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Before, During & After the After Action Report

Before, During & After the After Action Report

RVA 5x5 - January 14, 2024

Jon Baliles's avatar
Jon Baliles
Jan 14, 2025
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In the aftermath of last week's water treatment plant failure and crisis, there are obviously a slew of questions that residents and reporters have about why it took place, why the human response to preventive plant from failing was inadequate, why the redundant systems failed, and why the communication in the first few days was shaky. Of course there are dozens if not hundreds more questions to be asked, and Mayor Avula has promised an independent, third-party after action report to find out the answers to all the questions.

How that report is conducted, how fast, and by whom will be of vital importance. In the wake of 230,000 people (plus more around the region) lacking access to drinking water for almost a week, the after action report will need to not only provide answers to questions but lessons about the problems that got us here. The budget is due to Council by late March and the Mayor should aim to have the report done before then to make sure the next budget takes the first steps towards corrective action. The long term solution will be expensive but the importance is obviously paramount.

As far as the after action report goes, the Mayor should be cautious about avoiding two mistakes that would produce a lackadaisical report in which the public would

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