Significant Incident Reviews

The Loudoun County Combined Fire and Rescue System routinely evaluates responses to major, critical and other high-priority incidents and communicates the findings, including lessons learned, to the community and its members through Significant Incident Reviews. The Significant Incident Review can be a powerful tool for influencing change by providing first responders a clear understanding of the impacts of their actions on the outcome of the incident. By comparing expected outcomes to actual results and assessing successes and shortcomings, the system can make productive organizational changes and service delivery improvements. 

The Significant Incident Review is a detailed process and analysis of a complex or challenging incident and may take weeks, months, or even years to analyze actions and decisions that were made in seconds or minutes. These types of incidents usually involve large scale responses and assistance from other outside agencies. Some examples include: 

• Mass Casualty Events 
• Terrorist Events 
• Major Fires 
• Line of Duty Death or Near Death 
• Events that result in a large number of members and/or civilians injured 

The Significant Incident Review is used to reconstruct the major incident to determine if the system had appropriate plans, policies and procedures and if those plans, policies and procedures were followed. Every component of the incident is carefully reviewed and analyzed to determine what went well, to suggest needed improvements, and to explain why those improvements are needed. 

Additionally, LC-CFRS routinely reviews less complex fire and medical incidents in a similar manner. Some examples of those incidents may include: 

• Cardiac arrests 
• Respiratory failures/arrests 
• Blood administration 
• Significant traumatic incidents 
• Structure Fires 

LC-CFRS remains committed to providing Loudoun County residents the best service possible and uses Significant Incident Reports and Significant Incident Reviews as one of many ways to help improve service and safety to the community and system members.