What is the primary purpose of a post-incident debrief after a 9xx call?

• A. Assign blame to responders
• B. To review actions, identify improvements, train on gaps, and update SOPs
• C. To write the final incident report for archival
• D. To assess the cost of the response

Answer: (B)

After-action debriefs are about learning from the response and improving future performance. It brings the team together to review what happened, discuss what actions worked and what didn’t, and identify gaps in training, equipment, or procedures. Those insights are used to update standard operating procedures and shape training so future responses are more effective and safer. It’s not about assigning blame; the goal is collective improvement. The final incident report and any cost assessment are separate tasks, not the primary purpose of the debrief.