Coordinated Response Protocol (CRP) and Learning Review (LR)

The Coordinated Response Protocol (CRP) is a tool to ensure that we learn everything possible from serious incidents to reduce the chances of recurrence while lessening accidents’ painful effects on others.

The CRP uses Incident Command System principles to organize the way the U.S. Forest Service executes post-accident responses, including logistics, information transfer, and ordering additional specialists. It is designed to lessen the incident’s impact on survivors by minimizing the number of interviews to which personnel are exposed.

The CRP synchronizes all groups involved in post-accident response, including the Learning Review Team, Peer Support/Critical Incident Stress Management, Law Enforcement and Investigations, union, communication, and Human Resource Management. It also makes every effort to coordinate external investigations, such as those required by Occupational Safety and Health Administration, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Office of Inspector General, state and local law enforcement, coroner’s offices, and other cooperators and partners.

The Learning Review

The Learning Review (LR) is a phased approach. It starts with the dispatch of pre-trained teams. Once on-scene, the team will initiate the Inquiry phase, where information is collected.  The information collection phase should be as thorough as possible before moving to the sensemaking and analysis phase; entry into the third phase too early can introduce additional and unnecessary bias. This leads to phase 3, the Sensemaking and Analysis Phase and ultimately, to the final phase where learning products are produced and delivered to the Learning Review Board.

The phase concept is consistent with modern accident investigation theory and techniques in use by the National Transportation Safety Board, Military Accident investigation protocols, and the U.S. Chemical Safety Board. 

The four phases of the LR are designed to enhance sensemaking and to include technical, mechanical and complex system assessments of the incident being studied. In this way, the LR is inclusive of multiple approaches and techniques. The LR adds the use of focus groups and the concept of sensemaking to the traditional suite of analytical tools.

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