If you are in need of a sample incident report to be used as an instructional document for your employees or your management team, then there are many resources available on the internet that can help you get started. But, do all resources provide you with a well-structured report that is easy to read? Let us find out.
Most fire incident reporting templates and report format samples available online provide you with an outline and basic layout of what each section of a standard incident report should look like. Depending on your needs, you can modify these templates and begin work on your own incident report. It is essential that each and every page of the template to be well organized in order to make it easier to read. So, do not be hesitant to experiment with the sample incident report format until you find one that works well for you.
Each of the four sections of a standard incident report template or report form must be described in full detail. A good place to start is by considering what each of the four sections are: The Title, Description, Keyword/Functional Description, and Problem Identification or Cause. A brief description of the cause of the incident should also appear in the Title and Description. As you proceed through the sample incident report format, you will see that the keywords/functionalities which you initially chose will now appear in more generic ways throughout each of the four sections.
An example of a title and description would be: “anism: theft.” Following this section, a brief paragraph would go over the details of the theft itself. Following the next section on problem identification or cause, is a more detailed description of the incident. You would then list down the corrective actions taken, who was involved, a timeline, and other follow up items.
A third example of a sample incident report template would be as follows: “At approximately 11 AM, the victim saw a man enter his garage without any object in his hands and leave with two women who appeared to be in shock.” In this example, the first sentence of the Title/ Description should be followed by a descriptive sentence that sums up the entire incident. Following that, the keywords or functions which were used in the first sentence above would appear in their proper order.
Another important aspect to consider in these templates is the problem/risk statement. It should always begin with the words “It is believed that…” The problem statement, as with all others in an incident report, is a general statement that sums up the specifics of the problem. The victim should be described as well as any witnesses who were involved in the incident. The description of the risk should be in terms of its impact on the business as a whole, and not just on the individual/s involved.
A fourth example is one which is formatted in Microsoft Word. This particular format is commonly used by law enforcement agencies and other types of emergency services. It is easy to read and understand, but it is very difficult to misinterpret. There are special features which can be used to help ensure that misinterpretations of the report are avoided. These include highlighting and underlining.
The contents of a sample incident report should always be as clear and concise as possible. While a report can contain complex information, the goal is to make it as easy to read as possible. By using a format like the one described above, the goal is easily accomplished. When using Microsoft Word, everyone involved in the production process can easily adjust the formatting, which makes it easy to read and change at a later date.
