2017-18 AFAC Annual Report
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ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 CONTENTS Message from the President and CEO 3 AFAC governance 4 AFAC National Council, Members and Affiliate Members 6 Our partners and key arrangements 7 Key initiatives for the sector 9 Events and professional development 19 AFAC17 powered by INTERSCHUTZ 22 Recognition of achievement: sector awards 24 AFAC collaboration 25 Financial highlights and Auditor’s opinion 34 Statement of financial performance/position 35 AFAC PURPOSE AFAC is the facilitator and custodian of contemporary fire and emergency service knowledge and practice, for the benefit of our members and through them, the community. We will be recognised and have impact as the National Council for fire and emergency services, through collaboration and influence. AFAC VALUES 1. Respect 2. Collaboration 3. Mutual obligation 4. Mutual benefit 5. Evidence-based decision making 2 | AFAC ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 PRESIDENT’S CEO’S MESSAGE MESSAGE AFAC has continued to demonstrate its purpose as the facilitator and AFAC exists to support its members. Through a collaborative custodian of contemporary fire and emergency service knowledge approach and under the direction of the National Council, AFAC and practice through a very productive 2017-18 year. From continues to be both the facilitator and custodian of fire and nationally-agreed doctrine to professional development events and emergency service knowledge and practice, working to overcome national projects, AFAC has continued to have impact as the National challenges with collective effort. Council through collaboration, influence and strong partnerships. During the 2017-18 year AFAC conducted a total of 120 Collaboration The AFAC Board met bi-monthly over the last 12 months to progress Group meetings, bringing together 795 individuals across 35 groups the strategic priorities for AFAC Limited and the broader emergency representing 31 Member agencies. This is a significant achievement management sector. We undertook a strategic planning session in that reflects the ever-growing need for fire, emergency services March 2017, setting goals for the future. and land management agencies to work together for the benefit of communities across Australia and New Zealand. This collaborative This year we published our first Strategic Directions Achievement model is at the core of what AFAC does best. Report, providing case studies from across the sector that show progress towards the goals set in the Strategic Directions for Fire In addition to our Collaboration Model, AFAC conducted 42 events, and Emergency Services in Australia and New Zealand 2017-2021. offering members and the broader emergency management The report recognises the initiative shown by our members in community access to essential professional development and adopting and acting upon these goals and ensures our sector is learning opportunities. The AFAC17 powered by INTERSCHUTZ equipped to protect the community through a shared commitment conference and exhibition in Sydney was our largest to date, to best practice. attracting some 3,500 attendees across the sector. Our collaboration groups have continued their work reviewing and The National Emergency Service Memorial in Canberra was extended producing doctrine in line with the Strategic Directions. AFAC’s suite this year with the addition of a Memorial Wall. The wall was unveiled of doctrine is our most significant intellectual property asset and at the National Memorial Service for fire and emergency service continues to generate evidence-based solutions while facilitating personnel on 1 May and lists the names of 505 personnel who lost industry-wide engagement. This collaborative approach to producing their lives protecting Australian and New Zealand communities doctrine ensures we are making a national effort to shape the since records began. It honours the sacrifice made by each person industry’s development and improve community safety. and provides a place of permanent and national significance for the community to reflect. The professionalisation of our workforce was a focus this year, with the Emergency Management Professionalisation Scheme (EMPS) The partnership between Australian and Canadian firefighting agencies expanding to provide credentials across all Incident Management was strengthened by the deployment of 235 Australian personnel to Teams and other specialist roles. EMPS establishes an important assist with wildfire suppression in Canada from July to September foundation for our professional fire and emergency services by 2017. It was the first overseas deployment arranged through the promoting industry standards and an agreed code of ethics. National Resource Sharing Centre, responsible for coordinating the effort on behalf of states and territories. This new model, endorsed I was pleased to represent one of the host agencies for the AFAC17 by the Commissioners and Chief Officer Strategic Committee (CCOSC), powered by INTERSCHUTZ conference and exhibition in Sydney. The supports national and international assistance and provides valuable event was a great success and drew a record attendance of people interagency collaboration experience for personnel. from across the emergency management community to explore a program of informative and insightful speakers. The annual AFAC The Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System (AIIMS) conference continues to be recognised as a world-class emergency continues to inform and update the system used by fire, emergency management event in the Australasian region, offering valuable services and land management agencies within Australia following an knowledge sharing and networking opportunities to attendees. extensive review of its doctrine. Through our collaboration groups, AFAC doctrine continues to evolve with the industry and remains a AFAC continues to offer support and work collaboratively with its vital resource in preparing the emergency management community members across the sector. I would like to express my gratitude to for the changes and challenges ahead. all those from the membership and the AFAC CEO and staff for their efforts throughout what has been another busy year. Reflecting on what was a productive year for AFAC I want to offer my thanks and gratitude to the National Council, the Board and AFAC staff for their efforts throughout the year. Paul Baxter QSO Commissioner, Fire and Rescue NSW Stuart Ellis AM AFAC President Chief Exeuctive Officer, AFAC | 3 AFAC GOVERNANCE Elected by the AFAC National Council, the AFAC Board provides governance oversight to the effective management of the organisation. The Board meets bi-monthly and Board Directors hold office for two years after which time they are eligible for re-election. President Deputy President Deputy President Paul Baxter QSO Katarina Carroll APM Shane Fitsimmons AFSM Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Fire and Rescue NSW Queensland Fire and Emergency Services NSW Rural Fire Service Paul Baxter was appointed Commissioner Katarina Carroll commenced as Acting Shane Fitzsimmons has over 30 years’ of Fire & Rescue NSW on 16 January 2017. Queensland Fire and Emergency Services experience with the New South Wales Rural Commissioner Baxter was previously (QFES) Commissioner in January 2015, Fire Service (NSW RFS), serving as both a National Commander of the New Zealand and was appointed Commissioner on volunteer and salaried officer. In 2004 he Fire Service and the National Rural Fire 1 August 2015. She is responsible for was appointed as the inaugural AFAC Visiting Authority, which comprises 10,000 efficiently leading all divisions of QFES and Fellow to the Australian Institute of Police volunteers and 2,200 career staff serving implementing a renewal process arising out Management (AIPM), and in September at 650 fire stations nationally. He has more of recommendations made in a number of 2007 he was appointed Commissioner of than 30 years of fire service experience, recent reviews into the organisation. She the NSW RFS. He was appointed a Director serving as a volunteer firefighter, then as a has come to QFES from the Queensland of the National Aerial Firefighting Centre career firefighter with the New Zealand Air Police Service, where she was Assistant (NAFC) in March 2008 and was Chair of Force. After joining the New Zealand Fire Commissioner and Program Executive for the NAFC Board from 2009 to 2013. He is Service he worked through the ranks until the Brisbane G20 Summit in 2014. She a member of the NSW State Emergency being appointed as National Commander a has more than 30 years’ experience in the Management Committee and the NSW State year after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. emergency services, and has been awarded Rescue Board, and was Chairman from 2008 He holds a degree in business, is a Fellow the Australian Police Medal, National Police to November 2015. He was awarded the of the Institution of Fire Engineers, a Service Medal, National Emergency Medal National Medal in 1999 and the Australian Member of the New Zealand Institute and the National Medal. She is a graduate Fire Service Medal in 2001. of Management, and has completed the of the Vincent Fairfax Ethics in Leadership October 2016–present. Executive Fire Officer Program at the United Foundation. States Fire Academy. October 2015–present. December 2012–present. AFAC BOARD MEETING ATTENDANCE DIRECTORS NUMBER NUMBER ELIGIBLE ATTENDED TO ATTEND Mr P Baxter 5 5 Ms K Carroll 5 2 Mr N Cooper 5 2 Mr G Crossman 5 3 Mr S Fitzsimmons 5 4 Mr S Griffin 5 4 Mr W Gregson