What best practice does NIMS recommend for improving incident responses over time?

The best practice that NIMS recommends for improving incident responses over time is regular training, exercise, and thorough debriefing. This approach is essential because it ensures that responders are consistently updated on best practices and new protocols, allowing them to maintain a high level of readiness for real-life incidents.

Regular training sessions help to refresh skills and introduce any new techniques or technologies that might aid in response efforts. Exercises simulate real incidents and provide an environment for responders to practice these skills in a controlled setting. Thorough debriefing after these exercises, or real incidents, is crucial as it allows for reflection on what worked well and what did not, leading to continuous improvement in processes and protocols. By engaging in this cyclical pattern of training, exercising, and reviewing, organizations can identify gaps in their response capabilities and make informed adjustments.

This systematic approach fosters a culture of learning and adaptation, which is vital for effective emergency management and successful incident responses.