Appendix D

Exercise After Action Reviews

This Section contains the three types of after action reviews you should document and use with future exercises.
·  Job Aid D-1: Hot Wash Debrief
·  Job Aid D-2: After Action Report
·  Job Aid D-3: Improvement Plan
Hot Wash
Immediately following an exercise and before everyone leaves the event, if time permits, the evaluation team with the leadership of the controllers, should conduct a hot wash. The hot wash should not take longer than an hour and in most cases a half hour. It is intended to capture the “big ticket items” on what when well and what did not go so well during the exercise. The small deficiencies and in some cases participant assessment of the exercise process, can be captured through self-assessment forms and later during the official draft after action report debrief.
You may already have a program in affect to capture and promulgate exercise information. The job aids provide templates for ensuring your staff receives feedback on their performance and plan implementation. Final promulgation of information can be through your websites, staff meetings, and informal reviews.
After Action Report
For full scale exercises, it may be necessary to file a formal report on the results of the event. This will document your event and afford you an improvement plan to track action items and become part of the assessment for your next exercise.
For drills and functional exercise, you can simply collect all of the evaluation forms and evaluate the overall performance by the school. Exercise deficiencies can be entered into the improvement plan and promulgated to staffers for resolution.
Once your report is complete, it is important to give feedback on performance to your school staff. This can be accomplished in numerous ways including your internal processes for communicating with your staff. The most expeditious means is by posting it on your website.
Improvement Plan
The improvement plan is nothing more than a method for tracking exercise deficiencies, and managing a program to resolve these deficiencies over time. Job Aid D-3 is a template for developing an improvement plan.

Appendix D

Exercise After Action Reviews

Job Aid D-1 Hot Wash Debrief

Here’s how to keep your hot wash organized and short:
●  Put the event on a timer and stick to it. Your staff is tired and eager to get back to work or go home.
●  Key leadership participants debrief the event by discussing:
o  Exercise highlights
o  What went well (big picture)
o  What did not go well (big picture)
●  Facilitator captures the results
●  Lead Controller or Evaluator review strong and weak points with the participants
●  All participants fill out participant evaluation form

Appendix D

Exercise After Action Reviews

` Job Aid D-2 - After Action Review Template

(Name of school)
(Exercise name or type)
(Date of exercise)
Date Prepared:

Appendix D

Exercise After Action Reviews

Executive Summary
Major Strengths (Brief on Major strengths noted in the exercise)
Primary Areas for Improvement (brief discussion on areas of improvements

Appendix D

Exercise After Action Reviews

Section 1: Exercise Overview
Exercise Details:
a. Exercise Name:
b. Type of Exercise:
c. Exercise Start Date:
d. Exercise End Date:
e. Duration:
f. Location:
g. Sponsor:
h Scenario Type:

Appendix D

Exercise After Action Reviews

Participating Organizations
List of Participants (Numbers)
·  Players
·  Controllers
·  Evaluators
·  Facilitators
·  Observers
·  Victim Role Players
List of Outside Agencies:

KCDEM October 2009

School District Emergency Preparedness D- 1

Training and Exercise Program

Appendix D

Exercise After Action Reviews

Section 2: Exercise Design Summary
Exercise Purpose and Design
The exercise was ______(full or functional) exercise designed to evaluate school staff and other participating agencies in the response/recovery from a ______(type of emergency) emergency at the school. The exercise tested the use of established plans and procedures and the emergency response skills of staff members.
Exercise Objectives (list your objectives)
1.
2.
3.
Scenario Summary (brief of the scenario)

KCDEM October 2009

School District Emergency Preparedness D- 7

Training and Exercise Program

Appendix D

Exercise After Action Reviews

Section 3: Analysis of Performance
List your objectives and a brief discussion on your performance in responding to and achieving those objectives.

KCDEM October 2009

School District Emergency Preparedness D- 11

Training and Exercise Program

Appendix D

Exercise After Action Reviews

Section 4: Conclusion
Conclude your report with the following:
How well the staff performed
Achieving improved results
Major Lessons learned during the exercise

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KCDEM October 2009

School District Emergency Preparedness D- 11

Training and Exercise Program

(Name of School)

(Name or type of Exercise and date)

Improvement Plan

Activity / Recommendation / Corrective Action Description / Capability Element / Primary Responsible Agency / Agency
POC / Start Date / Completion Date /
Incident Command / Improve Communication with Response teams / Investigate use of handheld radios for all team leaders / System / Mr. Jones / TJ School / June 1,2009 / Aug 1, 2009

Job Aid D-3

KCDEM October 2009

School District Emergency Preparedness D- 11

Training and Exercise Program