In the aftermath of an incident, local government officials will gather emergency managers, public safety personnel and other stakeholders together to debrief one another about the successes and failures identified during the event. These After Action Reports (AAR) allow agencies to develop best practices, and integrate what worked into future preparation and response plans, while identifying gaps that must be plugged prior to the next incident.

This whitepaper highlights two separate but equally critical functions, internal and external communications, that emergency managers need to improve.