from the event should facilitate the review. i. The "Informal After -Action Review Form" (See Appendix A) should be used as a guide to keep the review on track. ii. The IC will ensure that the meeting stays focused on appropriate constructive review topics. iii. Members participating in the review will not use the meeting to place blame or find fault with any individual, crew, or group. 3. All members should have a chance to voice their comments and concerns. Members should also provided the opportunity to complete a written "Member After -Action Comment Form" (See Appendix C) if they choose to do so and leave it with the Incident Commander or email it to the Solutions Box. 4. The meeting should be brief and to the point. 5. If the operation was not an actual structure fire (i.e. a pot on the stove, an electrical short, investigation, etc.) then there is no requirement to document the informal review. If the IC thinks that there is valuable information or lessons to be gained from the review information then the IC still has the discretion to fill out the informal form and email it in to the Solutions Box for further review. 6. If the call is considered an actual structure fire then once the Incident Commander has completed the informal review, he/she should document the information in the electronic version of the "Informal After -Action Review Form" and email it to the Solutions Box. This information should be forwarded to the Assistant Chief and the Chair of the Tactical Operations Advisory Group. 7. Any discrepancies between actual response operations and pertinent standard operating guidelines should be noted on the report. Note: The main determining factor for whether or not a call is considered an actual structure fire will be based on the classification in the run report. If*the classification is entered as a 111 on the TXFIR report then the call is a structure fire and the informal form must be submitted to the Solutions Box via email. VI. Formal After -Action Review A. A Formal After -Action Review is a more complete review of certain critical incidents. The Incident Commander will complete the "Formal After -Action SOG 200.03 — After -Action Reviews Page 2 of 3 Review Worksheet" (see Appendix B) and email it in along with any member comments to the Solutions Box. The forms will then be forwarded to the Fire Chief, the Assistant Chief, the shift Deputy Chief, and the Tactical Review Committee. 1. The Deputy Chief should be in attendance for the formal review if possible along with all members who were operating at the event. 2. The formal review should not be conducted at the location. It should be held as soon as practical following the incident (the meeting may be delayed by the Incident Commander until 6:OOAM the next morning for convenience sake if the fire occurs or ends after midnight). 3. Any discrepancies between actual response operations and pertinent standard operating guidelines should be noted on the report. 4. A Formal After -Action Review should be conducted and documented for the following events: i. Two -alarm or greater fire response. ii. Fire involving a civilian fatality or serious injury. iii. Serious injury or fatality of a fire department member. iv. Technical Rescue situation. V. Major Hazmat incident. vi. Any response deemed appropriate by the Incident Commander, Deputy Chief, Tactical Operations Advisory Group, Assistant Chief, or Fire Chief. VII. Formal Analysis, AAR Report and Follow -Up A. A Formal Analysis and AAR Report may be necessary in some cases. 1. The Fire Chief will determine when a Formal Analysis & AAR Report is needed and will appoint an AAR Committee specifically tasked with reviewing the overall response. 2. The Fire Chief will provide the AAR Committee with specific goals based on the issues precipitating the need to conduct the analysis and report. B. The written report should be forwarded to the Tactical Operations Advisory Group Chair, Assistant Chief and Fire Chief. C. After reviewing the report, the Tactical Operations Advisory Group will make recommendations related to: 1. Identifying trends that may indicate a need for further research, training or analysis. 2. Minimizing the potential for future discrepancies by revising existing standard operating guidelines or drafting new standard operating guidelines to address the identified issues. SOG 200.03 — After -Action Reviews Page 3 of 3