AFAC is the peak body for Australasian fire, land management and emergency services, creating synergy across the industry. The organization is a resource for incident management expertise, information and advice. They actively engage in emergency management, working with EM practitioners across all industries and sectors.  The organization’s members are public and private sector organizations, representing a workforce of over 250,000 emergency management professionals, both volunteers and career staff. The organization was formed 1993 and has 34 full members and 13 affiliate members.

 

AFAC Membership

Their core membership consists of emergency services or fire management agencies of a state or territory government in Australia, or any other government agency with emergency management responsibilities.

Senior representatives of member agencies comprise the AFAC Council. This body exercises overall control of the organisation. A Board of Directors, elected from council delegates, oversee the governance and day-to-day management of AFAC.

 

Operations

The AFAC Collaboration Model underpins the way we work and supports the subject matter experts who come together to share knowledge and solve common problems. The features of the Model include:

• Provides clear linkages between Council, the Board and the activities of the Groups and Networks
• Provides different mechanisms for operating depending on subject matter and needs of the particular groups
• Provides for accountability through more rigorous reporting and the measurement of performance targets (where possible and practicable)
• Provides for greater flexibility within which collaboration and networking can occur
• Focuses on work outputs but continues to facilitate sharing and relationship building
• Allows for achievement of Council priorities as well as practitioner driven needs
• Provides clarity of expectations for participants, agencies and Secretariat

 

Collaborative areas

There are six Collaboration (practice) areas, with a range of Groups, Technical Groups, Networks and Project Teams operating in accordance with the Collaboration Model.

• Emergency management practice and systems
• Community safety and management
• Knowledge and research
• Capability development
• Regulations and standards
• Business and workforce management

 

Key relationships

Inherent in the work of AFAC is the forging of close relationships with a variety of organisations and businesses. These relationships are either informal, developed over many years, or formal arrangements built around Memorandums of Understanding. Key relationships include:

• Australian Assembly of Volunteer Fire Brigades Association
• Australian Building Codes Board
• Australian Bureau of Statistics
• Australian Emergency Management Volunteer Forum
• Australian Institute of Police Management
• Australian Road Rescue Organisation
• Australian Security Industry Association
• Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre
• Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre
• Chief Fire Officers Association and Fire and Resilience Directorate of Communities and Local Government
• Emergency Management Spatial Information Network Australia
• Fire Protection Association of Australia
• Forest Fire Management Group
• Geoscience Australia
• Global Fire Monitoring Center
• International Association of Fire Chiefs
• International Standards Organisation
• National Bulk Tankers Association
• National Fire Protection Association
• National Information Communications Technology Australia (NICTA)
• National Spatial Information Management (NSIM)
• National Risk Assessment Advisory Group (NRAAG)
• Standards Australia
• US Forest Service