DCMC has a long history of leveraging its emergency management and disaster response/recovery experience to support strategic planning initiatives of all types for its clients. In fact, DCMC team members have participated in the development of strategic plans that were used to guide reconstruction, mitigation, future planning, and leverage funding for some of the largest and most complex disasters in U.S. history, including the attacks of 9/11, the post 9/11 Anthrax Attacks, the State of Louisiana after Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and Ike; the State of Iowa after the 2008 Midwest Floods; BP after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill; the State of New Jersey after Superstorm Sandy, and the Government of Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. Additionally, DCMC Partners has decades of experience developing after-action reports (AAR) and their associated improvement plans (IP). This includes HSEEP compliant AAR/IPs for exercises as well as real world events at the Federal, State and local level. Most recently, the DCMC team assisted the Indiana Department of Health with the development of a COVID-19 AAR.

We work with our clients to help grow and nurture a culture of preparedness. This approach facilitates an environment where all aspects of response and recovery are enhanced. DCMC’s approach to facilitating a continuous preparedness culture will provide our clients with the mentoring and training necessary to help build, nurture, and reinforce the tools and understanding necessary for effective leadership and crises communications in times of crises. Working collaboratively with our clients in a continuous preparedness culture fosters an environment where effective communications, public education, and all elements of supporting media affairs programs and strategies, including written products, tools, training, and electronic media are regularly updated, maintained, and ready for dissemination.

After Action Reporting

The DCMC Partners preparedness team has decades of experience developing after-action reports (AARs) and their associated improvement plans (IPs). These include HSEEP compliant AAR/IPs for exercises as well as real world events at the federal, state, and local level.

DCMC’s approach to developing these reports is founded on their understanding that the purpose of any AAR is to help ensure that lessons from an event are captured, learned, and built upon. The DCMC team’s goal is to enable their clients to begin their response to any future event at a higher level than they concluded their response to the previous event. To accomplish this, the DCMC approach to AAR data gathering is concentrated on qualitative input.

Developing AARs not only involves the collection of data but also focuses heavily on gathering stories and observations related to the response from real-world participants. These stories help provide the context needed for constructive root cause analysis of the successes and challenges of the response. This analysis will form the basis for the improvement plan and its recommendations.

DCMC approaches the AAR process by conducting a comprehensive review of all relevant response related plans, policy, guidance, and operational materials and documentation. Additionally, the team utilizes a survey instrument for key personnel and other stakeholders that includes both quantitative and qualitative questions.

Upon completion of data gathering, the DCMC team conducts an in-depth analysis of the gathered data, which will form the backbone of the AAR. An After-Action Meeting (AAM) with key personnel to review the initial AAR will also inform the development of the IP. Final development of the AAR/IP will then be conducted using an iterative review process.