ORLANDO, Fla. — A new review of the Orlando Fire Department's response to the attack at Pulse is both complimentary and critical. The National Police Foundation studied preparedness, response and recovery.

OFD Chief Roderick Williams asked for the review. The 43-page report concluded OFD was professional and brave at the scene, they did their jobs, and they saved lives the night a gunman killed 49 people.

"They treated, they transported, and they gave the people dignity and respect they deserved that night. They were compassionate," Chief Williams said of his first responders on scene June 12, 2016.

Pulse presented unique challenges. According to the report, at least one out of every three people in the nightclub was killed or injured by gunfire.

“We had an active shooter, you have a bomb threat, and hostage situation all mixed in one. It was the perfect storm if you will. It really challenged us as an organization," Williams said.

The review also cited areas for improvement. It says the delayed arrival of executive leadership on scene and a lack of inter-agency communication challenged fire and EMS crews.

"I think based on what transpired that night and what was written in the report the criticism was fair because it did happen. We tried to be as honest and transparent as possible because that’s how you learn from it," Chief Williams said.

Since Pulse, OFD says they've improved their policies. The Chief explained they have a new procedure to make sure command staff is notified quicker about an event of this magnitude.

Once a page or text goes out, if first responders haven't heard from an executive officer within three minutes, they are to follow up with a phone call. They are building redundancy into the system to better communicate moving forward.

Chief Williams said they realized there is a need to prioritize the mental health of their first responders dealing with such trauma.

The report says the Orlando Fire Department is showing a willingness to learn from its response to Pulse by asking for the review.