Collaboration Model
AFAC recognises that a collaborative approach is critical to achieving the Strategic Directions and gives fire and emergency services a national voice and broader impact, while enhancing collective capabilities.
The work of AFAC is directed by the Strategic Directions for fire and emergency services in Australia and New Zealand 2022-2026. The Strategic Directions provide clarity on intent and identify and prioritise actions at a national level for fire and emergency services in Australia and New Zealand.
AFAC facilitates national collaboration through the AFAC Collaboration Model, which encompasses 36 Groups, Technical Groups and Communities of Practice. AFAC Members regularly come together to share knowledge, exchange insights, explore opportunities and create solutions that shape practice and guide the industry’s development. The AFAC Collaboration Model aims to add value to AFAC Members, the fire and emergency services industry and ultimately enhance community safety.
This approach facilitates and supports engagement, enabling AFAC Members to jointly consider common challenges, generate solutions, develop doctrine including positions, guidelines and technical notes and inspire new directions in practice. The AFAC Collaboration Model operates under the direction of the AFAC National Council and is aligned to the six Strategic Directions.
For more information view AFAC Collaboration Model (PDF 850KB)
How does it work?
Under each of the six Strategic Directions a three-tiered structure for collaboration exists:
Strategic Groups
Strategic Groups are formally linked to the AFAC National Council through agreed work plans and outcomes and exist on an ongoing basis. They generally meet twice annually but interact through teleconferences, e-communications and project work throughout the year.
Technical Groups
Technical Groups seek to explore and resolve technical or practical aspects of industry practice. They solve problems, provide detailed explanation and develop good practice for the industry. Technical Groups generally meet twice a year and can be created for the resolution of a particular issue and then be disbanded.
Communities of Practice
Communities of Practice are generated for particular practice areas or interests. They have no particular meeting schedule and may only exist for teleconferencing, emailing or circulating matters of interest. Generally Communities of Practice meet at least once a year to establish and maintain contacts and relationships.
View the current AFAC Collaboration Group Model diagram (PDF 100KB)
Strategic Groups
Chair: David Nugent, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action Victoria
Chair: Sarah Harris, Country Fire Authority Victoria and Melissa O'Halloran, NSW Rural Fire Service
Chair: Stephanie Plattner, NSW State Emergency Service
Chair: Simon Heemstra, NSW Rural Fire Service
Chairs: Cassie Lindsay, Champions of Change
Chair: Cassandra Curtis, SA Country Fire Service
Chair: Michael Baldi, Fire and Rescue NSW
Chair: Murray Carter, Department of Fire and Emergency Services, WA
Chair: Nicole Hogan, NSW State Emergency Service
Chair: Alistair Drayton, Victoria State Emergency Service
Chair: Craig Waters, Department of Fire and Emergency Services, WA
Chairs: Anni Fordham, Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA
Chair: Janine Hearn, Fire and Emergency New Zealand Whakaratonga Iwi
Chair: Steph Rotarangi, Fire and Emergency New Zealand
Technical Groups
Chair: Mark Holland, Country Fire Authority Victoria
Chair: Alen Slijepcevic, Country Fire Authority Victoria
Chair: TBC
Chair: Cameron Cash, Queensland Fire Department
Chair: David Lewis, Fire and Rescue NSW
Chair: Aaron Gutsche, South Australian State Emergency Service
Chair: Nick Nicolopoulos, Fire and Rescue NSW
Chair: Mark Tarbett, Country Fire Authority, Victoria
Chair: John Cawcutt, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services
Chair: Faye Bendrups, National SES Volunteers Association
Chair: Terese Howlett, Victoria State Emergency Service
Chair: Brett Boatman, Country Fire Authority Victoria
Chair: Andrew Andreou, Country Fire Authority Victoria
Chair: Steve Muncaster, Victoria State Emergency Service
Communities of Practice
Chair: Bruce Budge, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services
Chair: Sandra Lunardi, AFAC
Chair: Amy Seppelt, SA Metropolitan Fire Service
Chair: Michael Forbes, Fire and Rescue NSW
Chair: Des Hosie, Fire and Emergency New Zealand
Chair: Brett Michie, AFAC
Christopher Fish, Fire and Rescue NSW
Chair: Ingrid Franssen, SA Department of Environment and Water
Chair: Barry Gray, Fire Rescue Victoria
Strategic Directions
There are six collaboration areas aligned to the Strategic Directions. A range of Groups, Technical Groups and Communities of Practice under each Strategic Direction operate in accordance with our Collaboration Model.
Fire and emergency services agencies are well placed to provide leadership and to collaborate with governments, business, communities, educational institutions, and individuals to develop strategies and take action to reduce disaster risk and support resilient communities, through mitigation, influencing policy and regulatory change, and education and engagement.
Readiness is critical for the industry to ensure that the response and recovery missions are appropriately executed and successful. The fire and emergency services sector are committed to providing management and specialist training, leading the country’s risk reduction efforts, and providing research and data collection and analysis.
Accurate, reliable and timely information is critical to effective decision-making and modern systems rely on the rapid transfer of information to deliver impact and value. By utilising current and emerging technologies across a wide range of systems, sources and capabilities, fire and emergency services can enhance community advice and understanding before, during and after emergency events.
Fire and emergency services are working to build an inclusive culture, by embracing the value of bringing people from different backgrounds and different points of view to work together, to cultivate a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community. Governance and resource management of this significant resource needs to be contemporary, adaptable and accountable.
Partnerships will be established and maintained to deliver pure and applied research and importantly look beyond the sector to understand how to achieve the path to our goals. By scanning the environment and collaborating across Australia and internationally, opportunities can be identified and utilised. Our research focus will be driven by community safety outcomes and we’ll confidently refocus our efforts to maximise value.
Accountability is a core component of effective governance, made up of four key elements – transparency, responsibility, enforcement and responsiveness. Our sector is accountable for its emergency management responsibilities to governments and the communities they serve. This requires clarity in the delineation of responsibilities for decision-making authority, functions, advice and information sharing.