What term refers to a formal means of evaluating the incident, not an opportunity to assign blame?

• A. After action report
• B. Debriefing
• C. Incident critique
• D. Post-incident evaluation

Answer: (C)

Evaluating the incident with a focus on learning and improvement rather than blame is being tested here. An incident critique is a formal, structured review that looks at how the incident unfolded, what actions were taken, and how decisions were made. It aims to uncover what went well and what didn’t, providing clear, actionable lessons to strengthen future responses, training, and procedures without assigning fault to individuals.

In this context, the other terms have different emphasis. An after-action report documents the findings and recommendations after the critique, serving as a formal record. A debriefing is typically a quicker, on-scene discussion to capture immediate takeaways. A post-incident evaluation is a broader assessment that may apply to safety programs or overall performance, not the focused, blame-free learning process implied by an incident critique.