Last week, leaders and experts in emergency management attended AFAC. It is Australasia's largest, most comprehensive conference and exhibition on emergency management.  

This year focused on embracing innovation and disruption. The conference and exhibition created a space that encouraged new ideas and facilitated much needed conversations to prepare for the future in emergency management. 

We participated in the Exhibition space with our NEMA booth. Over 70 attendees visited our booth to chat with staff about what we do and our latest initiatives. 

International and local leaders 

Over 3 days, we heard from international and local leaders. This included our own, Coordinator-General Brendan Moon, Deputy Coordinator-Generals, Joe Buffone and Dr Jill Charker. 

The Minister for Emergency Management, Senator the Hon Jenny McAllister, also attendd together with delegates from states and territories and the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 

“AFAC is a great example of collective action in emergency management. We know to achieve true buy-in in emergency management, we need to include people from all levels and sectors in the conversation. AFAC provides this opportunity on a large scale,” said Coordinator-General, Brendan Moon. 

"With natural hazards rising in complexity, frequency, and scale, these events are vital for future preparedness." 

Resilience Lane 

A great highlight for our agency was having 6 posters on display in the Knowledge Centre on Resilience Lane. The lane showcased initiatives in the emergency management space that demonstrate innovation and preparation for the future. We were able to showcase the work we are doing to support the community to prepare, respond and recover from natural hazards.  

One of our posters showcased the work of the National Crisis Exercising and Lessons Capability (NCEC) team who hosted Exercise Aurora in Adelaide earlier this year.  

“Lessons are the blueprint for an uncertain future and are a critical component of the emergency management sector . The poster represents the approach to how we manage lessons at the strategic level,” said Kimberley Wilson, Director, NCEC.  

Although we did not take home the top prize, we’re proud of the work that went into developing the posters. 

We would like to thank AFAC and the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience for inviting us to attend and speak. We’re looking forward to coming back in 2025.