AWE Newsletter – May 2021

Welcome to the May 2021 AWE Newsletter

Welcome to the May newsletter. We are excited about the Gender and Disaster Pod’s online Gender Justice in Disaster: Inspiring Action conference taking place throughout May. The conference focuses on gender in the context of health, emergencies and climate change, and you can hear from Commissioners, Chief Officers, CEOs and leading researchers as they join community members to discuss the challenging issues of culture, gender equality, mental health, diversity, design and disaster. More details on the conference are available here.

Family violence has been in the news across Australia again in April, with reports of three tragic deaths in Queensland and South Australia. Awareness around women’s safety at work also continues with stories around workplace safety prominent in the media. The impacts of violence at home or in the workplace are felt by many, including those emergency services personnel who are called upon to help. AWE is here to support all members, but for anyone needing additional support, please contact 1800RESPECT – 1800 737 732

Scholarship now open
Applications for the AWE Philippa Woolf Scholarship are now open. Scroll down for further details about the scholarship, including the event on Thursday 6 May with Phillipa Woolf and Christina and Alicia, last year’s scholarship recipients.

Australasian Women in Emergencies Day – 10 October
AWE has announced a new day to celebrate the role of women in emergency management and disaster resilience across Australasia. October 10 is Australasian Women in Emergencies Day! Mark this day in your calendars and keep an eye on our forthcoming newsletters for more information on the exciting things we’ve got planned!

AWE Events Team positions now open
AWE is looking for people with energy to join the AWE Events Team. If you’ve got organisational or events skills and experience and would like to be part of a team that plans and delivers a range of fun and interesting opportunities for AWE members, please contact Margaret before the end of May. 

AWE’s Inspiring woman of the month

When Katarina Carroll joined the Queensland Police Service in the early 1980s, just three per cent of the police force was female.

Katarina rose through the ranks as detective and became the first mother to be appointed Assistant Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service in 2010. Katarina was Commissioner of the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services from 2015 until 2019.

In 2019 was the first female to be appointed as Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service.

Today the Queensland Police Service comprises 30 per cent women even at senior executive level. Along with mentoring and recruitment programs Katarina has introduced programs such as WomenLEAD and Women’s Network to support women and to assist them to reach their potential. Katarina is also introducing a new recruitment strategy to also encourage people from diverse backgrounds, including First Nations and multicultural backgrounds.

We know that many of our AWEsome members have extensive knowledge, skills and experience – now is your opportunity to share that with someone else!

Why not take the time to consider becoming a Mentor to one of our newly added Mentees. You don’t need to have decades of experience – you may have unique skills, experience or a passion for supporting other members that our Mentees would welcome.

Visit our website to find out more about the AWE mentoring program and consider registering your interest in being a Mentor.

Supporting women to achieve leadership roles in the NSW Rural Fire Service

A group of Lake George district volunteers, including AWE ACT Chapter Lead Zoe D’Arcy, have formed a Female Firefighters group to help support the recruitment and retainment of women volunteers and to support more women achieve leadership roles within the NSW RFS.

 

First meeting of the Lake George district Female Firefighters group in April. From left to right: On screen, Kelwyn White and Gail Nichols. In person: Sandi Love, Chrissie Uncles, Peta Keddle, Jan Andrews, Zoe D’Arcy, Vicki McWhirter, Kirrin Sampson

The group intends to hold a forum in the coming months for women volunteers in the district to:

• Create a local cross-brigade network of women volunteers, to provide them with a connected and safe space
• Give women volunteers access to senior people with expertise
• Highlight pathways to different areas and leadership roles within the NSW RFS

For more information please contact Zoe D’Arcy. 

AWE NSW

It is an honor to have been selected as the Lead of the NSW Chapter of Australian Women in Emergencies (AWE). I am looking forward to leading and participating in development of the roles of women in emergencies, highlighting what we do well, where we need to further influence and how women can lead communities prior to, during and post emergencies.

Last year I worked for a non-government organisation which supported women and youth who were experiencing or had experienced domestic violence and/or had disengaged from education. This experience provided an opportunity to witness the direct impact of emergencies (bushfires, flood, and pandemic) and the compounding trauma experienced by communities.

This experience of working within the community has changed the way I think about emergency management. I was able to bring some of these learnings back into the NSW SES. Recently, I was one of the State Duty Commanders leading the NSW SES response to the flooding that occurred within NSW. During this response NSW SES issued over 868 formal flood bulletins, 24 evacuation orders and 28 evacuation warnings. Many communities were impacted significantly by the rainfall and flooding and whilst the initial response has concluded, communities will be recovering from the impacts of flooding for quite some time.

I am looking forward to engaging with you to design the plan for AWE NSW into the future. Please send through any ideas and suggestions you may have. I am excited about how we can all work together to achieve great outcomes for Women in NSW.

For more information please email me – Nicole Hogan 

AWE QLD

Calling all AWE members and visitors in and around Townsville!

We’re excited to be hosting a networking session on Thursday 20 May. Come along to meet other AWE members and colleagues over coffee, get to know one another and chat about what you’re working on.

AWE QLD Chapter Coffee and Networking
When: 20 May
Time: 9:30am – 10:30
Where: Mello Cafe, 22 Walker St, Townsville
No need to RSVP – see you there!

For more information please email Alicia Palmer

AWE NZ

AWE NZ Chapter Leads Jolie Wills and Elizabeth Naughton will be in Australia in June to facilitate a Recovery Masterclass for AIDR. The masterclass will cover the following topics:

• The role of secondary stress – understand how secondary stress impacts those affected by disaster
• The disaster-affected brain – understand how the disaster-affected mind processes information differently
• Key recovery leadership learnings – benefit from the insights of more than 100 recovery leaders around the globe
• Supporting those with a recovery role – learn principles and strategies for supporting the supporters 

For more information please email AWE NZ

Australia
Media Advisor, Australian Red Cross (location Vic)

ACT
Senior Director – Safety, Security and Emergency Management, Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development

NSW
International Recovery Manager, All Hands and Hearts
Senior Service Continuity and Emergency Management Officer, Service NSW
Disaster Relief Officers, NSW government
Senior Manager State Operations, NSW State Emergency Service
Supervisor Bush Fire Analyst, NSW Rural Fire Service
Team Leader Recovery & Resilience, Australian Red Cross

QLD
Senior Planning and Capability (Disaster Management), City of Gold Coast
Community Development Officer – Bushfire Recovery, Southern Downs Regional Council
Disaster Management Officer, Bundaberg Regional Council
Crows Nest Community Resilience and Development Officer, Toowoomba Regional Council

TAS
Policy Analyst – Security and Emergency Management, Department of Premier and Cabinet

VIC
Bushfire Recovery Project Officer, Australian Red Cross
Risk and Assurance Specialist,  Life Saving Victoria
Manager Information Security & Governance, Victoria State Emergency Service
Senior Bushfire Liaison Officer, Department of Education and Training
Manager Emergency Strategy and Resilience, Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions
Community Resilience Coordinator, Victoria State Emergency Service (Horsham)
Team Leader Emergency Management, City of Whittlesea

WA
Director Risk Capability and Analysis, Department of Fire and Emergency Services
Emergency Management Coordinator, City of Stirling
Manager Ranger and Emergency Services, Shire of Murray

New Zealand
Advisor Emergency Management, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Emergency Management Officer, Otago Regional Council
Emergency & Fire Response Coordinator, Lakes District Health Board 

May            Tassie Trek for Climate Action 2021 Departure Two – The Climate Council

May            16th Wildland Fire Safety Summit and 6th Human Dimensions Conference – IAWF

June           EMPA Australia 2021 – Emergency Media and Public Affairs

July            Emergency Management Conference 2021 – ESF

July            2021 Disaster and Emergency Management Conference –  ANZDMC

August       AFAC21 powered by INTERSCHUTZ – AFAC

August       Australian Disaster Resilience Conference 2021 – AIDR