What is a hotwash?

• A. The immediate debrief to capture lessons learned while events are fresh.
• B. A formal post-incident audit with metrics.
• C. A security drill scheduled weeks later.
• D. A debrief conducted after the incident has concluded.

Answer: (A)

Hotwash is the immediate debrief held right after an incident to capture lessons learned while details and actions are still fresh. This quick session focuses on what happened, what went well, what didn’t, and what concrete steps should be taken next, so improvements can be identified and acted on promptly. Because it happens while memories are fresh, it tends to be informal and practical, aimed at quick fixes to people, processes, or tools rather than a formal, metrics-heavy review. This is different from a formal post-incident audit with metrics, which is more structured and data-driven, and from a drill scheduled weeks later or a debrief after the incident has concluded, which may miss the immediacy that makes hotwash effective.