AFAC Q&A
PERSPECTIVES FROM THE SECTOR STUART ELLIS AM
Chief Executive Officer, AFAC
Below: Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm AFSM shows Premier Mark McGowan and Minister for Emergency Services Francis Logan around the DFES State Operations Centre during the bushfire complex in January 2020.
For each issue of Fire Australia, AFAC CEO Stuart Ellis interviews a senior AFAC leader. This issue he caught up with Darren Klemm AFSM, Commissioner, Department of Fire and Emergency Services, Western Australia.
What has been your path to Commissioner at the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) in WA?
I joined the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service 30 years ago as a career firefighter, where I spent three years, before moving back to Western Australia to join the WA Fire Brigades Board in 1993. I was Assistant Commissioner at the Department’s Academy, and subsequently for Metropolitan Operations, before I was appointed Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner in September, 2017. Some of the more significant incidents I’ve dealt with have been the Toodyay bushfire in 2009, the Yarloop-
Waroona bushfires in 2016, and Tropical Cyclones Olwyn in 2015 and Veronica in 2019. My focus for the Department has been on driving investment in mitigation; improving relationships with volunteers and other stakeholders; and fostering greater interagency collaboration. I am the DFES ‘Male Champion of Change’, a role that I have held since the inception of the Fire and Emergency Services Male Champions of Change group in April 2017. In 2019, I was named Leader of the Year by the Institute of Public Administration Association Western Australia.
What do you see as the benefits of being one government department incorporating fire and emergency services?
DFES is the hazard management agency for the prevention, preparedness, response and recovery of eight major hazards, and the key government advisor concerning all emergency management matters. DFES relies substantially on 26,000 emergency services volunteers and more than 1,000 career firefighters across WA. Operating through a government department framework assists in creating one entry point for volunteers and career personnel to access training, resources and support. It allows for greater efficiencies during the different phases of
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FIRE AUSTRALIA ISSUE ONE 2021
emergency incidents and fosters resilience and self-sufficiency in communities when they are faced with bushfire and other natural hazards risks.
What do you see as the major challenges facing WA?
In WA, emergency management services are delivered across 2.6 million square kilometres—the largest jurisdiction in Australia—to a population of more than 2.5 million. Covering the expanse from the north of the country to the south is a significant challenge. It’s common for cyclones and bushfires to occur concurrently in different parts of the state between November and May, which adds complexity around prioritising resourcing. With Perth being one of the most isolated cities in the world, additional time also needs to be factored in when requesting intrastate and interstate assistance. Fostering collaboration across the emergency management sector, which includes local government, land management agencies and support agencies, is key to managing this challenge.
You are on the AFAC Board. Do you have a view about the benefits of engaging with AFAC?
There is an outstanding level of sharing of knowledge and resources that occurs
