Fire Australia Magazine | Issue 4 2023

ISSUE FOUR 2023

HUNDREDS CELEBRATE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION MONTH AFAC AWARDS RECOGNISE INDUSTRY EXCELLENCE FLUORINE-FREE FOAM: 15 KEY QUESTIONS

RECORD BREAKING FIRE SUPPORT TO CANADA

CONTENT REFLECTING ON 30 YEARS OF AFAC As the end of another year approaches, many professionals across the fire and emergency services are entering their busiest period. With CEO, AFAC the switch to warmer and drier conditions this year, bushfire and heat exposure presents a risk for many Australian communities. We thank our colleagues who are committed to preparing and protecting people against these and other hazards over the severe weather season.

2023 marks 30 years of AFAC, and it is an important year for us to reflect on our role in building a connected and capable emergency management sector across Australia and New Zealand. Every day we help our members achieve their goals, and we play a critical role in supporting the AFAC National Council’s delivery of the fire and emergency services sector’s Strategic Directions. We witnessed some significant events to mark this milestone year for AFAC. In September, the National Resource Sharing Centre concluded its largest ever international deployment, with a total of 746 Australian and New Zealand personnel assisting their Canadian counterparts since late May. In August, the AFAC23 Conference and Exhibition returned to Brisbane for our largest event to date, featuring more than 160 speakers, thousands of visitors and delegates, and a sprawling exhibition space that was 60% bigger than the last event in Brisbane in 2016.

The National Aerial Firefighting Centre continues to strengthen its support of the sector by coordinating the procurement of a growing fleet of specialised firefighting aircraft. This season there are more than 170 aircraft readily available to state and territory emergency service and land management agencies across Australia.

We continue to update our training to meet the evolving needs of the sector, with a new Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System Training Resource Kit released this year.

Likewise, we continue to evolve our predictive services capability, with Spark Operational made available to agencies through 2023.

While AFAC has grown and evolved over time, at our core we exist to amplify the work of emergency management in Australia and New Zealand. We stand as a sector in the face of change with a common goal of safer, more resilient communities. Amid this progress, our greatest asset continues to be our people. As we move into AFAC’s third decade, the opportunities for alignment and collaboration across the AFAC membership and broader emergency management sector continue to grow. I encourage you to read on in this edition of Fire Australia to find out more about what AFAC is doing, and invite you to be part of the positive change for our sector.

IN THIS ISSUE

ROB WEBB

ADVERTISING LISTING 2 PERTRONIC 5 WEATHERZONE / CONTROL PANELS AUSTRALIA 9 FIRESENSE

13 REDMEN 17 AFAC24 21 ARCHER TESTING 26 REECE FIRE 31 CQUNIVERSITY

37 POWER EQUIPMENT 42 FPA AUSTRALIA TRAINING 51 WINDSOR MANAGEMENT INSURANCE BROKERS 52 FIRE FACTORY AUSTRALIA

To advertise in Fire Australia, contact: Paul Waterhouse, magazine@fpaa.com.au FPA Australia, PO Box 1049, Box Hill VIC 3128, Australia

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Connection and capability at AFAC23 conference and exhibition

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AFAC’s Industry Awards

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‘Affordable’ housing should also be ‘fire-safe’ housing

20 Redesigning how we see the season ahead 22 National Fire Protection Month —21 days of keeping people safe 28

Reflections on a record-breaking international deployment

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Tonga and South Australia renew their MOU

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15 key questions about fluorine-free foam

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Aerial firefighting conference

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Make R U OK? Day every day

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Fit, willing, and able: national SES Fitness for Role program

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Embedding non-technical skills into emergency management training

REGULAR FEATURES

38 OUR COVER The AFAC National Resource Sharing Centre coordinated the largest ever international deployment of Australasian fire personnel to Canada.

PHOTO: NSW RURAL FIRE SERVICE

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News

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Blast from the past

44 Q&A: perspectives from the sector 46

Burning ambition: women in emergency

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Standards update

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Calendar

50 Movers and shakers

ABOUT FIRE AUSTRALIA Fire Australia is a joint publication of Fire Protection Association Australia and AFAC. We aim to bring the latest news, developments and technical information to the fire protection industry, fire and emergency services organisations, and hazard and emergency management agencies. Fire Australia is produced quarterly and distributed throughout Australia and New Zealand. Editorial submissions and letters to the editor are welcome and can be sent to magazine@fpaa.com.au.

For more details on submitting a contribution, please contact the editors.

JOINT EDITORS PAUL WATERHOUSE (FPA Australia) Tel +61 3 8892 3133 paul.waterhouse@fpaa.com.au ALANA BEITZ (AFAC) Tel +61 3 9418 5233

alana.beitz@afac.com.au

Fire Australia magazine is printed by a printer with ISO14001 Environmental Management System Accreditation using vegetable-based inks onto FSC -certified paper.

ISSN 1032-6529 (Print) ISSN 2200-9221 (Online)

DISCLAIMER The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of FPA Australia or AFAC. Articles and advertisements are published in good faith but Fire Australia magazine and its agents do not warrant the accuracy or currency of any information or data contained herein. Fire Australia magazine and its agents do not accept any responsibility or liability whatsoever with regard to the material in this publication. It is not possible for FPA Australia to ensure that advertisements published in this magazine comply in all respects with the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 and the provisions which apply to advertising. Responsibility lies with the person, company or agency submitting the advertisement for publication. Material in Fire Australia magazine is subject to copyright. This publication may not be reproduced in printed or electronic form without permission. Contact +61 3 8892 3131.

ISSUE FOUR 2023

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NEWS PHOTO: FPA AUSTRALIA

FPA AUSTRALIA APPOINTS JOHN COLLIE AS CEO After an extensive search, FPA Australia has appointed John Collie as its new CEO, replacing the departing Leigh Gesthuizen. Commencing on 3 October 2023, Mr Collie brings extensive leadership experience, having served in senior executive positions for the past decade. In his most recent role as Group General Manager—Fire at Airmaster, he helped steer the organisation to become a leader in HVAC maintenance and fire protection.

Prior to that, he worked in the materials sector for 20 years, including 15 years with CSR, where he gained expertise in construction, building materials, civil infrastructure, contracting, and industrial services.

Mr Collie also holds master degrees in science and commerce and has been a guest lecturer at Swinburne University, teaching undergraduate change managers and innovators.

He takes a holistic approach to innovation and efficiency and is a strong believer in collaboration, community

John Collie, FPA Australia’s CEO

engagement, and advancing fire protection in Australia.

In his new role, Mr Collie plans to accelerate new ideas and solutions that will add value for members and put FPA Australia at the forefront of fire protection, through the implementation of the Directions 28 strategic plan.

This will be achieved through

AFAC WELCOMES NEW PRESIDENT DFES COMMISSIONER DARREN KLEMM AFSM PHOTO: DFES

Darren Klemm AFSM, AFAC President and DFES Commissioner 4

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ISSUE FOUR 2023

consultation and collaboration with members and stakeholders, and a focus on increasingly becoming the voice of the industry.

Overall, he believes that with the support of the industry community, FPA Australia can achieve unparalleled excellence in the fire protection industry.

Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA Commissioner Darren Klemm AFSM has been appointed the 11th President of AFAC, the National Council for fire and emergency services in Australia and New Zealand.

Commissioner Klemm is an experienced fire and emergency services professional with a career spanning over 30 years. He understands the importance of bringing people together to help build stronger and safer communities.

“Working side by side with our fire and emergency service colleagues across Australia and New Zealand means we are all better placed to address the challenges of the future together,” Commissioner Klemm said.

“Stepping into the AFAC President role renews my commitment to build vital connections and capability across our sector.”

AFAC CEO Rob Webb welcomed Commissioner Klemm and acknowledged the valuable contribution of outgoing AFAC President and NSW State Emergency Service Commissioner Carlene York APM, who will remain as a Director on the AFAC Board.

“Commissioner York was both the first woman and the first SES Commissioner to

preside over AFAC. During her tenure, the state of NSW experienced extensive and devastating flood and storm events. Commissioner York demonstrated strong leadership and compassion throughout, to flood impacted communities, to her staff and volunteers, and to her fellow members of the AFAC National Council,” he said.

“We thank her for her guidance and supporting our vision of a connected and capable emergency service sector.”

Commissioner York welcomed Commissioner Klemm to the AFAC presidency.

“I have enjoyed my time as AFAC President and am proud of what we have collectively achieved across Australia and New Zealand.

Commissioner Klemm brings a wealth of experience to the role of President and I wish him all the best.”

Commissioner Klemm was voted in as AFAC President at the AFAC National Council Annual General Meeting on 24 October 2023. The AFAC National Council comprises 33 members representing fire, state emergency service and land management agencies across Australia and New Zealand.

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NEWS STALAGMITES A POSSIBLE KEY TO AUSTRALIA’S FIRE HISTORY

By analysing cave stalagmites, researchers have been able to reconstruct Australia’s fire history.

Researchers from the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have developed a new technique for reconstructing the fire history of Australia. To construct a timeline of past bushfires, the researchers examined cave stalagmites from Yanchep National Park in WA, looking for metals leached from ash following fire events.The technique could be used to understand fire behaviour and frequency, and help to inform efforts to prevent and manage future bushfires. The research looks at four case studies that investigate ash geochemistry to consider how intense fires are linked to climate.

You can read the study at https://tinyurl.com/5n8xxwak.

PHOTO: NATHAN MADDOCK, NHRA

NEW NATURAL HAZARD RESEARCH PROJECTS UNDERWAY

Sandbags being used to protect infrastructure in Albury/ Wodonga, NSW, November 2022.

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Three new natural hazard research projects are underway at Natural Hazards Research Australia, covering Aboriginal land and sea management, decision making in emergency management, and the impact of natural hazards on infrastructure networks.

Operationalising Aboriginal Land and Sea Management is a new project that will enable a paradigm shift in landscape management that recognises and promotes the benefits of Aboriginal land and sea management while respecting Aboriginal perspectives.

Researchers at the NSW Department of Planning and Environment are working to implement Aboriginal land and sea management on a broad landscape scale, meeting Aboriginal community aspirations for social,

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ISSUE FOUR 2023

cultural, and economic outcomes, and addressing environmental and natural hazard challenges. Learn more about this research at www.naturalhazards.com.au/research/ research-projects/operationalisingaboriginal-land-and-sea-management.

The Enhancing Decision Making in Emergency Management project, led by researchers at CQUniversity, will strengthen emergency management decision-making training in Australia by developing of a set of prototype training and learning products that support the needs of decision-makers operating in a variety of decision-making environments.

Learn more about this research at www. naturalhazards.com.au/research/researchprojects/enhancing-decision-makingemergency-management.

The Modelling Impacts of Natural Hazards on Interconnected Infrastructure Networks project is developing vulnerability models that can be used to quantify how public infrastructure is impacted by natural hazards. Led by researchers at the University of Queensland, this project will develop models for both direct and indirect impacts for a selection of infrastructure and natural hazard types.

Learn more about this research at www.naturalhazards.com.au/research/ research-projects/modelling-impactsnatural-hazards-interconnectedinfrastructure-networks.

These projects have been developed based on concepts submitted by Natural Hazards Research Australia’s network of participants.

PHOTO: ISTOCK

NEWS FPA Australia videos outline the benefits and opportunities of pursuing a career in fire protection.

SHOWCASING CAREERS IN FIRE PROTECTION Why would a young person join the fire protection sector?

FPA Australia recently interviewed three practitioners—Liam, Megan, and Tim—about their current roles, how they found them, and what they want to achieve in fire protection.

The four videos were released at the start of National Fire Protection Month, highlighting the benefits and opportunities of careers in fire protection, and discussing career paths, training, and future aspirations.

These videos are part of a series FPA Australia has launched on

its YouTube channel, featuring interviews with those who have newly joined the industry and some of the stalwarts of fire protection.

When asked why they participated in the project, Liam, Megan, and Tim identified that they wanted to share their experiences and help other young people to find employment in this worthwhile industry.

Liam, a fire sales and service technician at LA Fire Protection, emphasised the importance of raising awareness about the industry.

“I believed that the videos would be an effective way to draw attention to the sector and encourage young people who may be unsure about their career options to explore the field of fire protection,” he said.

Similarly, Megan, a fire tester working at Fire Protect Systems, saw it as an opportunity to provide insight into her work and highlight the potential job opportunities available to those considering their career options.

Tim from Warren Smith Consulting Engineers also saw it as a worthwhile cause to raise awareness. The graduate engineer in fire services said he had not seen many people his age doing the same thing.

“I love what I do, and would love to see more young people working alongside me in fire and design,” he said. “It’s a great industry to be a part of.”

Over the next 12 months, FPA Australia plans to interview more individuals from across the industry to build up a library of videos exploring and promoting fire protection.

If you are a young person interested in pursuing a career in this field, or know someone who might benefit from it, we encourage you to watch these videos to gain insight into this important and rewarding industry.

The videos are accessible on FPA Australia’s YouTube channel, FPA Australia TV: www.youtube.com/@fpaaustraliatv.

FORM 3 GUIDELINE TO BE RELEASED FOR CONSULTATION After some intensive work by the South Australian Committee, on 12 December 2023, FPA Australia will release the Form 3 Maintenance Good Practice Guide.

The guide seeks to help practitioners understand how to complete the annual Form 3, and

has been written by a committee representing the fire sector, councils, and property management groups.

It has been out for public comment for a few months, and feedback from stakeholders has been addressed in the new version, which aims to provide

appropriate support for users and deliver better compliance with maintenance reporting requirements.

To register for the launch, visit www.fpaa.com.au/events.

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NEWS BUSHFIRE SLEEP TRAUMA TRIAL SEEKS PARTICIPANTS

PHOTO: ALEX GREEN / PEXELS

Learn more about the trial at https://sleepwell1copy.healthzone.org.au/

A cognitive-behavioural clinical trial is seeking participants for a sleep disturbance treatment for anyone affected by a bushfire.

The trial is part of Natural Hazards Research Australia’s Online CognitiveBehavioural Intervention for Treatment of Insomnia and Nightmares in Bushfire Survivors research project, conducted by clinical psychologist Fadia Isaac, Professor Gerard Kennedy, and other researchers at Federation University, with funding through Natural Hazards Research Australia’s Postgraduate Research Scholarship program.

It is an online, self-paced, sleepspecific intervention called Sleep Best-i, aimed at community members or emergency responders.

More participants are needed, says Ms Isaac, who recently won Cooperative Research Australia’s Early Career Researchers Competition for this innovative study.

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“Many people who are suffering post-bushfire trauma have to overcome significant barriers to receiving treatment, especially those who live remotely or feel stigma when seeking face-to-face treatment. This self-paced intervention is done at home, giving people self-governance and greater privacy when seeking help for their sleep disturbances,” Ms Isaac said.

The trial takes between four and eight weeks to complete. Participants will be asked about their experience with bushfires and asked to rate their severity of sleep and trauma symptoms.

The experience of a bushfire does not need to be recent.

By taking part in this trial, participants will improve their knowledge of sleep difficulties and how they develop after a

bushfire, as well as reduce their mental health risks. Participants who complete the trial and provide data will also receive a $100 e-Coles voucher.

Based on the success of the trial, the researchers plan to develop the intervention as an evidence-based, free resource, which can be implemented in Australia and overseas, ensuring others will benefit from this online treatment.

Recruitment is open until the end of 2023 or until participant slots are filled.

To register or for more information, visit https://sleepwell1copy. healthzone.org.au/ or contact Prof Gerard Kennedy at Federation University: g.kennedy@federation.edu.au.

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NEWS

The Senior Leaders Cohort facilitated important discussions and considerations about the future of the fire and emergency services sector.

The AFAC Senior Leaders Cohort came together on 14–15 September at the Windsor Hotel in Melbourne for two days of knowledge sharing and professional development.

More than 55 attendees were treated to four thoughtful presentations under the theme, ‘Getting ahead of the curve—to 2040 and beyond’, covering the topics of climate change, capability, culture, and community, with discussions co-facilitated by Andy Combes from the Australian Institute of Police Management, and Rob Webb, AFAC CEO. Presentations included: Chief Executive Kerry Gregory from

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ), who spoke on culture and community Dr Adriana Keating, Research Fellow with the Monash Sustainable Development Institute at Monash University, who addressed climate change in respect to the fire and emergency services Simone Cusack, Executive Director, Equality and Workplace Reform, Ambulance Victoria presented on building a safe, fair, and inclusive organisation Professor Deborah Bunker, Chief Science Officer for Natural Hazards Research Australia, who discussed

leadership in the fifth era of information technology.

The forum provided an opportunity for the participants to take part in round robin sessions where they could discuss the themes raised throughout the sessions with the AFAC Board Directors and their peers.

Then AFAC President and NSW SES Commissioner, Carlene York, and AFAC CEO Rob Webb engaged in important conversations throughout the two days and prompted discussions on the current issues facing our sector’s leaders, sharing insights into how different agencies combat these issues.

ABCB LIMITS LEAD IN PLUMBING PRODUCTS

PHOTO: AUSTIN KEHMEIER / UNSPLASH

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In line with Clause A5G4 of the Plumbing Code of Australia 2022 (PCA), the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) will limit the allowable lead content in plumbing products that contain copper alloys and are intended for use in contact with drinking water.

Products that comply with the requirement—that a ‘lead-free’ plumbing product or material in contact with drinking water has a weighted average lead content of not more than 0.25%—can be WaterMark certified as a lead-free plumbing product.

This decision aims to improve public safety by reducing lead exposure.

After 1 May 2026, only lead-free versions of identified products will be authorised for use in plumbing systems that come into contact with drinking water.

For more information, visit https://watermark.abcb.gov.au/certification/lead-freeplumbing-products.

PHOTO: AFAC

SENIOR LEADERS COHORT SETS FOCUS ON THE FUTURE

NEWS BUREAU ECHOES WMO AND NOAA PREDICTIONS OF EL NIÑO In July, the World Meteorological Organization—the UN agency covering weather, climate, and water resources— officially declared an El Niño.

The declaration followed the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) announcement of its arrival in the tropical Pacific.

Since then the Bureau of Meteorology has released its longrange forecast, reporting that El Niño and positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) events are already underway, and

predicting severe weather in Australia for the 2023–24 season, including: heatwave—a high chance of unusually warm temperatures for most of Australia until at least February 2024 bushfire—an increased risk for much of eastern and southern Australia due to reduced rainfall, high fuel loads, and above-average temperatures tropical cyclones—while overall likely to be below average, at least one tropical cyclone crosses our

coast each season severe thunderstorms—a normal risk of severe thunderstorms with dry conditions forecast for late spring and early summer flooding—normal risk for localised flooding when storms bring heavy rain and during the northern wet season.

NATIONAL RESOURCE SHARING CENTRE SUPPORTS ACROSS MULTIPLE LOCATIONS

fatigue, maintaining a capability to respond to new fires is challenging, as severe fire weather conditions across multiple locations in the NT continue.

A total of 117 personnel from the SA Country Fire Service and NSW Rural Fire Service have deployed to Tennant Creek to support bushfire suppression activities, including liaison officers and strike teams.

Queensland has also sustained high levels of fire activity since early September, with complex fuel conditions favourable for continued and intensifying fire activity. In support, NRSC has coordinated over

400 personnel from Victoria, New Zealand and ACT in strike team, IMT, aviation support and liaison roles.

Further deployments were also seen in New South Wales following their significant and protracted fire activity throughout October.

AFAC NRSC is continuing to work with the Commissioners and Chief Officers Strategic Committee and the Resource Managers Group to determine national resource availability for any future rollovers of personnel. AFAC would like to thank all jurisdictions and agencies involved for their continued support of interstate resource sharing.

PHOTO: NSW RFS

Visit https://tinyurl.com/3wu5pxyh to see the media release, or go to www.bom.gov.au/ for more information.

On 13 September, the AFAC National Resource Sharing Centre (NRSC) activated to support a request for assistance from Bushfires NT. The Northern Territory has been responding to multiple fires fuelled by protracted catastrophic fire conditions, including a large fire in the Barkly Region. With local crews experiencing

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NSW RFS contingent join support to NT bushfire response.

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NEWS STATES AND TERRITORIES KEEP FLYING WITH NAFC PHOTO: AFAC

The aerial firefighting arrangement between AFAC and Australian states and territories will continue at least until 2028, following the recent signing of the new Resource Management Agreement (RMA).

The RMA governs how Australian states and territories engage with the AFAC National Aerial Firefighting Centre (NAFC) to acquire, contract, and standardise aerial firefighting resources nationally.

It allows AFAC to contract valuable aircraft services with the industry and provides those services to the jurisdictions, generating commercial advantages, cross-border synergies, and opportunities to share aircraft by redeploying them to meet changing activity and weather risks.

This reduces duplicated efforts by states and territories allowing them to source aircraft that may not have otherwise been accessible or affordable.

The RMA also continues the operation of the NAFC Strategic Committee, comprised of Commissioner and Chief Officer representatives from each jurisdiction. The opportunity for such senior thinkers in aerial firefighting to connect, share information, and consider matters relevant to the future of national emergency aviation operations is hugely beneficial.

The signing of this important document highlights the efforts of the legal and administration teams in NAFC and the member jurisdictions to establish good governance processes that underpin such valuable aerial resources.

AFAC Legal Counsel Harry Crawford oversees Rob Webb.

LIVING WITH LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES When charging or storing e-bikes or e-scooters, there are important safety tips to keep in mind.

PHOTO: GEO CHIERCHIA / UNSPLASH

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Agencies are increasingly raising concerns about the risks of lithiumion (Li-ion) batteries, with at least one significant incident occurring per week in Victoria alone.

Li-ion batteries can catch fire due to overheating, the use of noncompatible or defective charging equipment, physical damage, or a lack of maintenance, and, without effective fire protection, they pose a considerable danger to buildings and their occupants.

The issue is the focus of ongoing research in Australia and overseas, as the fire protection community seeks solutions that will help to minimise the

fire risk of renewable technology.

FPA Australia’s Lithium Battery Special Interest Group (LB/SIG) recently endorsed two fact sheets on Li-ion battery safety.

Prepared by National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), these documents discuss strategies to increase lithiumion battery, e-bike, and e-scooter safety.

To access these documents, visit the links below: NFPA Lithium-Ion Battery Safety – https://tinyurl.com/3645krfd NFPA E-Bike and E-Scooter Safety – https://tinyurl.com/23x9pnff

NEWS AUSTRALIAN FIRE DANGER RATING SYSTEM – ELEARNING FOR EVERYONE The updated Australian Fire Danger Rating System (AFDRS) eLearning courses offer a valuable opportunity for individuals to enhance their understanding of the AFDRS. The eLearning is open to everyone and provides valuable insight to the AFDRS that supports fire and emergency services, key stakeholders and the broader community to understand and adapt to the new system.

Courses 1a and 1b are open to everyone, including members of the public.

Course 1a: Introduction to the AFDRS - A quick insight for everyone

In just 15 minutes, Course 1a provides a foundational understanding of the AFDRS. Why do it: Grasp the significance of AFDRS: including fire danger ratings and the Fire Behaviour Index.

Make informed decisions: whether you’re a concerned community member or working in government and industry, understanding the AFDRS is crucial for making the right decisions in relation to bushfire risk.

Course 1b: Presenting AFDRS fire danger ratings - Communicate with confidence

Course 1b is a guide for those who want to communicate effectively about fire risks.

Why do it: Steps to stay informed and safe: understand the steps you and members of the community can take to stay informed and safe about fire danger.

Community safety: equip yourself to present AFDRS Fire Danger Ratings to the community to support awareness and safety.

Resource awareness: learn about additional resources like brochures and TV ads, enhancing your ability to convey critical information Tailored insights: understand the implications of fire danger for different groups of users.

Course 2: Applying the AFDRS - Essential knowledge for fire management professionals

Tailored for fire management professionals,

Course 2 covers how the AFDRS is applied in their work. It is an update to the existing Course 2.

Why do it: Professional advancement: whether you fight fires, conduct prescribed burns, or are involved in planning or command roles, this course enhances your expertise.

In-depth understanding: delve into modules covering the Fire Behaviour Index, fire behaviour models, fuel types, and AFDRS products, and gain insights crucial to your work.

Investing time in the AFDRS eLearning is an investment in personal and community safety. Knowledge gained from these courses supports everyone to make informed decisions, communicate effectively, and contribute to the collective effort to manage and mitigate the risks posed by wildfires.

AFDRS eLearning is available via the AFAC website: https://www.afac.com.au/initiative/ afdrs/afdrs-training

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AFAC23

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CONNECTION AND CAPABILITY AT AFAC23 CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION

PHOTO: AFAC

AFAC23 powered by INTERSCHUTZ Conference and Exhibition took up a record-breaking amount of floor space at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre for four days of important discussions, knowledge sharing and networking.

BRANDON HUTCHINSON AFAC

This year’s theme was ‘Creating a sustainable future: the challenges and opportunities’, looking at the new challenges and opportunities confronting the fire and emergency services sector, governments, and communities arising from complex disasters and new technologies.

From 22–25 August, AFAC23 host agencies, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) and the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS), provided a platform for discussion, debate, and knowledge sharing, allowing the sector to gain new insights into improving fire safety.

Orange Sky Laundry was selected by the host agencies as the AFAC23 official charity partner, and, in lieu of speaker gifts, a donation of $5,000 was instead made to this homelessness charity at the conference.

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“It’s so fantastic to be back here in Brisbane. First time since 2016 and it’s looking like the biggest conference that we’ve had yet, bringing emergency managers from around Australia, New Zealand, and the world to connect and see how we can address the problems of the future.”

– Rob Webb, AFAC CEO

Innovation on display

This year’s exhibition featured more than 230 stands, showing technologies and services aimed at firefighting.

A highlight was the inaugural Resilience Lane, presented by the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience and NRMA Insurance, that featured 15 not-for-profit and communityfocused organisations showcasing the work and services they provide to

strengthen community resilience.

Resilience Lane hosted experts in recovery, wellbeing, community development, and sustainability, and was well received and attended by exhibition visitors throughout the event.

Day 1 – Research and Innovation Day

As always, the AFAC23 Research and Innovation Day, supported by Natural Hazards Research Australia, kicked off the conference proceedings.

Dr Jen Beverly, Associate Professor of Wildland Fire at University of Alberta, shared insights in her keynote address drawn from her wildfire research in Canada. She challenged the audience to rethink risk and offered insights from the context of Canadian wildfires to help guide risk assessments of a range of natural hazards.

Oliver Costello, from the Jagun Alliance Aboriginal Corporation and Natural Hazards Research Australia, then spoke about the invaluable

AFAC23

Day 2 – A day of conferences

The second day of AFAC23 saw an official welcoming ceremony held concurrently with the Women and Firefighting Australasia Conference, the Institution of Fire Engineers Conference, and the Australian Disaster Resilience Conference. Together, the co-located conferences offered eight streams of presentations.

The ceremony started with Christopher Dawson welcoming delegates to the Turrbal lands in Meanjin on behalf of his Aunty, Elder Songwoman Maroochy, delighting attendees through song and story.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) Deputy Chief Executive Kaupapa Maori and Cultural Communities Piki Thomas and his colleagues welcomed delegates to the conference on behalf of Aotearoa New Zealand. The FENZ team gifted AFAC with a Mauri Stone to celebrate the conference and symbolise New Zealand’s continued participation.

Nazir Afzal OBE, former Chief Crown Prosecutor in England, opened the second day of proceedings with a thought-provoking keynote address reflecting on his career and his Independent Culture Review of the London Fire Brigade.

A keynote panel sponsored by Volvo followed, where Martin Merrick, Dr Dia Smith, Brendan Moon AM ASM, and Dr Bree Talbot shared insights on creating a net-zero future in the face of climate change.

The evening concluded with delegates enjoying the masqueradethemed Gala Dinner, complete with a three-course meal, live band, and opera singers.

workshops on topics from disaster resilience education to firefighter health and safety.

AFAC’s appreciation

AFAC thanks the AFAC23 partners and sponsors, and the host agencies QFES and QPWS for making AFAC23 possible.

The conference program was the most diverse and extensive to date, with hundreds of speakers exploring key themes across culture, education, and learning; emerging technologies and innovation; intelligence and collaboration; and sustainable workforces.

Conference proceedings are now available to browse via the AFAC website: www.afac.com.au/events/ proceedings.

AFAC24 will take place in Sydney on 3-6 September 2024.

For more information, visit www.afacconference.com.au

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“There’s some really genuine, passionate people who are working in the sector and their passion is really encouraging to see so many people driving for change and trying to foster those inclusive, safe environments for their agencies.”

– Quinn Cramer, President of Women and Firefighting Australasia.

Days 3 and 4 – More conversations and professional development

Jerry Grayson started Day 3 with a keynote presentation on his experiences with career disruption and embracing the new and changing world.

US Deputy Fire Administrator Tonya Hoover and Lamar González Medlock followed with a keynote address that covered their insights on sustaining the fire service of the future.

The day concluded with a closing panel chaired by Martijn Gough with Kylie Macfarlane, Dr Jean Palutikof, Dr Russell Wise, and Major General (Retd) Jake Ellwood. They discussed the current state of disaster resilience and asked if we are spending enough on getting communities prepared.

The week ended with the Professional Development Program, which featured field trips, forums, and

1. The AFAC23 Trade Exhibition drew hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of visitors.

2. Christopher Dawson delivering the Welcome to Country.

3. IVECO Rural Fire Service truck.

4. Mauri Stone gifted to AFAC by Fire and Emergency New Zealand.

5. The Day 3 Closing Panel asked if we were spending enough on disaster resilience.

PHOTOS: AFAC

Indigenous practices in caring for Country and the importance of engaging with Traditional Owners to help build disaster resilience.

Highly anticipated was the newly introduced concept of Innovation Pitchfest, where AFAC member agencies posed questions around some of their intractable problems and asked private technology providers to showcase their solutions.

Fast-paced five-minute presentations were given, centred on improving on-ground communication when impacted areas are severed from services, and using data and AI to inform risk-reduction activities.

Audience members were able to vote interactively on whether the presenters understood the problem, whether their solution was applicable, and whether agencies were likely to adopt it.

The winners were Dan Winson from Zetifi, who proposed bringing longrange Wi-Fi into affected areas, and Konstantin Pieper from OroraTech, who showcased satellite wildfire detection technology.

The remainder of the sessions in the Innovation Stream focused on the implementation of innovation, with presenters representing agencies and research organisations, and discussing fast-tracking technology from start‑up to full-scale capability to support emergency service response.

The AFAC23 Research and Innovation Day closed with a ceremony to announce the winners of the first AFAC Industry Awards (see page 16), a program designed to recognise the work of the AFAC member network in alignment with the fire and emergency service sector’s six Strategic Directions.

Following the awards ceremony, delegates enjoyed a networking function in the exhibition hall to close out the proceedings.

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ISSUE THREE 2023

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INDUSTRY AWARDS

AFAC’S INDUSTRY AWARDS

1. Fostering Resilient Communities Award— Angela Cook and Kelly Stoner, CFA. 2. Response Capability Award— Media and Corporate Communications Team, DFES.

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Fostering Resilient Communities

The 2023 winners of the AFAC Fostering Resilient Communities Award are Angela Cook and Kelly Stoner from Country Fire Authority. The award recognised their partnerships and collaboration across the social services sector to share and promote fire safety knowledge and skills for people with disabilities. This award aligns with AFAC Strategic Direction 1—Supporting resilient communities through risk reduction.

Angela and Kelly set out to strengthen the collective impact for risk reduction and the resilience of people with disabilities through the initiative ‘Clearing the path to disability inclusive fire and emergency planning’.

This project improves emergency planning for people with disabilities and successfully applies a collaborative approach among emergency services, local government, service providers, and people with disabilities to improve fire and emergency planning.

By focusing on inclusion and collaboration, Angela and Kelly sought to enhance community education and engagement programs, using evidence-based practice when working with people with disabilities.

PHOTOS: AFAC

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Some of the winners are profiled below:

AFAC’s inaugural Industry Awards ceremony recognised the work and values of AFAC member organisations in line with the 2022– 2026 Strategic Directions for fire and emergency services and our vision of ‘connected and capable emergency management’.

Congratulations to all winners and nominees of the AFAC Industry Awards for 2023: AFAC People First Award— Julianne Webster-Scott, QFES AFAC Fostering Resilient Communities Award—Angela Cook and Kelly Stoner, CFA AFAC Response Capability Award—Media and Corporate Communications Team, DFES AFAC Data in Action Award—Bush Fire Risk Planning Team, NSW RFS AFAC Knowledge Innovation Award—Kelley Toy and Adrian Nacey, FENZ AFAC Laurie Lavelle Award—Kelley Toy and Adrian Nacey, FENZ The 2023 Women and Firefighting Awards were also announced: Member Organisation ‘Diversity, Fairness and Inclusion’ Award— Fire and Rescue NSW Champion of Change—Peta Miller Rose AFSM Outstanding Contribution by a Female Firefighter—Nancy Boura

ISSUE FOUR 2023

Response Capability

The Media and Corporate Communications Team from Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES), WA, was awarded the AFAC Response Capability Award for their new approach to emergency communications. This award aligns with AFAC Strategic Direction 2—Providing a trusted response.

The January 2023 Kimberley floods in WA presented significant challenges in initial relief efforts.

A new approach was needed to ensure communication between the relief teams and communities was effective. The DFES Media and Corporate Communications Team prepared for the impact by connecting with Kimberley businesses, media, and residents before the heavy rains to gain localised information to populate the public information plan.

This helped to meet the needs of the community during the Kimberley flood event.

Data in Action

The winner of the AFAC Data in Action Award was the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) Bush Fire Risk Planning (BFRP) Team, for their work leading the next generation of Bush Fire Risk Management Plans in RFS. This award aligns to AFAC Strategic Direction 3— Using credible and timely information and data.

Central to the development of the risk plans has been to support the building of resilient communities by advocating for and promoting effective risk mitigation measures, influencing effective land use decisions, and improving the resilience of the NSW landscape. The process uses information and data to inform decisions for bushfire risk mitigation by working collaboratively with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Bush Fire Management Committees (BFMCs).

People First

The winner of the AFAC People First Award was Julianne Webster Scott from Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES), for her work and application of community engagement throughout the sector. This award aligns to AFAC Strategic Direction 4— Safe, capable and diverse workforce.

Thank you to Stewart & Heaton Clothing for their sponsorship of this year’s award.

Julianne’s direct participation and planning is commensurate with the ability of local governments and communities to recover from and prepare for disasters in the Central Region District. Julianne works tirelessly and provides support to all QFES, the hazards service delivery model, and staff.

Knowledge Innovation

Kelley Toy and Adrian Nacey from Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) were the winners of the AFAC Knowledge Innovation Award for their work to make New Zealand homes safer by supporting more people to learn about fire safety. This award aligns to AFAC Strategic Direction 5— Informed by knowledge, innovation and research.

Kelley and Adrian used enhanced evidence-based decision-making to guide their work, establishing and maintaining robust lessons and

INDUSTRY AWARDS

effectively using data, information, and research to improve outcomes.

The knowledge and insight gained from Adrian and Kelley’s segmentation research project has been embedded across FENZ and is enhancing the effectiveness of the organisation’s community education and engagement programs through collaboration and evidence-based practice.

The final Industry Award presented at AFAC23 was the 2023 Laurie Lavelle Achiever of the Year Award.

The award goes to someone who is acknowledged within their agency as demonstrating a significant commitment to the enhancement of the knowledge or skills, operations, performance, and public profile in the emergency services sector. All winners of the other six AFAC Industry Awards were also considered alongside nominees in this award category.

Kelley Toy and Adrian Nacey from FENZ took out this year’s award for their efforts to make New Zealand homes safer through fire safety education.

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PHOTOS: AFAC

Laurie Lavelle Achiever of the Year

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Nominations for the 2024 AFAC Industry Awards will open in mid2024 and the presentation will take place during the Welcome and Awards Ceremony at AFAC24 powered by INTERSCHUTZ in Sydney.

3. Data in Action Award—Bush Fire Risk Planning Team, NSW RFS. 4. People First Award—Julianne Webster-Scott, QFES. 5. Knowledge Innovation Award—Adrian Nacey and Kelley Toy, FENZ. 6. Laurie Lavelle Achiever of the Year Award—Adrian Nacey and Kelley Toy, FENZ.

Australasia’s premier conference and exhibition for emergency management

3–6 SEPTEMBER 2024 | ICC SYDNEY

Embracing innovation and disruption: designing the future for our sector AFAC24 delivers solutions to these industry sectors:

Fire

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Hazardous

Emergency/rescue

Mining

First responders

Fire prevention

afacconference.com.au

Public safety

Critical infrastructure

Resilience

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‘AFFORDABLE’ HOUSING SHOULD ALSO BE ‘FIRE-SAFE’ HOUSING Federal Government moves to encourage the construction of affordable and social housing need to consider strategies to keep their occupants safer from the risks of fire.

MARK WHYBRO Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition Australia PAUL WATERHOUSE FPA Australia

In September 2023, the Australian Government announced the proposed development of the National Housing and Homelessness Plan.

It suggested that, when completed, the plan would deliver a 10-year strategy to inform future housing and homelessness policy in Australia, outlining key short-, medium-, and longer-term reforms.

Major elements of the plan include: the proposed establishment of a $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund to deliver 30,000 new social and affordable homes in the fund’s first five years an additional $350 million between 2024 and 2029 to build a further 10,000 homes under the National Housing Accord with state and territory governments up to $575 million for investment in social and affordable housing by broadening the role of the National Housing Infrastructure Facility $2 billion additional funding for loans through the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation for community housing providers to build new social and affordable housing a further $2 billion Social Housing Accelerator program to help state and territory governments to build 18

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new homes that will reduce social housing waiting lists.

The plan has been outlined in an Issues Paper, in which ‘social housing’ is defined as including governmentfunded public and Indigenous housing, and community housing provided by non-government organisations.

It was released for public consultation, and the Australian Government is now considering the feedback it has received.

If the plan comes into effect, a lot of money will be invested to help solve identified social and economic problems, including those with a direct impact on occupant safety, like overcrowding.

The elephant in the room

But there’s arguably a hole in the risks presented in the Issues Paper.

Despite an average of 64 Australians dying each year in preventable home fires, the word ‘fire’ appears only a handful of times—and then only in relation to bushfire-prone buildings and to a NSW initiative to replace wood-fired heating with solar panels and air-conditioning (presented primarily as a cost saving measure rather than one to improve home fire safety).

Research has consistently shown homes with modern furniture, furnishings, and layouts can now reach ‘flashover’—when the fire has completely taken hold and is untenable for human life—in as little as three minutes. It takes a fire brigade between seven and 10 minutes on average to turn up to a fire, with further valuable

PHOTOS: HOME FIRE SPRINKLER COALITION AUSTRALIA

FIRE-SAFE HOUSING

time needed before a fire crew can start fighting the flames.

At the same time, fire brigades, governments, and community safety organisations in Australia and internationally are increasingly concerned that other technologies, like e-scooters and rechargeable batteries, have increased home fire risk. Both the speed of fire development and the toxicity and combustibility of gases given off by a battery fire mean that we may soon be experiencing a step increase in home fire risk.

Research has shown that residents in social housing have a higher risk of suffering a typical home fire and are over-represented in preventable fire fatalities, so the lack of consideration of the dangers of fire in the Issues Paper prompts the question: is the plan truly meeting its objective of ‘safe and affordable housing’?

The consequences of fire

The failure to address the risks of fire in the strategy not only underestimates the potential threats to occupants of social housing but also ignores the consequences that follow a fire.

The economic cost of a house fire can be significant.

If a building becomes uninhabitable, which is very likely to be the case after a typical house fire, residents not only lose their personal property and have to relocate, but they can also suffer physical and psychological harm.

Additional costs are incurred for repairs to the property or, if the fire takes hold before effective firefighting operations commence, the complete replacement

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of a building.

Given the paper’s definition of social housing, this cost will, more often than not, be borne by governments and, consequently, the taxpayer.

These costs are increased by a lack of coverage for social housing.

Independent analysis reports lower rates of insurance among Australia’s disadvantaged socio-economic communities, yet these same groups are over-represented in preventable home fires and the consequent injuries and fatalities. This means those most at risk from home fires will almost certainly include the residents of the tens of thousands of new homes proposed to be built under the Commonwealth-led housing initiative.

There is a solution

Understanding the risks and costs of fires in the home—particularly the potential risk to life—invariably raises the question of how best to mitigate these risks.

International research has consistently found a 90% improvement in the chances of surviving a typical home fire if automatic sprinklers are installed—yes, 90%! What other single fire safety measure gives this pay-off in reducing fire risk to life and property?

Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition Australia (HFSCA), along with its partners and supporters, successfully managed to advocate for sprinklers to be introduced as Deemed-to-Satisfy systems for certain types of residential buildings in the National Construction Code.

FPAA101D is a safe, reliable, fit-forpurpose, and cost-effective solution

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to protecting lives and property from residential fires. Advantages include: costs—101D is a one-pipe system so the initial outlay is less simplicity—only one trade is needed to install the system—properly trained, licensed, and accredited plumbers and fire sprinkler practitioners integration—fundamentally, the system is linked into the home’s domestic drinking water system, with fire protection elements (with concealed sprinkler heads recommended both for aesthetic purposes and to prevent accidental damage) added in each room or compartment.

If reticulated water supplies are inadequate, home sprinklers may need to be powered by a tank-and-pump configuration. However, in such cases occupants may be able to leverage off sustainable building initiatives that require rainwater capture and re-use.

In this way, cost increases from installing an appropriate pump and pipe sizing for the fire protection elements would be offset against the existing costs of a home’s water system.

Servicing and maintenance costs would also be reduced from typical AS 2118 standalone systems, with regular inspections incorporated in the existing inspection regime for the building.

Homes are getting safer

The good news is HFSCA has and continues to support home building projects that have already installed automatic fire sprinklers, both

reticulated supply and tank-and-pump powered, in mid-rise apartments and Class 1 homes, where such valuable fire protection is yet to be mandated.

As a result of its support across a diverse range of installations, HFSCA has been able to evaluate the real-world costs for these home sprinklers and is commissioning an independent industry report to show the economic impacts of sprinklering residences, including labour and regulatory charges.

HFSCA’s report, which will consider a range of locations (metro versus regional) and installations, is expected to be published early 2024 and will be made available to Commonwealth, state, and territory governments.

Hopefully, the results will convince governments that sprinklers are the ideal way to make social housing safe housing.

1. A demonstration burn reveals the life-saving value of automatic fire sprinklers. The impact of a fire in a room with fire sprinklers installed can be seen here.

2. This room did not have sprinklers installed and shows the aftermath of the demo burn. The use of automatic fire sprinklers can prevent a fire from reaching the fatal ‘flashover’ point.

Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition Australia (HFSCA) is a strategic public safety partnership between AFAC (the National Council for fire and emergency service agencies in Australia and New Zealand) and Fire Protection Association Australia (FPA Australia), the national peak fire protection industry body. The Coalition’s aim is to help better protect Australian communities from residential fires by raising awareness of and advocating for the life-saving benefits of automatic home fire sprinklers.

Under HFSCA’s Strategy 2021–2025, its number one priority is to expand the understanding and take-up of home sprinklers in social housing.

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BUSHFIRE OUTLOOK PHOTO: AFAC

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REDESIGNING HOW WE SEE THE SEASON AHEAD The format of the AFAC Seasonal Bushfire Outlook has been updated to improve the communication of bushfire risk to the public.

ALANA BEITZ The improved Seasonal Bushfire Outlook was released at AFAC23.

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AFAC

With the end of three consecutive La Niña events and a return to hotter and drier conditions in the lead-up to spring 2023, bushfire was back on the minds of many Australians—naturally, there was a strong desire to know where bushfire risk was expected ahead of the season commencing.

The Seasonal Bushfire Outlook has for some time been an important communication tool for fire and emergency agencies to create a national picture of bushfire potential.

Released just before the turn of each season, the outlook identifies potential areas of increased risk, based on weather, fuel, and fire agency resourcing, helping to identify management implications and impacts upon the community and industry.

The Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for spring 2023 was launched at the AFAC23 Conference and Exhibition in Brisbane on Wednesday 23 August, drawing significant attention from traditional media outlets and the community on social media.

It identified an increased risk of bushfire for large areas of the NT, Queensland, and NSW, as well as in some regions in Victoria and SA. This risk assessment was informed by the

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Bureau of Meteorology’s prediction of increased chance of above-average temperatures and below-average rainfall for almost the entire country during spring, coupled with increased fuel growth driven by high rainfall during consecutive La Niña years.

As the spring months have progressed, these conditions have supported bushfire activity impacting a number of regions across Australia.

“The climate influences driving increased risk of bushfire this season are widespread, and the entire country can expect drier and warmer conditions than normal this spring, so it is important for Australians be alert to local risks of bushfire over the coming months, regardless of their location,” AFAC CEO Rob Webb said.

Better communicating bushfire risk

To support Australian communities better ahead of this fire season, AFAC’s Predictive Services Group, the national group responsible for the production of the Seasonal Bushfire Outlook, reviewed the product to ensure it was targeted and fit-for-purpose.

As part of this review, a Seasonal Bushfire Outlook community messaging workshop was held with members of the AFAC Community Engagement Technical Group and the AFAC Warnings Group. This workshop

provided recommendations on how the Seasonal Bushfire Outlook could be better communicated to the public.

The community messaging workshop considered both Australia’s Warning Principles and the various audiences of the Seasonal Bushfire Outlook to recommend an improved communications strategy. The recommendations were presented to the AFAC Predictive Services Group, which accepted and agreed to implement them.

The result was a refreshed format for the Seasonal Bushfire Outlook.

While some updates have only been cosmetic, other key changes have been introduced that improve the way bushfire risk is communicated. These include: creating a one-level framework that assesses increased risk of fire rather than bushfire potential simplifying information by only identifying areas of increased risk of fire—references to areas of normal fire potential (previously yellow) and below normal fire potential (previously blue) have been removed delivering more targeted information to communities by providing maps for each state and territory providing place names on maps highlighting two to three key points of information for each jurisdiction, as well as a URL to find local bushfire

PHOTO: AFAC

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information and advice prioritising information about fire risk earlier in the document, supported by a detailed climate overview at the end of the document.

“The updated format of the Seasonal Bushfire Outlook is informed by the expertise of fire authorities across Australia and the Bureau of Meteorology. Fire agencies are now able to share more relevant and targeted information with communities to empower them to be safer and more prepared for this upcoming season,” Mr Webb said.

The updated terminology used in the Seasonal Bushfire Outlook is ‘increased risk of bushfire’. This is defined as the likelihood of an increased number of significant bushfires occurring in the outlook period compared to the average.

Increased bushfire risk depends on many factors, including weather and climate, fuel amount and availability,

recent fire and disturbance history, natural and human barriers, and the speed and effectiveness with which firefighting resources can suppress fires in an area.

The Seasonal Bushfire Outlook is part of the Total Warning System informing communities of increased bushfire risk, raising awareness, and priming them to take appropriate actions. However, all communities should plan and prepare, regardless of the stated risks. The outlook is not a prediction of where and when bushfires will—or will not—occur, and most of Australia is at risk of bushfire through the spring and summer months.

You can view the Seasonal Bushfire Outlook on the AFAC website: www.afac.com.au/auxiliary/ publications/seasonal-outlook

SEASONAL BUSHFIRE OUTLOOK

The Seasonal Bushfire Outlook is developed collaboratively by AFAC; the Bureau of Meteorology; Queensland Fire and Emergency Services; the NSW Rural Fire Service; ACT Emergency Services Agency; ACT Parks and Conservation Service; Country Fire Authority, Department of Energy; Environment and Climate Action Victoria; Tasmania Fire Service; SA Country Fire Service; Department of Fire and Emergency Services; and Department of Biodiversity; Conservation and Attractions WA; and Bushfires NT.

Fire and emergency leaders from across the country launch the Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for spring.

FIRE PROTECTION MONTH

NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION MONTH— 21 DAYS OF KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE! The second National Fire Protection Month drew hundreds of people from across the country to celebrate the important role of the fire protection sector in keeping life, property, and the environment safe from the risk of fire.

1. A full house at the seminar on fire safety in the Melbourne Metro tunnel.

2. Ben Hughes-Brown touches on some finer points during the ACT seminar on fire protection maintenance and documentation.

David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), NFPM raised awareness of some of the most pressing industry issues, gained the attention of our customers, and saw fascinating discussions about events during a fire, the risks of lithium-ion batteries, the role of strata, and fire protection in the new Melbourne Metro tunnels, amongst others.

Our thanks go to the GovernorGeneral and our charity partner Professor Fiona Wood AC and the Fiona Wood Foundation, for their ongoing support of NFPM. Attendees were encouraged to donate to the foundation, and we’re proud to be helping their research efforts.

NFPM is a permanent fixture on FPA Australia’s calendar, and we look forward to hosting an even more interesting program in 2024.

The emphasis it places on the

relatively hidden fire protection sector allows it to come out of the fire brigades’ shadows and to show the vital role it plays in protecting the public.

As General Hurley put it: “The work of all in the fire protection industry helps give people peace of mind when they enter modern buildings. From manufacturers and suppliers to those who service fire protection products, building surveyors and others—all play a key role in keeping Australians safe.”

Thank you to everyone involved in this year’s events and we look forward to celebrating this industry with all of you again in September 2024.

Mark your diaries and drop us a line at engagement@fpaa.com.au if there are any topics you would like to hear about next year.

PHOTOS: FPA AUSTRALIA

3. In Sydney, Anita Kingdom discusses how property managers can comply with regulations imposed by the NSW Government.

Throughout September 2023, FPA Australia ran a series of in-person seminars, webinars, and other activities throughout Australia, in recognition of National Fire Protection Month (NFPM).

The annual event series, in its second year, drew registrations and attendees to a variety of stimulating topics exploring the theme ‘Fire protection: keeping you safe’.

These were held in almost every state and territory, and ranged from tours, to seminars, to webinars and events, to the launch of new careers videos.

Twenty-two events were held over 21 working days, which is a great achievement.

With the support of the NFPM steering committee, and the generous patronage of the Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honourable

4. Greg Forrestal speaking at the Queensland seminar on the evacuation of large buildings.

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PHOTO: FPA AUSTRALIA

FIRE PROTECTION MONTH

Thank you to everyone who shared their time and expertise to present at various NFPM events: ◆ Adrian Anderson, Grosvenor ◆ Mark Azzopardi, AZZO Project Services ◆ Clifton Bieundurry, Bushfire Centre of Excellence, Department of Fire and Emergency Services (WA) ◆ Greg Bonnily, Contact Group ◆ Matt Booth, Warringtonfire Australia ◆ Stephen Brell, Strata Community Association ◆ David Bunning, Priority 1 Fire ◆ Mark Carter, Fire Rescue Victoria ◆ Oliver Costello, Jagun Alliance Aboriginal Corporation and Firesticks Alliance Indigenous Corporation ◆ Mal Cronstedt, FPA Australia ◆ James Deters, Association of Accredited Certifiers ◆ Kane Duke, Tweed Shire Council ◆ Kristy Eulenstein, Consult Australia ◆ Ben Ferguson, CYP Design and Construction Joint Venture ◆ Jorge Fernandez, Owners Corporation Network ◆ Esther Fletcher-Jones, Tasmania Fire Service ◆ Geoff Flower, Melbourne Metro ◆ Greg Forrestal, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services ◆ Liam Gallagher, Cultural Burn Officer with Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (VIC) ◆ Peter Galvin, Bushfire Centre of Excellence with Department of Fire and Emergency Services (WA) ◆ Tammy Gilson, Wiyn murrup—Caring for Country Team, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation (VIC) ◆ Luke Haines, WSP

◆ Chris Honey, Competent Fire Safety Professionals ◆ Bob Hook, FiRiAS ◆ Ben Hughes-Brown, Vortex Fire ◆ Raymond Irving, Fire and Rescue NSW ◆ Peter Jeuken, Richmond Valley Council ◆ Anita Kingdom, Total Concept Industries ◆ Maria Kornakova, FPA Australia ◆ Anthony Lada, Chubb Fire and Security ◆ Catherine Lezer, Strata Community Association ◆ David Lonergan, FPA Australia ◆ Chris Mak, Fire Protection Association New Zealand ◆ Gavin Maund, Department of Fire and Emergency Services (WA) ◆ Tony McGrath, Adelaide Oval ◆ Brad McCallum, PWR ◆ Andrew McGuinness, Tasmania Fire Service ◆ Allen Mitchell, FPA Australia ◆ Trent Nelson, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (VIC) ◆ Elvira Nigido, A-Gas ◆ Daniel O’Dea, Fire and Rescue NSW ◆ Adrian Panozzo, Better Life Mobile ◆ Mirko Pierrot, Protection Engineering ◆ Bill Polits, A-Gas ◆ Daniel Quintin, Marsh Insurance Brokers ◆ George Reboredo, Fire Protect Systems ◆ Stephen Rose, All-Flow Fire Protection ◆ Sarnia Rusbridge, Society of Fire Safety ◆ Brett Staines ◆ Adam Stingemore, Standards Australia ◆ Dale Spurway-Humphries, Performance Fire Services ◆ Howard Tomlin, Fire Protection Technologies ◆ David Tyler, Ballina Shire Council ◆ Paul Waterhouse, FPA Australia ◆ Bronwyn Weir, Weir Legal

◆ Chris White, ACT Fire and Rescue ◆ Mark Whybro, Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition Australia ◆ David Windsor, Bushfire Centre of Excellence, Department of Fire and Emergency Services (WA).

Attendees arrive at Ignis Labs in Queanbeyan to see the equipment and setups used in fire safety testing.

Thank you to the members of the National Fire Protection Month Steering Committee: ◆ Julia Barraclough, FPA Australia ◆ Mal Cronstedt, FPA Australia ◆ Leigh Gesthuizen, FPA Australia ◆ Paul Gleeson, Contact Group (Tasmanian representative) ◆ Benjamin Hughes-Brown, Vortex Fire (ACT representative) ◆ John Kilgour, FPA Australia ◆ Anita Kingdom, Total Concept Industries (NSW representative) ◆ Anthony Lada, Chubb Fire and Security (Tasmanian representative) ◆ Diane Lim, Fiona Wood Foundation ◆ Kai Loh, CSIRO (Victorian representative) ◆ Brad McCallum, PWR (WA representative) ◆ Allen Mitchell, FPA Australia ◆ Paul Newman, Wormald Australia (Queensland representative) ◆ Michael Nuthall, Defend Fire (NT representative) ◆ Yvonne Pengilly, Open Builder (Queensland representative) ◆ Dale Spurway-Humphries, Performance Fire (SA representative) ◆ Kara Tonitto, FPA Australia ◆ Paul Waterhouse, FPA Australia ◆ Mark Whybro, Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition Australia, FPA Australia ◆ Stuart Yarnall, Fire Equipment Services (Victorian representative)

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FIRE PROTECTION MONTH

NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION MONTH LAUNCH FPA Australia’s Patron, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), Governor-General of Australia, launched the inaugural National Fire Protection Month at Admiralty House in Sydney on 4 September 2023. Following is the text of the speech he gave to the Board, Honorary Life Members, special guests, and staff of the Association.

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provides an opportunity for all of us to reflect on the important role that members of Fire Protection Association Australia play in our community.

To that end, the theme of National Fire Protection Month—‘Keeping you safe’—is particularly apt.

The theme focuses on the role played by industry in protecting life, property, and the environment.

The work of all in the fire protection industry helps give people peace of mind when they enter modern buildings.

From manufacturers and suppliers to those who service fire protection products, building surveyors, and others—all play a key role in keeping Australians safe.

I encourage Australians to

FPA Australia’s Patron, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), GovernorGeneral of Australia.

participate in one or more of the events being held throughout the month in every state and territory.

Funds raised during the month will help support FPA Australia’s charity partner, the Fiona Wood Foundation.

Again, it is a great delight to have you here: to celebrate the contribution you make to the community to help raise awareness of that contribution to spend time with you and, most importantly, to say thank you.

I commend all involved in National Fire Protection Month for helping to provide a safer environment for all Australians.

Please, keep up the great work.

PHOTO: FPA AUSTRALIA

Good evening, I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet, the Cammeraygal People of the Eora Nation, and pay my respects to their Elders, past and present, emerging leaders and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders gathered here today.

It is an absolute delight for Linda and me to welcome this group to Admiralty House.

You represent a small group relatively speaking—one that makes a big impact in our community.

Your work, rightly, is very much in the spotlight during National Fire Protection Month.

Earlier today, Linda and I hosted an event to launch National Child Protection Week.

Yesterday, we opened up the house to Team Australia, ahead of the Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023, which begin later this week.

And on Saturday we met with members and supporters of The Nelune Foundation—great people doing amazing work for cancer patients and their families.

I mention those events to highlight the breadth of good work being done in the community by a great many people.

It is a snapshot that is a reflection of what I see writ large in our community.

It makes me optimistic for Australia’s future.

Linda and I visit many communities across the country and meet thousands of people.

We see Australians on the good days and the bad days.

But what is a constant is the quality of the people we meet—I call it a richness of spirit.

It is kindness and compassion.

It is neighbourliness and communitymindedness.

It is a willingness to take on big challenges.

That quality is writ large in this group.

National Fire Protection Month

FIRE PROTECTION MONTH

On behalf of our President, Mark Potter, the Board, the FPA Australia team, and our members, I’d like to thank you, Governor-General and Mrs Hurley, for your warm welcome, for your support of National Fire Protection Month, and for hosting us here at your lovely Sydney residence, located on the traditional land of the Cammeraygal people.

I would also like to take this opportunity to recognise the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay my respects to Elders, past, present, and emerging.

FPA Australia has been greatly honoured to have benefited from your patronage, and appreciates the support that you and your office have shown us over the past few years.

Our longstanding relationship with you and your predecessors has been very important to the Association and its members, and we thank you for the interest you have continued to show in our activities.

This recognition has reinforced the importance of our industry to ensuring the safety of the community, and we are grateful for your ongoing support and encouragement for the work we do in protecting life, property, and the environment.

I’d like to extend my appreciation as well to our charity partner, and Ambassador, Professor Fiona Wood AM, and welcome her foundation representatives, David Fyfe and Diane Lim, to this evening’s event.

This relationship is very important, as it provides a clear reminder of what can go wrong if fire protection fails.

We hope that over the next few weeks, National Fire Protection Month attendees will help us to raise muchneeded funding for the foundation activities.

Finally, my thanks go to the FPA Australia’s directors, life members, and members, and the government representatives represented here this

evening for their continued support and involvement.

The Board and Executive of FPA Australia is proud to serve our membership and community, and is strongly committed to the Association’s vision and purpose of a safer community where life, injury, and damage to property and the environment are minimised through effective fire protection.

In line with the theme of National Fire Protection Month, the goal of the sector, and FPA Australia, is ‘keeping you safe’, and we take it very seriously.

As some of you were here last year, I won’t go into too much detail of the seminal event that ultimately led to today’s reception.

The Great Fire of London looms large in the consciousness of the English-speaking world, demonstrating the risks of built-up areas and representing a transition from the middle ages to a more modern period.

The lessons learned from that event have echoed through the centuries, forever changing the technologies and strategies used to fight fires.

In Australia, we are used to the hot, dry conditions that were present in London in 1666, and our industry is a world-leader in many areas, particularly in bushfire prevention and management.

But much of this work goes unnoticed and unheralded, resulting in a lack of awareness about fire prevention within the broader population.

This is the reason that we introduced National Fire Protection Month—to highlight the role played by our sector and its importance to community safety.

National Fire Protection Month runs for the whole of September, with events across the country and in cyberspace on every weekday.

Through a range of topics that cover different areas of the industry, our goal is to highlight the work our industry performs and how it helps the public.

They will touch on the importance of fire systems, the responsibilities other sectors have in fire prevention, and even the reasons why your body corporate needs to employ experienced, accredited, professional practitioners.

This year we have tours, webinars, seminars, and even the launch last Monday of our new careers videos, and the team and steering committee have done a great job in pulling it all

together—I thank you all.

It is our hope that these events will capture people’s attention and imagination, and encourage them to notice and appreciate the fire systems that keep them safe.

We all know that firefighters are essential.

But without detection and alarm systems, suppression systems, mechanical smoke control features, and passive fire walls and doors, there would be far less of a chance to save a burning building and the people within it.

This is the message we hope to get across to the community this month, and we hope each of you can be an ambassador on behalf of our industry, not only this September, but on an ongoing basis.

The FPA Australia team looks forward to seeing you at some of these upcoming events, as we reinforce our theme of ‘fire protection: keeping you safe’.

Once again, to our gracious hosts, the Fiona Wood Foundation, our members, our Board, our staff, and our supporters, I give my thanks and look forward to a successful National Fire Protection Month.

PHOTO: FPA AUSTRALIA

The following is the text of a speech delivered by FPA Australia’s Vice-President Robert Broadhead on the night of the National Fire Protection Month’s launch.

FPA Australia’s VicePresident Robert Broadhead.

ISSUE FOUR 2023

FIRE AUSTRALIA

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INTERNATIONAL

REFLECTIONS ON A RECORD-BREAKING INTERNATIONAL DEPLOYMENT

Between May and September 2023, 746 personnel were deployed to Canada through the AFAC National Resource Sharing Centre (NRSC)—the largest ever international deployment of Australasian personnel. International Liaison Officer Allyson Lardner shares her experience.

PHOTO: DEECA, VIC

Allyson Lardner is Deputy Chief Fire Officer at the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action Victoria.

28

ALLYSON LARDNER Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action Victoria

In June 2023, I was deployed to Canada as the second of three consecutive Australian and New Zealand International Liaison Officers (INLO). This deployment was part of a multinational effort, commencing at the end of May 2023 and wrapping up in September 2023.

As an INLO, my role was to help coordinate Australian and New Zealand resources to support fire management assistance in Canada. INLOs provide the in-country support and leadership for the delegation, and had a different experience to many of the others deployed from Australia and New Zealand. We were a single resource located in Winnipeg, Manitoba—a completely different state and time zone to the rest of the deployed firefighters, incident management, and support and management personnel, who were mostly deployed to Alberta, with a smaller cohort going to British Columbia.

The request for assistance from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) was received by the AFAC NRSC in May 2023, and

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we deployed a contingent of more than 200 firefighters and incident management specialists from fire, land management, and state emergency service agencies from across Australia and New Zealand. We were able to respond with this efficiency and scale due to the existing partnerships and agreements between the AFAC NRSC and CIFFC. The Canadian fire season this year was extraordinary—more than 6,500 fires burned over 18.5 million hectares throughout the summer period. In some less populated areas, the most practical suppression strategy long term was to wait for the season to break and for it to snow!

The deployment length for most personnel was about five weeks, including travel, in two 14-day rotations, with a rest break in between. For many Australasian agencies, this deviated from their usual practice, and all agencies considered the risks and requirements for personnel to adapt to different working conditions prior to their deployment.

While this was my first international deployment, Australia and New Zealand have a long reciprocal history over many decades supporting fire response with North America. Finding colleagues who already had contacts, and making initial introductions before I deployed to Canada, made my initial arrival a bit less daunting, and I’m proud to keep building upon these international connections.

Given the scale of the Canadian fire season, the response was truly international, with up to 13 other countries providing support through the summer. Some, like the United States, had a long history of support and others, including South Korea, Mexico, and Costa Rica, were participating

for the first time. The Canadian and international team were a delight to work with—everyone had the view that ‘it takes a village’ and were always available to support and learn from each other.

Through my deployment and previous work with the AFAC NRSC, there has been a focus on ensuring that we work collaboratively and efficiently to make the best use of what we have collectively. Emergency agencies increasingly need to rely upon others from intrastate, interstate, and overseas to respond to the increasing frequency and intensity of emergencies. The situation in Canada this year reinforced the need for a global community working together to ensure community safety and mitigate impacts from major and prolonged emergencies.

To achieve this, it was essential to build relationships quickly with our Canadian colleagues, and others who had been deployed previously provided a wealth of information that allowed me to prepare for my deployment. INLOs from other countries were equally important, and we built relationships, learnt from each other, and made connections that will provide future opportunities to work together—in particular in South Africa and Mexico. I went in with a mindset of being curious and learning from their experiences, and benefited immensely for it.

During my deployment, the conversation often drifted to language and how we could manage multilingual participation across jurisdictions.

This is something I see for further exploration and implementation in Australia. The INLOs from South Africa and Mexico both expressed a keen interest to explore future opportunities

INTERNATIONAL

PHOTO: CIFFC

1

3 PHOTO: ALLYSON LARDNER

2

1. Allyson alongside various other international representatives at the CIFFC head office in Winnipeg.

PHOTO: ALLYSON LARDNER

2. French resources also deployed to Canada to support during Canada wildfires.

3. Allyson (second from left) enjoys a rest and relaxation day at a basketball game with other INLOs.

in the interests of firefighter safety and alignment of activities. Canada and Australia/New Zealand have an existing and comprehensive cross walk, while other countries were conducting theirs at the time. Either way, the process is well practised and helps us to ensure safety and success during international deployments.

During my time in Canada, I reflected on the support that Australia received from North America during our Black Summer bushfires of 2019–20.

There was a feeling of gratitude and pride that we were able to reciprocate that support in their time of need. Now that everyone is home safely, and our fire seasons are underway here in the Southern Hemisphere, the lessons, experiences, and memories will remain and hopefully influence our practices to improve and evolve. The relationships that have been built on the global scale will continue to be forged—the future will need them!

INLOs were based in Winnipeg during the Canada deployment, while most other personnel were deployed to Alberta or British Columbia.

PHOTO: ALLYSON LARDNER

with Australia to expand knowledge and experience with new countries.

Bilingual firefighters and personnel, as well as the technology to translate documents and briefings, mean this is a much smaller challenge that it may have once been.

Even though I was hundreds of kilometres away from the fire fronts, one of the big differences I noticed was the size of the Incident Management Teams compared with the practices I am familiar with at home. The scope was much tighter, with some functions distributed into the jurisdiction supporting the Incident Management Team. This is something to consider as we continue to face challenges of diminishing resources and increasing emergencies.

Another factor that enables our participation in international deployments is the comprehensive approach to comparing or ‘cross walking’ our policies and procedures

Allyson Lardner is the Deputy Chief Fire Officer at the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action Victoria. Her program of work includes preparedness and response arrangements for managing bushfire on public land in the first instance and a range of support functions to other emergencies including flood, storm, fire on private land and even pandemic. From her very early career, she has had a ‘fire role’, ranging from operations through logistics, warnings and advice, and agency command. Allyson has worked closely with AFAC NRSC during her time as Deputy Chief Fire Officer, both from a deployment perspective as well as behind the scenes.

ISSUE FOUR 2023

FIRE AUSTRALIA

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MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

TFES and MFS sign a renewed Memorandum of Understanding at AFAC23.

TONGA AND SOUTH AUSTRALIA PARTNERS IN FIRE SAFETY On 22 August 2023, South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service (SA MFS) Chief Officer, Michael Morgan, and Viliami Tuihalamaka, Commissioner of the Tonga Fire and Emergency Services (TFES), re-signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two organisations.

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ISSUE FOUR 2023

BRANDON HUTCHINSON AFAC NICOLLE BRADLEY SA MFS

The agreement continues the longstanding partnership between the two fire services, which has been in effect since 2004 following a visit from SA MFS to the Kingdom of Tonga in 2003.

During that visit, MFS officers found that TFES firefighters were responding to emergencies without helmets, gloves, boots, or breathing apparatuses, and had only four deteriorating jackets shared between 50 personnel.

The alliance was established as part of a broader arrangement through the National Council for fire and emergency services (AFAC) Pacific Partnership and the Pacific Islands Emergency Management Alliance (PIEMA), both of which were formed to support the creation of safer communities across the region and to ensure excellence in emergency management across the Pacific Island Nations.

PIEMA, in particular, arose from the Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific project in 2014, involving a range of stakeholders in promoting best practice emergency response across the region. The program’s focus is to build trust, teamwork, and leadership in emergency response, and to create a common language,

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

PHOTO: SA MFS

doctrine, and systems to enhance response capabilities.

Since the first signing, 20 years ago, the MOU between South Australia and Tonga has led to an exchange of personnel, information, educational materials, training, and equipment to help improve understanding and to share knowledge between agencies, in line with these international arrangements.

Most recently, in 2022–23, four restored fire appliances and a variety of PPE were provided to Tonga to support local fire crews, while an additional two fire appliances and a range of

firefighting equipment are currently in transit to Tonga with the assistance of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT).

SA MFS has expressed a strong admiration of the way TFES interacts and engages with its community, developing strong relationships through staff engagement with local schools and communities, making their stations more accessible to the public, and holding fire education in community areas to increase public interaction.

The South Australian agency has seen the benefits of this sort of

community relationship and is now looking to incorporate some of these methods within its own service’s activities.

The MOU between Tonga and South Australia is an example of the important role played by Australasian fire agencies in supporting more disadvantaged brigades within our region, and the opportunities that creates to share and learn from each other.

Nearly 20 years on, SA MFS and TFES continue to build upon this friendship and they look forward to continuing their strong relationship for many years to come.

SA MFS Chief Officer Morgan and Deputy Chief Officer Swann visit the TFES fire stations.

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FOAMS

15 KEY QUESTIONS ABOUT

FLUORINE-FREE FOAM

Care for firefighter safety, ensuring fast fire control and risks of sudden reignition or fuel penetration into foam blanket are minimised.

MIKE WILLSON Willson Consulting

Legacy long-chain C8-foams are being phased out of use because of concerns around potential impacts on human health and our environment when not adequately contained and treated, although alternative foams can also cause significant environmental problems. Increasing restrictions are being placed on firefighter training, system testing and calibration to prevent environmental releases, minimising these risks. Pre-planning to prevent or minimise any foam discharges to our environment has now become a critical part of our emergency risk management.

Choosing alternative F3 or C6 agents?

Many foam users still harbour concerns about how effective alternative agents will be, whether PFAS-free 32

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ISSUE FOUR 2023

foams (F3s), or short-chain C6-foams (C6-foams). Any choice should not weaken existing life safety or critical infrastructure protections, so it is important to consider risks carefully and seek factual fire performance data on your specific hazards before making decisions that may affect lives and livelihoods in and around your facility.

Ensure full evaluation of benefits and risks

Most fire professionals using Class B foams are overwhelmed by articles, ads, debates, and salespeople all with ‘opinions’, but relevant factual evidence seems harder to find. Basing decisions on factual data is an important step in protecting lives, ensuring betterinformed decisions.

Fire brigades increasingly use F3s, shown to be effective on smaller industrial fires, such as vehicle roll-vers and spills, where higher F3 application rates usually result from using standard equipment. F3 foams are

sometimes put into service protecting high- hazard flammable liquids, but care must be taken to ensure a thorough evaluation of risks and benefits to avoid unintended, potentially adverse consequences.

Approval testing suggests leading F3s may provide equivalent fire performance to legacy C8-foams but results can be misleading, particularly when many approvals use heptane as test fuel. These do not replicate F3 behaviour on foam-destructive fuels such as gasoline, naphtha, crude oil, condensate, alcohols, E10 blends, more commonly used and stored by industry.

Major comparative fire testing studies

by US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE), National Fire Protection Association Research Foundation (NFPA-RF), and Battelle Research have confirmed that higher F3 application rates are usually required for effective extinguishment of gasoline, E10,

FOAMS

PHOTO: MIKE WILLSON

alcohols, and even Jet A/A1. So, check your foam’s capability on specific fuels used on-site, as well as any specific polar-solvent fuel inventories, before transitioning.

A ‘road map’ for transition

The NFPA-RF Firefighting Foams: Fire Service Roadmap (May 2022) has provided valuable and much-needed guidance for foam users. It confirms: “The new fluorine-free foams are similar to the legacy protein foams in that they rely solely on the foam blanket to contain the fuel vapors to extinguish the fire (i.e. fluorine-free foams do not produce a surfactant film on the fuel surface like AFFF [aqueous film forming foam]). As a result, airaspirating discharge devices may be required to optimise the capabilities of these products.

“However, it is incorrect to assume that these new FFFs [F3s] are a ‘drop-in’ replacement for AFFF, even though they may have a specific listing or approval.

At this time, there is too much difference between specific FFFs in properties and performance to suggest that the class can be a drop-in replacement for the AFFF class of foams.”

Foam quality is a critical consideration. “… FFFs tend to lose effectiveness when discharged through non-air-aspirating nozzles that produce lower aspirated/aerated foam with expansion ratios less that 4–5. … Specifically, reduced foam quality can be compensated for by increased application rate and vice versa.”

F3s are yet to be proven effective in major incidents, making C6-foams often necessary alternatives for emergency use on high-hazard flammable liquid incidents, particularly where existing system application rates or storage cannot be increased or delivery devices are unable to be changed. Sometimes C6-foams are restricted or banned without thorough consideration of existing system performance benefits, potentially delivering increased safety risks. A full cost–benefit analysis is a useful tool for the entire foam system performance including potential modifications, clean out and disposal, and clarifying decision-making before embarking upon such major safety changes.

Two studies show small PFAS health impacts

Most C6-foams deliver equivalent performance to legacy C8-PFAS foams, but without bioaccumulative nor toxic characteristics. Research in 2013 confirmed that PFHxa, the main breakdown product of C6-foams, had a half life of 32 days in human urine, compared for 3–8 years for C8-PFAS. A major health study from December 2021 comparing three AFFF-impacted Australian communities near Defence sites against similar nonexposed communities, found: “… limited evidence to support a contributing link between PFAS exposure and most adverse health outcomes included in the study.

For most of these outcomes, the differences in rates between PFAS-affected and comparison communities were relatively small.

The evidence for other adverse health outcomes was limited … People living in all three PFAS-affected communities, irrespective of PFAS serum concentrations, were more likely to have experienced psychological distress than those who lived in comparison communities. In other

similarly PFAS-affected communities, the overall findings relating to PFAS exposure are broadly applicable.”

These findings were supported by a study of 799 Australian aviation firefighters and vehicle technicians (December 2020). It sampled 40 PFAAs (a sub-group of PFAS) in blood serum, mostly not detected or in less than 15% of participants (including PFHxA). Only six PFAS were detected in 90% of participants, and all were long chain C8-PFAS. Half were strongly correlated to Lightwater AFFF use pre-2005. It concluded: “Overall health associations found were relatively small and did not result in an increased risk of out-of-range (potentially abnormal) values across the serum PFAA concentrations in this study. Participants had PFOA concentrations similar to general population, indicating no increased exposure through occupational activities to this chemical.”

Tightening regulatory restrictions in most countries focuses on firefighter training and system testing (requiring containment, collection, and safe disposal), while C6-foams are still widely permitted for emergency use. Only SA, Queensland, and New Zealand have strict restrictions in place across Australasia favouring F3s for all applications.

15 key questions for continued safety Foam users should seek clear, written answers to key questions to understand the risks and maintain the fire protection of their facility.

1

Are your existing and proposed flammable liquids on-site effectively protected by F3? Standard test fuels do not always represent your hazards, and research confirms most F3s require higher application rates/longer operating times on these volatile fuels.

2

If storing or handling crude oil, what F3 application rate reliably extinguishes before any boil-over may arise? Achieved at 0.22 to 0.25 gpm/ft2 (9–10.25 L/min/m2) rates with premium alcohol-resistant AFFFs (AR-AFFF) on crude oil, firm F3 recommendations using meaningful scale test data are needed. Expect higher recommendations than AR-AFFF to prevent fuel tanks from boiling over.

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FOAMS

3

Are current application rates and back-up stock levels still appropriate? F3 inventory levels may need to be increased if higher application rates or durations are required. Check your mutual aid group has usable, compatible stocks and quick restocking after incidents.

4

9

Entering F3 blankets during firefighting or rescue operations —is it still safe? F3s may vary with different fuels or delivery devices.

NFPA-RF cautions you are transitioning to a less forgiving agent, solely reliant on the foam blanket effectiveness from gentle application. Pre-planning, training, incident command practices and decision-making all depend on critical knowledge for firefighter safety and reduced risks.

What is your F3’s storage life and reliability record? Ensure three or five-year storage samples have been tested, to verify they pass without gelling or separating and still extinguish volatile fuels as effectively as when new. If not, have an aged F3 sample tested by an approved independent laboratory to verify continued effectiveness on your flammable fuels, avoiding performance deterioration over time.

5

10

Does a total system engineering approach (e.g. UL/FM protocols) highlight any concerns? Foam concentrates, proportioners, foam makers, and fuel protection should all be demonstrated effective together and listed through independent third party approvals. NFPA-RF advises that F3 systems “will need to be designed and installed within the listed parameters in order to ensure a high probability of success during an actual event” and that “it typically took two passes to extinguish all the fires [with F3] as opposed to one for AFFF”. Check more viscous F3s still meet percentage proportioning rate accuracy requirements year-round, while remaining effective with existing delivery devices, otherwise consider replacements.

6

Has a full cost–benefit analysis for your F3 transition been conducted? Keeping control of expected costs, timelines and fire performance helps ensure existing safety protections are not unintentionally compromised and all expected benefits are delivered. Consider alternative solutions, including optimising existing C6-foam containment and collection during major emergencies, which may prevent potentially increased containment for F3s.

7

Is your F3 compatible with other agents used on site? Dry chemical often discharged alongside or above your foam may cause partial or instant F3 collapse. Limited dry chemical compatibility was found by FAA in six of nine leading F3s recently tested. One ignited immediately.

34

8

Could longer extinguishment times increase fire spread and incident escalation risks? F3s may be less effective at extinguishing flames quickly and minimising risk to firefighters and the facility. Check what F3 reapplication frequency is needed, as this could require extra F3 storage.

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Does your F3 contain toxic, persistent, or harmful ingredients? NFPA-RF cautions, “It needs to be understood that the elimination of PFAS and/or fluorine from the product does not address all the potential health and environmental hazards.” Do safety data sheets provide aquatic toxicity information (usually worse than AFFFs), human health, and residual persistent fluorine/PFAS or siloxane levels on the complete F3 mixture, not just key components?

11

What residual level of PFAS is ‘clean enough’? NFPA-RF cautions, “To date, there is no clear guidance for how clean final rinsate water must be to satisfy local regulators (i.e. it is currently not mentioned or is undefined). Discussion has been centred around trying to meet either the [US] EPA drinking water advisory level for PFAS (70 ppt), the one ppb total PFAS requirement in the National Defense Authorization Act for DoD foams, or the one ppm PFAS that has become adopted by other industry standards (UL-162) and throughout Europe (ECHA).” Define residual ppm/ ppb PFAS levels of system rinsewater and F3 concentrate before installation. FAA reported (July 2022) five leading F3s contained high TOF (total organic fluorine) levels of 10–87 ppm (US EPA Method 537.1, 2020).

Be sure of your chosen laboratory’s ability to test accurately at detection levels necessary for concentrate, foam solution, and rinse-water.

12

Has alternative, equivalent fire cover been arranged during your F3 transition? Several

days or weeks may be required before system modifications, cleanout, recommissioning, and reactivation are complete. Is a whole area/site shut-down envisaged? Turn-arounds, maintenance and facility shut-downs are often considered the most dangerous times with contractors and unexpected problems often arising during operational ‘wind-down’ and ‘start-up’.

13

Has extended containment been considered? Necessary if higher application rates and/or more frequent F3 top-ups during incidents are likely, ensuring firewater runoff containment, preventing potentially polluting overflows. NFPARF recommends containment and collection of all F3 solutions with safe disposal, according to applicable regulations.

14

Have you recorded your F3 system commissioning?

Include video footage documenting your system effectiveness and competency before any future major incident.

15

Do existing training programs need adjusting to ensure F3 is safely managed and operated?

NFPA-RF’s roadmap advises, “The industry trend is towards collection and disposal of F3s in the same manner as AFFF today, so unfortunately the ability to train with these foams will have the same cost burden as the legacy AFFFs requiring special facilities and waste containment/collection.” Proof of effectiveness and competency from F3 transitions ensures your site’s adequate protection from future fire dangers.

Training with mutual aid groups ensures abilities and limitations of each foam being used at a major fire emergency are understood … before fire strikes.

Firefighting Foams: Fire Service Roadmap concludes: “Ultimately, end users will need to design and install within the listed parameters in order to ensure a high probability of success during an actual event … but a detailed evaluation must be completed prior to making that transition …”

Adopting this checklist based on NFPA-RF’s and experts’ guidance could give necessary assurances.

Obtaining satisfactory answers to all 15 key questions helps to keep everyone safe and regulators satisfied, while protecting your site from unintended consequences.

AERIAL FIREFIGHTING CONFERENCE

AERIAL FIREFIGHTING CONFERENCE Firefighters from across the globe recently came together to share insights and knowledge about aerial firefighting techniques.

PHOTO: NAFC

BRANDON HUTCHINSON AFAC

In September, Tangent Link in partnership with the NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) and Dubbo Regional Council welcomed aerial firefighting and emergency response professionals from around the world to the NSW RFS Training Academy.

The occasion was the Australian leg of the Aerial Firefighting Series: Asia Pacific Conference and Exhibition, an annual events program held around the world looking at innovations and new developments in aerial fire suppression.

The conference returns following a long hiatus due to COVID-19 restrictions, last appearing in March 2020 in Sacramento. The first of the

2023 series was held in Seattle in April, and the last will be held in Athens in October.

AFAC CEO, Rob Webb, delivered the keynote address to open the first day of proceedings in Dubbo, offering insights on the current state of aerial firefighting in Australia and the challenges being faced as the sector seeks to regain order.

His presentation was followed by two days of a conference program that brought together emergency response professionals from the US, Malaysia, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore, and the UK to discuss innovations in aerial firefighting, lessons learned from recent fire seasons, and strategies to apply this new knowledge and expertise to future fire management globally.

Key discussions during the event

PHOTO: NAFC

Aircaft on display at the Aerial Firefighting Conference.

included the lessons learned from previous fire seasons, the proper use of aircraft, the season ahead, aerial firefighting as a global strategy, and the ways we can decrease risks to communities. Australian authorities also declared their intentions to employ aerial firefighting measures earlier to prevent major disasters.

At the time of the conference, specialist Australian crews and air tankers were putting the theory in practice, assisting with the wildfires in the Northern Hemisphere.

AFAC and the National Aerial Firefighting Centre (NAFC) are glad to have played a part in bringing the Aerial Firefighting Series: Asia Pacific Conference and Exhibition to Dubbo and look forward to continuing these discussions in Athens.

ISSUE FOUR 2023

AFAC CEO, Rob Webb, delivers key note address to open proceedings.

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MENTAL HEALTH PHOTO: FAUXELS / PEXELS

includes having routines and plans that support positive mental health and what causes you stress or worry, and when you are not feeling your usual self.

Simple things you can do to keep you mentally healthy

MAKE R U OK? DAY EVERY DAY Mental health in the workplace is a critical issue that has gained increasing attention in recent years. As our understanding of mental health needs has evolved, it has become clear that fostering a mentally healthy work environment is essential not only for the wellbeing of employees but also for the overall success of organisations.

ADRIAN PANOZZO

R U OK? Day is celebrated annually on the second Thursday of September, and encourages individuals to pause, connect, and ask: are you OK? It was founded by Gavin Larkin in Australia in 2009 as a grassroots campaign aimed at raising awareness about mental health and suicide prevention.

The idea behind it was simple yet profound: by asking someone if they are okay and genuinely listening to their response, we can potentially change and even save lives. But rather than having a sharpened focus just once a year, your personal mental health and that of your workplace should be an everyday priority.

A quick recap: how to ask R U OK?

If someone you know isn’t acting like their normal self, the R U OK? website has some great resources and a simple process you can use to have a conversation in a way that shows them they are supported and have options to improve their mental health and wellbeing.

Ready to ask?

Am I ready? Do I have the time needed to listen and am I in a good headspace?

Am I prepared? Am I okay if they don’t want to talk and do I accept that I can’t fix someone’s problems?

Is it the right time and place? Is 36

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where I ask relatively private and a good time for them to chat?

Tips on how to ask

Step 1. Ask R U OK? It could be as simple as “How are you going?” or “You don’t seem your usual self lately.”

Step 2. Listen with an open mind Don’t judge, be patient and repeat what they say back to them and ask if you understood them properly.

Step 3. Encourage action Ask them what they could do for themselves right now?

Ask how they would like you to support them?

If they have been feeling down for more than two weeks encourage them to see a professional.

Be positive about the positive impact that seeking support will have on their situation.

Step 4. Check in Maintain contact and remind them you are there to support them.

Put a time in your diary or calendar to call them.

Don’t judge them if they have not taken action—but be prepared to listen again.

Is your mental health OK?

Before we consider how we might be able to support others it is important that we have a good understanding of our mental health and wellbeing. This

Watch what you eat Get outside Review your workload and ‘commitments’ Do some exercise Talk to someone you trust Do something social or that you usually enjoy Review your sleeping patterns and try practising a routine, i.e. when you go to bed and wake up.

What are some signs and symptoms of poor mental health?

Short-term effects Trouble sleeping Feeling flat Lack of enjoyment while at work, home or school A loss of energy.

Effects for longer than two weeks Changes in weight or appetite Struggling to get out of bed Difficulty concentrating Lack of interest in things you normally like.

Creating a mentally healthy workplace

Many of us spend up to a third of our lives at work, which can be a key place to improve and support mental health.

A mentally healthy workplace is one that has measures in place to prevent harm by identifying and controlling risks to mental health, managing harm from an early stage, and supporting recovery if harm occurs.

Indicators that a workplace places a priority on mental health include: bosses and managers that are committed to the health and safety of workers the workplace risks and dangers to mental health are understood and managed employees’ mental health and wellbeing is assessed (at work) the business talks about and has, or is developing, a ‘plan’ that is put into action.

What are the benefits of a mentally healthy workplace?

Workplaces that actively address psychosocial risks and hazards not only keep their workers safe but also see a range of benefits to the business, including:

MENTAL HEALTH

reduced worker absenteeism increased productivity, output and engagement improved workplace reputation— increased attraction, retention and customer base improved workplace culture increased return on investment and benefit to your business’s bottom line reduced mental injury and the associated costs of recovery and rehabilitation.

What does a mentally healthy workplace look like?

Everyone looks out for each other It makes mental health a priority Mental health is openly talked about Mental health support is targeted Mental health support is visible Plans are reviewed and improved.

What can I do today to create a mentally healthy workplace?

The WorkWell Toolkit is a free online tool that you can use right now to start the journey to creating a mentally healthy workplace. It uses a step-bystep approach to help business leaders and managers promote mental health through access to tailored and relevant research, tools, and information.

The tailored resources for

businesses of all sizes are free to use and can be accessed from www. worksafe.vic.gov.au/workwell-toolkit.

Challenges for managers and supervisors

As a manager or supervisor, you can often feel lonely and isolated when it comes managing your own mental health and the mental health of those you lead.

You should try proactively to build positive networks and support structures. A good place to start is by developing your own plan and routine to support your mental health.

A few things you can do to practise self-care and look after your own mental health include: increase your mental health literacy— find out review your workloads and commitments—reduce the load

resolve any ongoing conflict in your workplace or personal life—worry less reward and recognise yourself for the things you are doing well—show gratitude make sure you are getting enough sleep, eat well and exercise—be physically healthy ask for help from a mentor, peer, or professional (GP or one of the services listed at the end of this article).

You can find out more about self-care at www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/workwelltoolkit-small-business.

References: www.ruok.org.au/ www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/workwell

FITNESS FOR ROLE

NSW SES volunteers performing operational duties.

FIT, WILLING, AND ABLE:

PHOTO: NSW SES

NATIONAL SES FITNESS FOR ROLE PROGRAM State Emergency Service (SES) members from across Australia’s states and territories have worked together to develop a single approach to ensure staff and volunteers have the physical fitness to operate as first responders.

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ALANA BEITZ AFAC

The Fitness for Role program is a joint initiative between the Australian Council of State Emergency Services, AFAC (the National Council for fire and emergency services), Natural Hazards Research Australia (NHRA), Human Performance Science, the National SES Volunteer Association and SES agencies in every state and territory.

The national SES Fitness for Role program includes nine activities that assess physical fitness for land-based and water-based operations and training.

These activities mimic the relevant operational tasks that SES members undertake, the level of effort required to meet minimum physical fitness levels, and the environments in which SES members operate.

For example, SES members engaged in storm damage response

FITNESS FOR ROLE

activities need to be able to lift and carry various items (including sandbags) to and from a vehicle and around an emergency scene, climb a ladder, haul equipment (such as tools and tarpaulins) onto roofs and clear debris.

The Fitness for Role program is backed up by more than a decade of research to measure the minimum physical fitness that SES members require to do their job safely and effectively.

“This is a brilliant example of using research evidence to transform practice for our emergency services. It has given the SES the data it needed to develop this national program to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the incredible workforce across the country,” NHRA CEO Andrew Gissing said.

The research analysed a variety of job tasks to determine the most common and physically demanding tasks that are required for operational activities. SES staff and volunteers from every state and territory participated in the job task analysis.

“Turning research into action isn’t easy. Every agency’s active involvement in the research and its practical application demonstrates our collective belief and commitment to the program, as well as a strong dedication to delivering health and safety benefits to our members across the country,” VICSES Chief Officer Operations Tim Wiebusch said.

The Fitness for Role program benefits the safety and wellbeing of individual SES members. It also ensures that when SES members are deployed to support other jurisdictions during major emergency events, they are physically fit enough to assist.

“There are so many roles in the SES and so many ways to contribute to keeping our communities safe during emergencies. This project isn’t about who can and can’t volunteer—it’s about finding the right role for each of our members so everyone can contribute meaningfully,” said NSW SES Commissioner and then AFAC President Carlene York APM. Ultimately, the project contributes to the health and wellbeing of SES members across Australia, reduces the risk of injury while performing required tasks, and contributes to building a culture of wellbeing.

“ This is a brilliant example of using research evidence to transform practice for our emergency services. It has given the SES the data it needed to develop this national program to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the incredible workforce across the country.”

– Andrew Gissing, NHRA CEO PHOTO: NSW SES

THE IDENTIFIED NATIONAL SES SKILL SETS THAT WERE PART OF THIS PROJECT WERE: ◆ air search ◆ boat operations ◆ chainsaw operations ◆ firefighting air base support ◆ general rescue ◆ in-water technician ◆ land-based swift water rescue

◆ land search and rescue ◆ off-road driving ◆ road crash rescue ◆ storm damage ◆ urban search and rescue ◆ vertical rescue.

NINE NEW SES ASSESSMENTS, VALIDATED FOR IMPLEMENTATION THROUGH THE SES FITNESS FOR ROLE PROGRAM. Land-based assessments

Water-based assessments

Assessment

Modelled activity

Lift and shift

Movement of equipment/stores

Carry

Stretcher carry

Ladder climb and lift

On-ladder then stowing it

Haul

Pulling rope/object toward you

Hold

Static hold (chainsaw/rescue tool)

Drag

Dragging something behind you

Hike

Walking wearing a backpack

In-water safety

Water safety and (self) rescue

Power swim and rescue

Sprint swim and tow rescue

The Fitness for Role program is informed by the Fit for Task research project by NHRA. Learn more at: www.naturalhazards.com.au/fitfortask.

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NON-TECHNICAL SKILLS

EMBEDDING NON-TECHNICAL SKILLS INTO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TRAINING Rigorous training processes and requirements ensure that emergency management personnel stay safe in dangerous work environments. Embedding non-technical skills into existing training frameworks can add a new dimension of awareness and safety to the everyday business of emergency management organisations.

PETER HAYES Central Queensland University

Emergency management teams are good at what they do, but research and public inquiries have shown that they can have problems with non-technical skills, such as communication, coordination, decisionmaking, and managing the adverse effects of stress and fatigue.1,2,3 These non-technical skills— sometimes referred to as ‘soft skills’— can be crucial to teams working together effectively, especially when personnel are working in difficult and high-pressure situations.

Complementing the technical skills for equipment and systems, nontechnical skills help personnel to improve communication, make sound decisions, and manage stress and fatigue.

AFAC has recently published Embedding Non-Technical Skills into Emergency Management Training, a guide that demonstrates how technical skills delivery can be supplemented with non-technical skills training so that these become a part of normal business.

The guide is primarily shaped by the Emergency Management NonTechnical Skills (EMNoTS) framework.4 EMNoTS is based on a comprehensive literature review of best practice in both emergency management and 40

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other related domains, which identifies seven core non-technical skills required by emergency management teams.

Assessing existing training to embed non-technical skills

To demonstrate how non-technical skills can be enhanced in ongoing operational training, the guide provides three case studies of current PUA Public Safety Training Package (PSTP) units that are delivered by agencies, and provides recommendations for instructors to better integrate nontechnical skills content:

1. PUATEA001 Work in a team

The first case study considers how Queensland Fire and Emergency Services can strengthen and better integrate the non-technical skills content of this unit. The additional non-technical skills content emphasises the central role that communication, cooperation, and coordination play in effective teams, and how stress and fatigue can undermine members’ ability to effectively interact and perform.

2. PUAOPE020 Lead a crew and PUAOPE012 Control a Level 1 incident

The second case study focuses on NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service training that combined the above two units to help prepare their crew leaders to perform both roles.

The aim is to develop the core skills to lead crews effectively and control Level 1 incidents.

The case study identified where additional non-technical skills content could be incorporated to emphasise situation awareness and decisionmaking, and to demonstrate how good communication and leadership skills play a part in the effectiveness of SMEACS (situation, mission, execution, administratiom/logicistics, command/ signal) briefings, situation reports and debriefings.

3. PUAFIR005 Observe fire from an aircraft and PUAFIR006 Observe a non-fire emergency from an aircraft The final case study analyses NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service

CFA Victoria personnel undergoing training exercises.

(NPWS) and NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) training for air observer roles, a five-day intensive workshop incorporating classroom, field, simulation, and aircraft-based activities.

This training already incorporates some coverage of non-technical skills.

Additional content could be incorporated to apply these concepts to existing elements such as interaction with the pilot and on-ground personnel, speaking up and communicating assertively, maintaining situation awareness for flight route planning and management, and addressing the various pressures that can lead to ‘plan continuation’ (the tendency to continue with a course of action despite

NON-TECHNICAL SKILLS

PHOTO: CFA VICTORIA

AFAC expresses its gratitude to the authors Dr Peter Hayes and Associate Professor Chris Bearman of the Appleton Institute, Central Queensland University for the development of the Embedding Non-Technical Skills into Emergency Management Training guide.

AFAC would also like to acknowledge the contribution of Mark Doble and Matthew Harris from Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, and Wendy Blair, Terry Parmenter and Andrew Fay from NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service for providing their training materials to assist with the development of industry case studies.

This guide was made possible by the research support of the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre (BNHCRC).

evidence suggesting that it may no longer be prudent).

Non-technical skills beyond the classroom

If organisations want to make nontechnical skills a core part of their workforce, they need to ensure that personnel continue to receive encouragement and opportunities to use and develop them by embedding them more widely within organisations.

There are plenty of potential opportunities to do this through the wider inclusion of non-technical skills in training, exercising, professional development, promotion criteria, and coaching and mentoring.

CORE NON-TECHNICAL SKILLS REQUIRED

BY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAMS. 1. Communication 2. Cooperation 3. Coordination 4. Leadership 5. Situation awareness 6. Decision making 7. Stress and fatigue management

Access Embedding Non-Technical Skills into Emergency Management Training at the AFAC website: www.afac.com.au/insight/doctrine/ article/current/embedding-nontechnical-skills-into-emergencymanagement-training

1. Bearman C, Grunwald J, Brooks B and Owen C, 2015, ‘Breakdowns in coordinated decision making at and above the incident management team level: An analysis of three large scale Australian wildfires’, Applied Ergonomics, 47, 16–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. apergo.2014.08.009 2. Pollock K, 2013, Review of persistent lessons identified relating to interoperability from emergencies and major incidents since 1986 (Occasional Paper No.6), Emergency Planning College.

3. Teague B, McLeod R and Pascoe S, 2010, 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission: Final Report, Parliament of Victoria. http://royalcommission.vic.gov.au/ Commission-Reports/Final-Report. html 4. w ww.bnhcrc.com.au/sites/default/ files/managed/emnots/

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BLAST FROM THE PAST 1

2

PHOTO: ZINN EDUCATION PROJECT

3

4

PHOTO: OHIOMEMORY.ORG

1. The Ohio State Penitentiary fire broke out on Easter Monday, 1930.

2. Firefighters fight the blaze in the west block of the Ohio State Penitentiary.

3. Rescuers carrying bodies from the Ohio State Penitentiary.

4. Rescue workers try to assist the burned and dying inmates.

5. Victims of the Ohio Penitentiary fire in the morgue at the Ohio State Fairground.

PHOTO: AP/WIDE WORLD PHOTOS

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PHOTO: OHIO HISTORICAL SOCIETY

PHOTO: OHIO HISTORICAL SOCIETY

OHIO STATE PENITENTIARY FIRE—1930

BARRY LEE OAM

Completed in 1815, the Ohio State Penitentiary was a prison operated from 1834 to 1984 in downtown Columbus.

The main building was lofty (some 15 m to the eaves) with masonry walls and brick in the section of tiered cells where the fire occurred. The roof was continuous over the entire building and was surfaced with slates on tongue and grooved wood sheathing, supported on laminated timber beams.

It was notoriously overcrowded— about 4,300 convicts were packed into the facility, which was designed for a third of that number. Conditions were described as ‘primitive’.

On Easter Monday, 21 April 1930, fire swept across the roof from the north-east to the south-east. The cause is unknown, but variously attributed to electrical wiring short circuit, ignition of oily rages, or intentional fire-setting by prisoners.

The fire burned furiously, generating dense clouds of smoke and putting

men in the upper tier cells directly in the path of the heat and smoke—322 inmates died and 133 others were severely injured.

National Guard troops and Columbus city police were called to surround the prison. Machine guns and ammunition were distributed to the extra security forces, who could hear the screams from trapped inmates echoing through the prison yard.

Arriving firefighters were initially denied entry, only entering the prison when all four sides of the building were surrounded. Several guards frantically sought approval to release prisoners, while others took it upon themselves to unlock cells in an attempt to save lives.

“They were literally being burned alive before our eyes,” recounted one guard.

The result was more than 1,000 convicts loose in the prison yards, reportedly cutting fire hoses and threatening firemen. Some of the men who had initially pitched in and helped rescue workers later made trouble in response to minimal perceived support from prison authorities.

The appalling loss of life was due primarily to the fire starting in an undivided timber-roofed building that lacked any form of automatic fire protection or evacuation planning of any kind. It was exacerbated by inmates being confined in cells with individual locks, which authorities delayed opening due, it was reported, to fear of mutiny arising among the prisoners.

The Ohio State Penitentiary fire was the worst prison fire in world history until 2012, when a fire in a Honduras prison took the lives of 356 people.

The legacy of this disaster lives on in today’s US building codes, most notably through the requirement for automatic sprinkler systems in gaols and prisons. To achieve this, tamperresistant sprinklers were developed.

However, there is still much work to be done. According to the US National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), between 2010 and 2014 only 56% of prisons or mental health facilities where fires were reported were protected by automatic sprinkler systems.

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CEO Q&A

PERSPECTIVES FROM THE SECTOR In May 2023, Gavin Freeman AFSM was appointed as Victorian Fire Rescue Commissioner. In this edition of CEO Q&A, Rob Webb asks the Commissioner for his perspectives on firefighting and what he’s picked up in his first few months in the new role.

PHOTO: FIRE RESCUE VICTORIA

ROB WEBB AFAC

You've taken the role of Fire Rescue Victoria Commissioner in May 2023. How has this leadership transition been in the first few months, and what is your long-term vision for the organisation?

It is an honour to have been appointed Victoria’s Fire Rescue Commissioner and to lead our Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) employees. Leadership transition is a complex process. My transition has run in parallel with some major challenges, including a significant cyber attack, multiple enterprise bargaining negotiations and budgetary pressures.

I want to lead an organisation that makes evidence-based decisions that are consistent with our values (of accountability, community service, integrity, respect, and teamwork). This is my focus when making decisions about the various challenges that come across my desk.

I am proud to bring stability and continuity to the role, having transitioned from being a Deputy Commissioner since FRV’s inception in 44

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Commissioner Gavin Freeman AFSM leads Fire and Rescue Victoria throughout a challenging year.

2020. My long-term vision is for FRV to continue to build towards a more modern, complementary fire service, serving Victorians across Melbourne and major regional centres, and working in partnership with Victoria’s other firefighting services—the Country Fire Authority and Forest Fire Management Victoria.

There have been major changes at FRV in recent years, including legislative and leadership changes, as well as identity changes (with the new organisation title) and cultural through the workforce and community. How is FRV embracing this change, and what are the impacts?

FRV’s formative years have seen us respond to large-scale emergencies and natural disasters, including COVID19, significant floods, and an internal incident too, the cyber attack of December 2022, while continuing to provide outstanding fire, medical and other specialist response to Victorians.

There have also been changes in leadership, new procedures, a new name, reviewed doctrine, and cultural change. We have navigated our way through this, each time rising to the challenge, trying to bring people along the journey, and learning from our experience. Importantly, we always ‘get on with the job’ and put the communities we serve at the front of everything we do.

Being part of developing a new fire and rescue service is a unique opportunity. I have a clear obligation to contribute to the establishment of an excellent organisation for the future, and to foster a sense of trust and confidence in FRV. We are still building awareness of our name and identity, but, over time, I am sure the community will come to know us well.

Your journey to this position spans more than 30 years. What are some of the key values that have stayed with you as you've progressed through your career?

Over the 38 years of my firefighting career, my focus has always been on delivering, establishing, and maintaining an environment where our people feel safe and happy. At the foundation of this are my own values.

I am accountable for ensuring a safe environment for FRV's people, as well as the delivery of a reliable service to our community.

FRV has over 4,500 employees,

PHOTO: FIRE RESCUE VICTORIA

CEO Q&A

1

1. Fire and emergency leaders from Australia gather for the National Disaster Preparedness Summit.

2.

Commissioner Freeman values standing alongside his Fire Rescue Victoria

2

3.

Commissioner Freeman connects with community members during memorial event.

3

PHOTO: FIRE RESCUE VICTORIA

PHOTO: FIRE RESCUE VICTORIA

most of whom are operationally focused. Our firefighters are often helping the community on someone’s worst day, and there’s a level of trauma, direct or indirect, that comes with that. I am always conscious of this. My focus is on listening and empowering our leaders to support our teams through the challenges.

Placing others before myself has been my intention throughout my career. It is what drove me to become a firefighter, and this same sense of purpose still drives me today.

FRV has a responsibility to share our knowledge, expertise, doctrine, and advice with our colleagues across the country, and internationally too. We all benefit when fire services work together, and it is my intention to champion this philosophy.

In your time you've had many points of contact to AFAC's Collaboration Groups and projects. How has the AFAC model served you in your career, and how has it grown over time?

I am incredibly supportive of AFAC and have chaired a couple of groups and been involved with the organisation collaboratively. I firmly believe that a problem shared is a problem halved.

There is always somebody with whom we share a common purpose and understanding, and I think that the right solutions often emerge from collective wisdom. This mentality was incredibly helpful when I was in the Tasmania Fire Service, which is understandably a much smaller organisation. When I was there, we really benefited from the knowledge and resources of colleagues on the mainland, and AFAC of course too.

In turn, a larger organisation like

What are some of the priorities you want to put on the AFAC National Council table? Where do you want to see AFAC members work together to influence change?

AFAC works best when all its members work together. Emerging technologies is one of the areas where I think our influence would greatly benefit policymakers. Agencies across Australia are increasingly responding to emerging risks associated with lithium-ion batteries, and AFAC and its members are well placed to share advice on minimising the risks.

I think there are so many opportunities with technology, such as simulators for training and robotics, for example. I don’t suggest these technologies will ever replace responders, but if they can be another tool at the disposal of our people, they are worth exploring. I would also like us to further the discussion around how we respond across national and international borders, in terms of skill sets, and how we can configure deployment timeframes to deliver an effective response, while supporting people and providing development opportunities.

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BURNING AMBITION

BURNING AMBITION: EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AT THE UN

Bec Caskey’s lifelong dedication to supporting Australian communities in emergencies has turned into a fulfilling humanitarian career with the United Nations.

ALANA BEITZ AFAC

For emergency services crews ‘on the ground’, responding to disasters is a tangible and practical lifesaving contribution. However, they rarely do it alone—there are others who play an equally important part. They’re ensuring this work can happen efficiently and effectively, protecting communities before disasters even occur.

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During her long and successful career in Australia, Bec Caskey worked in emergency services, then studied a Master of Emergency Management, applying this in a statelevel emergency response structure.

It was during her master’s that Bec learned about the United Nations (UN) system and was inspired to support the humanitarian sector.

“While studying, I felt like humanitarian work was a natural extension of what I was already doing.

After working for so long in Australia, responding to things like search and rescues, bushfires, and floods, I was interested to work on other disasters in other parts of the world,” she said.

After taking the plunge and moving full-time into humanitarian work, Bec hasn’t looked back. Initially deployed as a RedR Australia roster member to Vanuatu in 2019, her first humanitarian role involved providing technical advice

on disaster management strategies, legislation, and policies to Vanuatu’s National Disaster Management Office. (RedR Australia is a leading international humanitarian response agency.)

In March 2022, Bec took a sixmonth placement in Suva, Fiji, as a RedR Australia roster member for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), made possible through RedR Australia’s partnership with the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

Admiration: Who have been your greatest heroes or champions of your career?

At OCHA, Bec was supporting the Pacific Humanitarian Team (PHT)—a network of humanitarian organisations, including UN agencies and international non-government

Bec Caskey has found a rewarding career emergency management.

BURNING AMBITION PHOTO: REDR AUSTRALIA

and other partners were effectively supporting communities affected by disasters.

“I went to OCHA to respond to the emergency in Tonga, following the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcanic eruption and tsunami. The eruption affected more than 80% of the population in some way,” she said.

However, with COVID-19 making it difficult to be based in Tonga, Bec was based in Fiji, supporting the response as well as preparedness planning.

“The role was to improve coordination between all the agencies working on the ground. It’s important work and the aim was to get the best possible result for communities,” Bec said.

“We’re the glue in the middle of the system—and I was excited for the challenge. All my previous experience came together in a perfect way to help me in this role.”

Achievement: What do you see are the greatest highlights and rewards of your career?

Bec has fallen in love with the Pacific region.

“The people here have a strong sense of teamwork, sharing and caring for family. The OCHA office were very welcoming and accepting, and I settled into the role quickly,” she said.

“The Pacific is just such a lovely place to be, and the people are wonderful. Their default setting is happy!”

Working in the Pacific has also

shown Bec the coalface of the world’s climate challenges.

“Pacific Island countries are the world’s least carbon-emitting nations— but they bear the brunt of sluggish emissions reduction measures by other countries,” she said.

And she can see how this is causing significant distress and anguish for Pacific communities: “Support for this region is crucial, even imperative.”

Ambition: What advice would you give to women wanting to start or accelerate their career in fire and emergency?

Bec says it is important to be aware of what the job entails and prepare thoroughly—both physically and mentally.

“Understand the tolls that emergency service-type work can have on your body, home life and overall health,” she said.

“Resilience is key and being able to balance those demands with life outside the job is essential.

“And remember that the skills and experience you’ll gain in a career in the emergency services can transfer and fit other contexts such as international humanitarian work, so there is plenty of scope to for a diverse and meaningful career.”

Learn more about RedR Australia’s partnership with the UK Government’s FCDO: https://redr.org.au/partnersin-the-field/foreign-commonwealthdevelopment-office/

organisations (INGOs). The PHT supports national governments across 14 countries in the Pacific and helps them to prepare for and respond to disasters.

“I met with many different people from various agencies and organisations both in person and virtually. We worked together to assess their capacity to rapidly upscale activities—which is vital for the Pacific, as so many natural hazards can hit the area at short notice,” Bec said.

“One of my personal highlights was building a process that gives us an early warning sign of emergency supply gaps.”

As a Humanitarian Affairs Officer with OCHA, Bec’s role ensured national governments, UN agencies, INGOs,

PHOTO: REDR AUSTRALIA

Adversity: What hardships or challenges have you had to overcome?

Working in the Pacific region has been a highlight of Bec's career.

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STANDARDS UPDATE AUSTRALIAN STANDARDS

CE-030 Maritime structures AS 4997 Guidelines for the design of maritime structures is being drafted by the Standards Committee. Working group meetings continue.

EL-031 Alarm and electronic security systems Public consultation on the open supervised device protocol (OSDP) in AS/NZS IEC 60839.11.5 Alarm and electronic security systems, Part 11.5: Electronic access control systems closed on 3 February 2023, but no comments were received.

Public consultation on AS 4421 Guard and patrol security services closed on 5 October 2023.

EM-001 Electric vehicle operation Progress continues on the revisions of SA TS 5396 Technical Specification—Electric vehicle (EV) chargers for residential use and SA TS 5397 Technical Specification—Electric vehicle (EV) chargers for commercial applications.

FP-002 Fire detection, warning, control, and intercom systems The Standards Committee is drafting AS 7240.2 Fire Detection and Alarm Systems, Part 2: Fire detection control and indicating equipment (ISO 7240-2:2017, MOD) and preparing AS 4428.17 Fire detection, warning, control and intercom systems—Control and indicating equipment, Part 17: Fire services key for public comment.

FP-004 Automatic fire sprinkler installations Progress continues on drafting the revision of AS 2118.4 Automatic fire sprinkler systems, Part 4: Sprinkler protection for accommodation buildings not exceeding four storeys in height.

Public consultation on AS 2118.6 Automatic fire sprinkler systems, Part 6: Combined sprinkler and hydrant systems in multi-storey buildings closed on 4 October 2023.

FP-018 Fire safety The Standards Committee is drafting: ◆ AS 1530.1 Methods for fire tests on building materials, components and structures, Part 1: Combustibility test for materials ◆ AS 1530.4 Methods for fire tests on building materials, components and structures, Part 4: Fire-resistance tests for elements of construction ◆ AS 1530.8.1:2018 Methods for fire tests on building materials, components and structures, Part 8.1: Tests on elements of construction for buildings exposed to simulated bushfire attack—Radiant heat and small flaming sources ◆ AS 1530.8.2:2018 Methods for fire tests on building materials, components and structures, Part 8.2: Tests on elements of construction for buildings exposed to 48

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simulated bushfire attack—Large flaming sources.

FP-020 Construction in bushfire-prone areas Work continues on parts 1 and 2 of the new handbook for Maintenance of construction in bushfire-prone areas (SA HB 208).

AS 3959 Construction of buildings in bushfireprone areas is being drafted by the Standards Committee.

LG-007 Emergency lighting in buildings Three documents are being drafted by the Standards Committee: ◆ AS 2293.1 Emergency lighting and exit signs for buildings, Part 1: System design, installation, and operation ◆ AS 2293.2 Emergency lighting and exit signs for buildings, Part 2: Routine service and maintenance ◆ AS 2293.3 Emergency lighting and exit signs for buildings, Part 3: Emergency luminaires and exit signs.

ME-002 Gas cylinders Revisions of AS 2030.1 Gas cylinders, Part 1: General requirements and AS 2030.5 Gas cylinders, Part 5: Filling, inspection and testing of refillable cylinders are being drafted.

ME-062 Ventilation and air conditioning The Standards Committee is drafting: ◆ AS 1668.2 The use of ventilation and air conditioning in buildings, Part 2: Mechanical ventilation ◆ AS 1668.4 The use of ventilation and air conditioning in buildings, Part 4: Natural ventilation of buildings ◆ AS/NZS 3666.1 Air-handling and water systems of buildings—Microbial control, Part 1: Design, installation and commissioning ◆ AS/NZS 3666.2 Air-handling and water systems of buildings—Microbial control, Part 2: Operation and maintenance ◆ AS/NZS 3666.3 Air-handling and water

systems of buildings—Microbial control, Part 3: Performance-based maintenance of cooling water systems ◆ AS/NZS 3666.4 Air-handling and water systems of buildings—Microbial control, Part 4: Performance-based maintenance of airhandling systems (ducts and components) ◆ AS 4740 Natural ventilators—Classification and performance ◆ AS 4902 General conditions of contract for design and construct.

FPA Australia is advised about standards by our Technical Advisory Committees.

Members interested in contributing can find out more at www.fpaa.com.au/advocacytechnical/technical-advisory-committees.

TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS

FPA Australia’s technical documents can be found at http://www.fpaa.com.au/advocacytechnical/technical-documents

LITHIUM BATTERY SIG

The Lithium Battery Special Interest Group (LB/SIG) is focused on the development of two lithium battery safety tip sheets, which aim to benefit industrial/commercial and domestic consumers, offering guidance on charging, usage, storage, maintenance, disposal, and recognising potential issues.

TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES

Issues being examined by different TACs are outlined below.

National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) ◆ rules for the operation of TACs and SIGs ◆ a review of the inter-relationships between TACs, SIGs, ARGs, and state committees ◆ a 2023 review of TAC Chairs, Deputy

CALENDAR Chairs, FPA Australia’s Standards representatives policy, and re-election for November ◆ the re-establishment of TAC/T Training ◆ a summary and status of the AS 1851 register and standards under each TAC. TAC/1—Maintenance of fire protection systems and equipment ◆ the AS 1851 review project, based on the responses to the issues register (over 600).

TAC/2—Fire detection and alarm systems ◆ evidence of suitability ◆ fire detection control and indicating equipment (FDCIE) monitoring set-ups ◆ Building Occupant Warning Systems.

TAC/3/7—Portable and mobile equipment ◆ lithium fire extinguishers and ways to test them ◆ revisions of AS 1841 and AS 1850, in preparation for a revision of AS 2444.

TAC/4/8/9—Fire sprinkler and hydrant systems, tanks, and fixed fire pumps ◆ the spacing of sprinkler heads in concealed spaces ◆ hydrostatic testing of hydrant systems.

TAC/11/22—Special hazards fire protection systems ◆ the completion of a version 4 draft of FPA Australia technical document IB-06 Selection and use of firefighting foams.

TAC/17—Emergency planning ◆ a TAC/17 Terms of Reference ◆ a position statement on lifts used during evacuations ◆ a guidance note on emergency plans for independent and public schools (including kindergartens).

TAC/18/19—Passive fire protection ◆ a document on cavity barriers ◆ an updated guide on intumescent coatings ◆ an updated version of IB 17 NCC 2019 Note on AS 1530.4.

TAC/20—Bushfire safety ◆ bushfire resilience and protection external lithium-ion battery installations (new item) ◆ continued work on a series of projects on effective slope calculations ◆ guideline on assessment and classification of vegetation ◆ bushfire behaviour webinar ◆ ABCB class 9 proposals.

FIRE AUSTRALIA 2024

Fire Australia, one of the most important conferences in the fire protection industry calendar, will be heading to the Gold Coast on 7–9 May 2024.

The event will bring together leading presenters from Australia and overseas, offering some of the most up-to-date and inspiring content, as well as advanced solutions to the industry’s challenges.

The program will again be offering different streams of content, from the political to the practical, giving delegates an opportunity to learn new things and earn continuing professional development (CPD) points in the process.

Additionally, the best goods and solutions the fire industry has to offer will also be on display at our world-class tradeshow, which will provide you with plenty of opportunities to speak with distributors about how they can support you.

You won’t want to miss this Fire Australia, so put the dates in your calendar and look out for earlybird tickets. Find out more at www.fireaustralia.com.au.

FPA AUSTRALIA EVENTS

FPA Australia runs technical events catering to the fire protection industry on a range of relevant and interesting topics.

Covering the whole of the sector—wet systems, dry systems, passive fire, mechanical fire protection, special hazards, bushfire, and emergency planning—these seminars and webinars provide useful opportunities for practitioners to pick up CPD points.

Presented by leading experts, our seminars and technical webinars provide all the information you need about relevant fire safety topics.

Recent events have covered baseline data, insurance, defects, and bushfire design, and we’ve got further seminars on mechanical

smoke control, detection systems, and sprinklers in the pipeline.

For a full list of upcoming events, visit www.fpaa.com.au/events.

FPA+

Fire practitioners are busy people who cannot always make time to attend a live event.

For this reason, FPA Australia has made its recorded webinars available through its online portal FPA+. This user-friendly website allows members and non-members alike to purchase our content and catch up on any events they have missed, earning CPD points in the process. Free webinars can also be accessed through the portal, providing access to popular topic areas such as the requirements of the Fire Protection Accreditation Scheme.

It is a great way to access technical content in your own time and at your own leisure, without having to interrupt your workday, so visit www.fpaaplus.com.au to browse our recorded webinars.

NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION MONTH

Videos of webinars held as part of National Fire Protection Month this past September, can now be accessed through our FPA+ portal.

Visit www.fpaaplus.com.au/Channel/ NationalFireProtectionMonth to access these recordings.

2023 BUSHFIRE ATTACK LEVEL SHORT COURSE DATES

For those interested in correctly assessing Bushfire Attack Levels (BAL) and to determine the construction requirements that apply, there is one more course this year, being held in Perth from 20–25 November 2023.

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS

DERMOT BARRY

Dermot Barry has resigned as Chief Officer at Tasmania Fire Service (TFS). Mr Barry joined TFS in 2021, bringing extensive emergency management experience, most recently as Deputy Chief Officer of the South Australian State Emergency Service. He has been a senior executive in the government and private sectors, including as Director of Public Safety for Microsoft in Seattle and Director of Strategic Services for SA Fire and Emergency Services Commission.

PAUL BAXTER QSO

Paul Baxter has resigned as Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner after six years of service. Mr Baxter was previously National Commander and Chief Executive of the New Zealand Fire Service and the National Rural Fire Authority. Mr Baxter also served as AFAC President for five years, from 2016 until 2021, and was an integral and influential member of the AFAC Board and AFAC National Council.

MATTHEW LOWE

Matthew Lowe has been appointed Deputy Chief Officer of the Tasmania Fire Service.

Following a career in the military, Mr Lowe joined TFS in 2000 as a trainee firefighter and has progressed through the organisation. In his time with TFS, Mr Lowe has gained a wealth of firefighting experience, including urban and rural, and in managing career firefighters and volunteers.

GREG LEACH AFSM

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) Commissioner Greg Leach will leave his role at the end of October. Mr Leach served almost four years as QFES Commissioner, describing the position as a privilege that challenged him. Mr Leach’s emergency services career spans 35 years. He is leaving Queensland to take on a new opportunity interstate.

GEORGEINA WHELAN AM CSC

WAYNE PHILLIPS

JOHN COLLIE

DARREN KLEMM AFSM

ACT Emergency Services Agency (ESA) Commissioner Georgeina Whelan resigned from her position in July 2023. Ms Whelan said she was leaving very proud of the work of ACTESA under her leadership. She was the ACT's first female ESA Commissioner and had spent more than 30 years in the military prior to her appointment.

John Collie has joined FPA Australia as its new CEO. With a career in the building products sector and most recently with member company Airmaster, John comes to the organisation with a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to the fire protection sector. FPA Australia welcomes John and looks forward to working with him to deliver a stronger, more professional fire protection sector.

The ACT Emergency Services Agency (ESA) welcomed Wayne Phillips to the role of Interim Commissioner. Mr Phillips brings a wealth of experience to the position, having joined ACTESA as an Assistant Commissioner in 2022 after a distinguished career with Fire and Rescue NSW. Mr Phillips will support the agency’s emergency services chiefs, executives, and workforce, and will continue his commitment to transparency, accountability, mental health, diversity, and operational readiness.

Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA Commissioner Darren Klemm AFSM has been appointed the 11th President of AFAC. Commissioner Klemm is an experienced fire and emergency services professional with a career spanning over 30 years. Outgoing AFAC President and NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York APM, who will remain as a Director on the AFAC Board. (See page 4 for more)

JOINT EDITORS PAUL WATERHOUSE (FPA AUSTRALIA) Tel +61 3 8892 3133 paul.waterhouse@fpaa.com.au ALANA BEITZ (AFAC) Tel +61 3 9418 5233 alana.beitz@afac.com.au

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FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION AUSTRALIA (FPA AUSTRALIA)

AFAC ABN 52 060 049 327

ABN 30 005 366 576 PO Box 1049 Box Hill VIC 3128 Australia

Level 1, 340 Albert Street East Melbourne VIC 3002 Australia

Tel +61 3 8892 3133 Fax +61 3 8892 3132 magazine@fpaa.com.au www.fpaa.com.au

ISSUE FOUR 2023

Tel +61 3 9419 2388 Fax +61 3 9419 2389 afac@afac.com.au www.afac.com.au

TO SUBMIT A CONTRIBUTION OR TO ADVERTISE IN FIRE AUSTRALIA, PLEASE CONTACT:

PAUL WATERHOUSE FPA AUSTRALIA TEL +61 3 8892 3133 magazine@fpaa.com.au PRODUCTION AND DESIGN: CORETEXT Tel +61 3 9670 1168 www.coretext.com.au

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As a professional working in fire protection, you need specialised insurance to protect yourself and your business. We offer a range of insurance solutions that can be tailored to suit your specific needs.

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