Climate change and weather experts to join the speaker line up for the region’s largest gathering of emergency management professionals
Leading Australian and international emergency management professionals from climate, weather and natural hazards sectors will gather in Melbourne in August, as AFAC19 powered by INTERSCHUTZ is held alongside the Australian Disaster Resilience Conference.
This year’s AFAC19 Conference will explore the impact of nature, climate and the environment on disaster prevention, early warning and response processes, as well as the long-term implications on community and environmental recovery.
More than 120 speakers in six immersive streams will delve deep into the changing landscape of fire safety, emergency management and research across the wider AFAC19 program and share with attendees how to prepare for the future, based on lessons learned from the past.
Stuart Ellis, CEO, AFAC commented on how emergency services are adapting to prepare for and address the challenges that come with more frequent extreme weather events and natural disasters, and how this is shaping the national emergency response sector.
“This year we’re looking at some big issues affecting the wider community including population growth, climate change and, extreme weather and how we can adapt, prepare for and better manage these events.”
“AFAC19 is a vital opportunity to bring together leaders from across a variety of disciplines that make up the evolving fire and emergency service sector, to discuss issues that are becoming the new normal in emergency management,” said Mr Ellis.
To cover the big issue and topics, AFAC19 will bring leading international and national keynote speakers to the conference, including
- • Dr David Jones, Manager of Climate Services, Bureau of Meteorology
State of the Climate 2018: Climate change and its impact on emergency management
- • John Nairn, State Manager of South Australia, Bureau of Meteorology
South Australian heatwave forecasts and warnings: performance and some impacts during January 2019, Australia’s hottest month on record
- • Prof. Lesley Hughes and Greg Mullins, The Climate Council
Coping with the ‘new normal’ in changing climate
This year’s AFAC19 conference theme A shift to the new norm: riding the wave of change, embraces the evolution, diversity and inclusion of all industries working together to form a robust emergency management sector, and the communities it represents.
AFAC19 powered by INTERSHUTZ is co-produced by the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC), Deutsche Messe and the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC and will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from 27-30 August 2019. The Institution of Fire Engineers Australia National Conference and the Australian Disaster Resilience Conference will be held alongside AFAC19.
Further information is available at www.afacconference.com.au
