Leaders from around Australia and the globe working in fire and emergency management, resilience and first response will travel to Brisbane for AFAC23 Conference and Exhibition from 22-25 August 2023.
The theme of ‘Creating a sustainable future: the challenges and opportunities’,will drive important conversations during the four-day event.
AFAC23 powered by INTERSCHUTZ provides the largest opportunity in Australasia for these sectors to come together to discuss the latest critical research, view and test the latest technologies, and build comprehensive strategies on how to better work together to achieve the ultimate goal – preservation of life and property.
This year will see the event grow 59% bigger than it was last time it was hosted in Brisbane in 2016 and will feature over 160 speakers across eight immersive streams, some of the highlight speakers include:
- KEYNOTE: Oliver Costello, Director, Jagun Alliance Aboriginal Corporation, and Board Member, Natural Hazards Research Australia
- KEYNOTE: Dr Jen Beverly, Associate Professor, Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta
- KEYNOTE: Nazir Afzal OBE, Chancellor of the University of Manchester
- KEYNOTE: Jerry Grayson, Rescue Pilot, Drone Educator, Keynote Speaker, Web3 and Crypto native, NFT Artist
- KEYNOTE: Tonya Hoover, Deputy Administrator, US Fire Administration, FEMA
- KEYNOTE PANEL: Brendan Moon AM, National Emergency Management Agency; Martin Merrick and Paul Illmer fromVolvo Group Australia; Georgeina Whelan AM, CSC and Bar, and Dr Dia Smith, University of Queensland
The Australian Disaster Resilience Conference, the Institution of Fire Engineers (Australia) National Conference, the Women and Firefighting Australasia Conference, and the Professional Development Program are incorporated in the agenda.
Rob Webb, CEO of AFAC, the National Council for fire and emergency services says he’s looking forward to the 2023 Conference and Exhibition.
“We have a strong commitment to work together for a safer and more connected future. As our work evolves, there is so much knowledge to take on and preserve.
“We also are looking forward to this year’s expanded and elevated program – including a greater focus on sustainable practices and the significant role First Nations have and continue to play in our sector.”
“AFAC has always been a rare and valuable opportunity to connect in person and also learn the latest information to enhance our abilities, and to deliver our services and properly support the communities we serve,” said Webb.
On Thursday 24 August, fire agency commissioners, chief officers and senior leaders from across Australia will come together to launch the Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for Spring 2023 – providing the first glimpse into the anticipated conditions for the beginning of Australia’s 2023–24 bushfire season.
AFAC23 will be larger than previous years, with over 3,000 delegates expected and an expanded Exhibition with two brand-new features – the Innovation Hub and Resilience Lane.
Over 70 new organisations will be exhibiting at AFAC23, including first response agencies, government, academia, not-for-profits, building, environment, and engineering sectors, providing a highly diverse and dynamic exhibition.
The Solutions Theatre will be a hive of activity over three-days with leading organisations presenting on various topics including electric emergency service vehicles, flood intelligence for emergency managers, data analytics saving lives, and much more.
The highly popular Demonstration Zone will return with new live demos including drones, a robotic dog, controlled gas burnings and a live rescue operation from a vehicle.
Exhibition entry is free to those working in the sector from any level which will allow them to gain insightful industry updates via the Free Visitor Exhibition Only pass.
