A search exercise ends. Everyone agrees that the check-in process was confusing, but nobody records where it broke down. At the next drill, a different team repeats the same mistake. A short after-action review can prevent that if it leaves behind a clear description of what happened and a way to test the fix.
FEMA’s Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program offers a formal approach for evaluating exercises and assigning corrective actions. The outline below is a starting point for a small search and rescue team reviewing a drill. For a real incident, use your agency’s reporting, privacy and records procedures; a training debrief does not replace an official report or investigation.
Start with what the exercise was meant to test
Choose a specific objective, such as whether a team could check in and receive its assignment without asking two different stations where to go. A review organized around that objective is more useful than a retelling of the entire exercise. Invite the relevant participants and partners, including the people who handled staging and documentation. If there is a disagreement about timing, consult the exercise logs or record the gap rather than deciding by consensus alone.
Capture the observation and the reason it matters
Write the observable sequence first. “Three arrivals reported to the equipment table before they found check-in” describes a problem a team can investigate. “People were disorganized” does not. Record the effect: the exercise accountability roster was incomplete for part of the drill. Then ask which instructions, layout, tools or assignments made that outcome possible. Document one thing that worked, too; a clear assignment board may be worth keeping even if the entry route needs work.
Copy this improvement-plan row
| Field | Illustrative exercise entry |
|---|---|
| Observation | Three participants reached the wrong table before checking in. |
| Action | Revise the pre-drill instructions to name one check-in point and place a matching sign at the entrance. |
| Owner and due date | Staging lead, before the next drill; training coordinator confirms the update. |
| Validation | At the next drill, have an evaluator observe whether the first five arrivals reach the correct station without redirection. |
Close the loop at the next meeting
Track whether the action is assigned, completed and validated. A sign can be printed while the problem remains open; it closes when the next walkthrough shows whether the change works. If arrivals still go to the wrong station, review what they saw first and adjust the process. Keep sensitive incident information in approved systems and share only the level of detail the audience needs.
Use FEMA’s after-action report and improvement plan templates when a formal exercise report is needed. New to the field? Read HUB911’s guide to joining a search and rescue team.