AFAC19 breaks attendance record

With the latest natural hazards research on show, 4,061 delegates attended AFAC19 powered by INTERSCHUTZ in Melbourne, smashing the attendance record. Held from 27-30 August at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, the latest natural hazards science opened the program at the Bushfire and Natural Hazard CRC’s Research Forum. 

The opening keynotes at the Research Forum looked back on the change in communities since the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, and looked forward at what may still be to come, with a near record 453 emergency managers, volunteers, researchers and policy makers in attendence for the day.

In a joint presentation, CRC researcher Prof Lisa Gibbs from the University of Melbourne and John Richardson from the Red Cross reflected on the learnings from the Black Saturday recovery and detailed the different influences that have shaped community recovery. Their talk explained the impacts still felt a decade later and provided insights to guide future disaster resilience policy and services.

Prof Andy Pitman AO from the University of New South Wales and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes gave the second keynote, which looked at natural hazards of the future. He explained climate extremes, what this means for natural hazards and how collaborative research in the sector can continue to address gaps in our knowledge.

CRC CEO Dr Richard Thornton said the Research Forum opening keynotes provided an appropriate lens for delegates to take with them for the rest of the conference.

“With demographic shifts and more sprawl into hazard-prone areas, and climate change increasing the frequency and severity of natural hazard events, the risk intensifies and pressure on emergency service agencies will keep growing.

“We have learnt a lot through science but there is still more to do. We must continue to ask the difficult questions and be prepared for complex answers” Dr Thornton said.

The Research Forum closed with the inaugural Dr Laurie Hammond Oration, delivered by Prof Mary O’Kane in honour of former CRC Chair Dr Laurie Hammond. Prof O’Kane is currently the chair of the NSW Planning Assessment Commission and has previously been the NSW Chief Engineer and Scientist. As Chair of the recent independent review of the CRC, as well as the 2008 review of the entire Cooperative Research Centres program, Prof O’Kane spoke to the value and breadth of avenues for public benefit research.

The entire conference program provided opportunity for delegates to engage with experts, further their knowledge on natural hazards science and start conversations that continue beyond the conference week. 

Dedicated conference streams explored the theme A shift to the new norm: riding the wave of change. More than 120 presentations and panel discussions shared the latest science and lessons learned on topics including community preparedness, health and wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, cultural fire management, bushfire and smoke modelling, predictive services, and climate change. This included the second Australian Disaster Resilience Conference, as well as the Institution of Fire Engineers conference, held in conjunction with the main program.

The conference featured sessions, panel discussions, networking functions, award ceremonies and a trade exhibition with 196 exhibitors showcasing the latest technology and equipment in the sector.

The CRC showcased the research and PhD program through a contribution of more than 50 posters, as part of the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience Knowledge Lounge poster display in the exhibition hall. All are available here.

Day two saw the release of the Australian Seasonal Bushfire Outlook: August 2019, with a media conference attended by TV, print, radio and online media. Day three saw Sunrise broadcast the weather from the trade exhibition, with live crosses throughout the morning showcasing different elements of the exhibition. In conjunction with MFB and AFAC, new research was also released on preventable fire fatalities.

A media conference was held for the release of the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC's Seasonal Bushfire Outlook.

At the CRC stand in the exhibition, Mariska Threadgold from the South Australian Country Fire Service was the lucky winner of the prize draw, taking home a solar power charger and a solar powered wind-up radio.

Mariska Threadgold (left) from the South Australian Country Fire Service was the lucky winner of the prize draw.

The conference was followed with a strong professional development program with four workshops being offered on Friday 30 August.

• Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment Forum
• Fourth National DRANZSEN Forum
• Firefighter safety research – bringing the lab to the streets
• Driving Emergency Management’s digital future through the power of location technologies

A field trip invited delegates onto the country of the Wurundjeri people to learn more about cultural burning. Attendees walked on Country with local Indigenous elders and fire practitioners and learnt about the differences between healthy and unhealthy country, and the impact it has on culture and ecology. The trip visited Healesville Sanctuary and Toolangi and was supported by the Wurundjeri people, DELWP, Parks Victoria and the Centre of Excellence for Prescribed Burning.

The conference hashtag #AFAC19 was trending on Twitter throughout the conference week, with conference attendees continuing the conversation online.

AFAC20 powered by INTERSCHUTZ will be held on the 25-28 August 2020 at the Adelaide Convention Centre.

Conference resources available

Selected conference proceedings will be published in the October edition of the Australian Journal of Emergency Management.

Full proceedings will be featured in an AJEM Monograph at the same time.

Papers from days two and three can be accessed via the AFAC website.

Download images from the event on Flickr.