RELEVANT
FOCUSED
READY

Emergency Management After-Action Review Processes to Influence
Ontario Municipalities
Amy Leggate

Introduction

Discussion

The after-action review (AAR) is a cost effective and simple process
that allows emergency management professionals to understand and
improve their organizations. Organizational agility and learning from
lessons play an important role in enhancing emergency management
programs and the AAR facilitates this process. This research discusses
the role of the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management
Ontario (OFMEM) and how it can better encourage the standardized
use of the AAR by municipalities in Ontario.

Tannenbaum and Cerasoli (2013) have found that the use of individual
and team debriefs have the potential to increase up to 25%
improvements through proper structure and facilitation. The
essential elements of an AAR are relatively inexpensive and can be a
quick intervention for enhancing performance (Tannenbaum and
Cerasoli, 2013). It is critical the AAR process be integrated into the
culture of the organization (Brock et al., 2009; Darling & Parry, 2001),
and supported by senior leadership and employees alike. The best
AAR’s follow a well-defined path, where timing and discussion points
are pre-determined (Garvin, 2000). Reflective learning is a product of
the AAR, as it provides the opportunity for both individuals and
groups to engage in a multi-dimensional learning activity which allows
continuous improvement (Bolton, 2016; Brock et al., 2009; Friesen et
al., 2017; Tannenbaum & Cerasoli, 2013). For any developmental
interventions to work, lessons learned must be integrated into
everyday practice (Tannenbaum & Cerasoli, 2013). The AAR process
and methodology provide a base in which to inform decisions, guide
emergency management plans, strengthen mitigation and prevention
strategies, and assist in the development of tools for response to real
operations and exercises (Friesen et al., 2017). Building this
framework will assist to prevent mistakes from being made in the
future building of a structure to learn from experiences that focus on
challenges (Darling & Parry, 2001).

Background
The AAR process is an important one that allows organizations and
municipalities to address organizational limitations, enhance
strengths, and to learn from experiences. The AAR is designed to
promote employee and team development and is founded on several
areas of science, including information feedback, performance
measurement, cognition and memory, group processes,
communications theory, and instructional science (Tannenbaum &
Cerasoli, 2013). The AAR is a structured opportunity for a shared
retrospective learning, innovative development, and continuous
improvement (Scott, Dunn, Williams, & Allen, 2015). Despite the
encouragement found in emergency management literature, there is
no governance that mandates municipalities in Ontario to record or
address lessons learned from AAR’s after an incident or an exercise.
Therefore, what literature is available to assist the OFMEM when
making AAR process suggestions to municipalities in Ontario?

Methods
A literary review was completed through multiple electronic database
searches. Questionnaires were sent to multiple Ontario Emergency
Management professionals. The information collected from the
questionnaires was compared to the information collected from the
literature and the template provided at the OFMEM.

Results/Findings
From the survey questionnaires, it was found that each municipalities
utilized a different template for their respective AAR’s. However, the
processes did use the same steps in a different order. Each
municipality process included background information and overview,
event chronology, recommendations, and conclusions. This paper
discusses the essential elements that should be included in a
comprehensive AAR process, which include integrating into culture,
best practices, active learning, and reflective learning. For any
developmental interventions to work, lessons learned must be
integrated into everyday practice (Tannenbaum & Cerasoli, 2013). The
AAR process and methodology provide a base in which to inform
decisions, guide emergency management plans, strengthen mitigation
and prevention strategies, and assist in the development of tools for
response to real operations and exercises (Friesen et al., 2017).
Building this framework will assist to prevent mistakes from being
made in the future building of a structure to learn from experiences
that focus on challenges (Darling & Parry, 2001).
Table:
Debriefs: Essential Elements.

Conclusions or Recommendations
Organizational capacity can be expanded by implementing a
comprehensive and well-developed lessons learned program
following incidents or disaster exercises, known as the after-action
review. According to Tannenbaum and Cerasoli (2013), organizations
can improve performance up to 25% by using properly conducted
after-action reviews. This inexpensive process can deliver great results
if completed properly. The benefits of the AAR are found to enhance
strengths, address limitations and learn from experiences within
organizations. These benefits should be maximized to ensure
municipalities are completing their due diligence within their
communities. The OFMEM may play a large part of the AAR process
that municipalities choose to use within their emergency
management divisions to promote active and reflective learning.

References
Brock, G. W., McManus, D. J., & Hale, J. E. (2009). Reflections today
prevent failures tomorrow. Communications of the ACM, 52(5),
140–144. https://doi.org/10.1145/1506409.1506443
Darling, M. J. & Parry, C. S. (2001). After-action reviews: Linking
reflection and planning in a learning practice. Reflections 3(2), 64–
72. https://doi.org/10.1162/15241730152695252
Friesen, S. K., Kelsey, S., & Legere, J. A. (2017). Defining a riskinformed framework for whole-of-government lessons learned: A
Canadian perspective. Journal of Emergency Management, 15(4),
219–232. https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.2017.0331
Garvin, D. A. (2000). Learning in action: A guide to putting the
learning organization to work. Boston, MA: Harvard Business
School Press Books.
Scott, C., Dunn, A. M., Williams, E. B., & Allen, J. A. (2015).
Implementing after-action review systems in organizations: Key
principles and practical considerations. In J. A. Allen, N. LehmannWillenbrock, & S. G. Rogelberg (Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of
meeting science (pp. 634–659). New York, NY: Cambridge
University Press.
Tannenbaum, S. I., & Cerasoli, C. P. (2013). Do team and individual
debriefs enhance performance? A meta-analysis. Human Factors,
55(1), 231–245. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018720812448394

(Tannenbaum & Cerasoli, 2013, p.233).

Bachelor of Emergency and Security Management Studies

Justice Institute of British Columbia