What is the purpose of after-action review following incidences?

• A. To assign blame for failures.
• B. To archive the data without action.
• C. To evaluate response effectiveness, identify gaps, and implement improvements.
• D. To prepare a public statement.

Answer: (C)

After-action reviews are about learning from what happened to get better next time. They examine what occurred, how the response was carried out, what went well, and what didn’t, and why those things happened. The goal is to identify gaps and weaknesses and turn those insights into concrete improvements—updating procedures, refining training, adjusting plans, improving coordination and communication, and reallocating resources as needed. The emphasis is on learning and action, not blaming people. Archiving data without follow-through or drafting a public statement aren’t the purposes of the review, since the focus is on actionable changes that strengthen future responses.