Under the apprenticeship model of fire service learning, skilled instructors traditionally guide students through a series of increasingly more complex scenarios with the aim of developing muscle memory and improving skills retention. This method of learning requires that trainees access…
Indigenous communities leading the way with natural hazards training
Existing natural hazards training is inadequate for remote Indigenous communities. New collaborative research has worked with Indigenous communities to develop training units that support and reinforce land management capabilities across northern Australia. The management of natural hazards in northern Australian…
Helping volunteers shine as leaders
A new evidence-based toolkit is strengthening Australia’s emergency service workforce capability by supporting volunteer leaders in the way they recruit, onboard, manage and retain volunteers. When a natural hazard strikes or an emergency arises, communities rely on emergency services personnel,…
Training during and after the pandemic: what some feel may be the new norm
As we started 2020, the pandemic was just getting a grip on the world and it seemed as though everything was coming to a standstill. Most were confused with what the future looked like, and some were not even thinking…
Transformation of the Civil Defence Academy to meet the challenges of tomorrow
As our operating environment continues to evolve, firefighting, rescue and pre-hospital emergency care have become more challenging and complex. By embarking on a bold transformation of its training facilities, the Civil Defence Academy (CDA) of the Singapore Civil Defence Force…
Immersive learning for the fire service
In May 2015 the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) published an extensive report entitled ‘Research Roadmap for Smart Firefighting’. The report spoke of the need for the fire service to take advantage…
Showcasing PhD success
As Australia experiences natural hazards of increasing frequency and severity, emergency services need information and tools to support them in making critical decisions. The Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC’s postgraduate programme is contributing new knowledge to the sector. Bushfire and…
Airport emergency exercises – lessons learnt
Conducting an ineffective airport emergency exercise constitutes a lost opportunity and entails extensive cost, in large measure in work hours. Given the large investment it’s important to design and run exercises to get the best outcome possible. In 2018, over…
Why should the fire service use virtual reality for training?
Fire services now have the opportunity to embrace virtual reality (VR) to transform how firefighters across the globe are trained. Virtual reality provides a realistic alternative to hot fire training. VR provides a safe starting ground for new firefighters and…
Hong Kong Fire and Ambulance Services Academy – Part 2
We started the journey in the April edition of Asia Pacific Fire on the Hong Kong Fire Services Department (HKFSD), Fire and Ambulance Services Academy (the Academy), in this edition I will concentrate on the larger training props HKFSD now…
Victorian Emergency Management Training Centre (VEMTC) Craigieburn
The Environmental considerations in which firefighters work today is becoming increasingly uncertain and complex. In Australia, rapid changes to building regulations, urban population growth, the security environment, climate change and growing community expectations places increasing pressure on fire services everywhere…