Bushfire CRC Research Utilisation Strategy

In 2010, the Bushfire CRC established a Research Utilisation Strategy to run over a four year period, with a survey being conducted. A further survey in 2012 involving 94 participants from 18 agencies was conducted to further inform the strategy. The survey was structured into three sections:

1. Understanding what is happening in agencies 
2. Bushfire CRC Services, and
3. Understanding industry barriers. 

Survey results indicate that the alignment between the agency’s strategic planning and Bushfire CRC research outputs was lower than reported in 2010. It was also found that within agencies there appears to be less support in embedding research into training outputs, a decrease in the understanding in the value of research over the years, but an increase in the utilisation of the Bushfire CRC resources such as Fire Notes and the CRC website, and professional development events such as the Research Advisory Forum and other events. It was also found that agencies have little understanding around the alignment between them and research and how it should be used. 

The Report on Research Utilisation Consultation was approved in February 2013. A further survey will be conducted in early 2014.

Lead End User Report

A research report on the Role of the Lead End User (LEU) was released in October. The Bushfire CRC conducted a series of teleconferences, surveys and interviews to inform the report. 

Results from the report indicate that LEUs are highly valued, particularly by researchers, as a means of connection within agencies and to have research reported on. It was also found that agencies perceived the role of the LEU as valuable, but did not value them as highly as researchers. There are currently 12 LEUs nationally. The Bushfire CRC is working with the Bushfire & Natural Hazards CRC to have the role of LEU appropriately recognised and embedded into business. 

Shared Responsibility Report 

The final report into Shared Responsibility is complete and is currently undergoing final proofing. Both government and non-government communities were interviewed to inform the findings of the report, which will be available on the Bushfire CRC’s website shortly. 

Future Direction of the Network

The Network discussed its future direction and agreed to hold teleconference discussions more regularly and to meet formally once per year. A teleconference was scheduled for March 2014 at which time a new Chair for the Network will be formally elected. 

Bushfire CRC Webinars

Bringing Australia’s leading fire research to emergency service personnel in Australia and New Zealand, the Bushfire CRC’s seminar series will focus on webinars and seminars scheduled through to June 2014. The webinar series is being used as a tool to further communicate research within agencies.

The first webinar ‘Learning lessons from disasters: Alternatives to Royal Commissions and other quasi-judicial inquiries’, presented by Dr Michael Eburn, was held held on Thursday 12 December.

The webinars will be recorded and hosted on the Bushfire CRC website, and, in time, on the AFAC website. 

For further information contact Amanda Leck – Director, Information and Community Safety amanda.leck[@]afac.com.au.