Continuous Improvement helps emergency managers to drive change after incidents and exercises and to better prepare for future disasters (Reminder: Clicking linked terms will open the definition in a pop up window).

Continuous Improvement involves:

• Identifying, validating, and sharing operational strengths, areas for improvement, potential best practices, and mission critical issues from incidents and exercises.
• Developing courses of action (COAs) to maintain strengths, address areas for improvement and mission critical issues, and institutionalize best practices.
• Assigning and tracking COAs until completed.

Emergency managers at all levels of government, in the private sector, and in nongovernmental organizations can conduct Continuous Improvement activities to create a more secure and resilient nation.