AWE Newsletter - April 2022

Promoting, supporting and recognising the contributions of women in emergency management and disaster resilience across Australasia.

AWE Newsletter – April 2022

Welcome to the April 2022 edition of the AWE Newsletter.

Along with the emergency management sector, women have a key role to play in addressing climate change. In March, the 66th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women reaffirmed the important role of women and girls as agents of change to safeguard the environment and address the adverse effects of climate change. The Commission encouraged initiatives that address climate change, environmental and disaster and risk reduction to consider:

Promoting women’s and girls’ full and equal participation and leadership to make natural resource management and climate, environment and disaster risk action more effective
Expanding gender-responsive finance at scale for climate and environment action and to reach women’s organizations, enterprises and cooperatives
Building women’s resilience in the context of agricultural and food systems, forest and fisheries management and the sustainable energy transition
Enhancing gender statistics and sex-disaggregated data in the gender-environment nexus; and fostering gender-responsive just transitions.

AWE recognises the seriousness of climate change. The increasingly catastrophic extreme weather events are already putting lives, properties and livelihoods at risk, and threaten to overwhelm the emergency management sector. If you want to explore climate change and leadership, join our Open Discussion on 20 April. If you’d like to do more to help address climate change, consider getting involved in our new Australasian Women in Emergencies for Climate Action group – see below for more details.

AWE News

Tell us what you think of the AWE Newsletter
We are reviewing the AWE Newsletter and want your feedback! Let us know what you think about the AWE Newsletter by completing this short survey. The survey closes on 30 April.

2022 Philippa Woolf Scholarship
We are thrilled to announce that the 2022 Philippa Woolf Scholarship is now open. One full scholarship is available to an AWE member to study a Diploma of Public Safety (Emergency Management) at ACIM Solutions. See below for details or join our Scholarship Q&A on Wednesday 13 April.

Events managament and/or awards management skills wanted!
We’re on the lookout for some AWE members with special skills to help design and deliver the 2022 Australasian Women in Emergencies Day. We’re looking for people with events management and/or awards management to provide us with advice and support. If you’ve got these skills, and a few hours to spare, let us know .and play your part in making AWE AWEsome!

New AWE NZ Chapter Lead
We’re thrilled to announce that we have a new AWE Aotearoa NZ Chapter Lead – Paula Naude. Find out more about Paula in the AWE Chapter Updates section below.

AWE in the media
AWE featured in the media recently in this article in the Star Mail. AWE Co-founder Amanda Lamont was quoted as saying, ‘I am particularly invested and passionate about the role that women play in supporting themselves, their families, their neighbours, their communities, their businesses in a disaster context because the role that they play is in uniforms with lights and sirens, but it is so much more than that.’ Thanks Amanda – AWE couldn’t agree more!

International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day 2022 was a great success. AWE members attended, organised and spoke at some great events. Some were local, others national – all of them were important in recognising women’s contributions to our world. Here are a couple of AWEsome highlights:

Leave No-one Behind: Why gender diversity in EM will save us (all) in the Zombie Apocalypse

Ever wondered how to plan for, survive, and thrive come the Zombie Apocalypse? Amanda Lamont facilitated a brilliant panel discussion with Beth Eggleston, Jo Guard, Andrew Pengilley and Michelle Villeneuve about just this. You can find out for yourself why gender diversity matters in emergency management by watching the recording here.

United Nations Women Australia, Melbourne
United Nations Women Australia held IWD lunches simultaneously in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane and Perth on 4 March. Their main keynote speaker was Dr Jane Goodall, and each venue then featured a ‘local changemaker’. Excitingly, AWE’s Amanda Lamont was Victoria’s local changemaker, and she spoke about co-founding the AWE network, as well as what AWE has achieved.

Associate Professor Michelle Villeneuve talking about diversity Amanda Lamont speaking as a local changemaker

AWE Inspiring!

While many AWE members were lucky enough to celebrate International Women’s Day in early March, other members wer hard at work providing vital services in response to the floods in Queensland and NSW.

AWE member Megan Davies

AWE member and district veterinarian Megan Davies told us, ‘Along with a team of very capable Local Land Services and Department of Primary Industy staff members, I celebrated Inetrnational Women’s Day by triaging hundreds of incoming requests for Animal and Agriculture assistance, organising jobs such as getting generators to flooded dairy farms so they could milk their cows, liaising with dozens of volunteer vets and trying to figure out how the heck to get live cows off roofs, out of trees and off beaches and sandbars.’ Thank you to Megan and all members for their AWE inspiring efforts to the floods responses.

AWE Blog

Our latest blog, The difficulty of practising what you preach, is by Jaimee Morgenbesser, Vice-President of AWE and National Senior Project Officer, Recovery & Psychosocial Support at Australian Red Cross.

In this honest blog Jaimee describes her personal experiences in the early days and weeks of recovery following the floods in Queensland. Click here to find out what can happen when a disaster professional has to practice what she preaches…

We encourage you to submit your blog for publication – please email us for more information.

Philippa Woolf Scholarship

AWE is thrilled to announce that applications for the 2022 Philippa Wolf Scholarship are now open

For the third year in a row, Philippa Woolf, ACIM and AWE are offering a scholarship to an AWE member to help build their leadership skills

One full scholarship is available to one AWE member to study the Diploma of Public Safety (Emergency Management) at ACIM Solutions

Join our Q&A with Philippa Woolf to fnd out more about applying for the Scholarship, the Diplmoma of Public Safety and and studying at ACIM

1pm Wednesday 13 April

Book now

Applications close 30 April

For further information, and to apply, please click here.

AWE Events

AWE events are a great way to learn about and get to know other women in the emergency management and disaster resilience sectors. Keep an eye on our calendar of events for forthcoming events.If you’ve got a great idea for an event, know someone who would be a great speaker, or just want to get involved, email us!

AWE Open Discussion

How do we lead adaptation into an uncertain future?

12 pm Wednesday 20 April (AEST)

Very little seems certain these days – except, perhaps, the use of the word ‘unprecedented’ whenever another crisis impacts our communities.

Join AWE’s Zoe D’Arcy in this month’s Open Discussion about adaptive leadership in uncertain times. What do we need from our political and organisational leaders? How do we lead teams, communities, organisations and even families ourselves?

Come along and share thoughts, opinions, experiences and even perhaps what you’ve learnt from some fantastic failures.

Book now

Sharing insights into recovery from the 2019-20 bushfires

7:30pm Thursday 26 May (AEST)

Hosted by AWE and the Australasian Institute of Emergency Services (AIES), this event provides an opportunity for AWE and AIES members to meet and mingle.

There will be a couple of short presentations about recovery from the 2019-20 bushfires, and then opportunities for discussion with attendees across both organisations.

Book now

Missed an AWE event? Many of our past events are available for viewing on our YouTube page.

AWE Mentoring Q&A

We recently had a member reach out seeking assistance from our Mentors. We received so much great advice and information we thought we’d share the question and answers with members.

Question
“The Black Summer fires resulted in small communities suffering huge losses and even though it’s been more than 2 years since the fires we are still struggling to get the help and funding we need. On top of this, like so many other communities, we have experienced multiple cascading events including the pandemic and flooding. Along with a group of energetic and dedicated community members, we formed a community association which is a community-led organisation with the aim of assisting our community in recovery, preparation and response, so we can become stronger and more resilient in the face of future disasters. Sometimes it feels like one step forward and five steps back, with the most frustrating element being how we work with agencies, especially government. And how ‘community-led’ fits into the picture. I am an ‘accidental’ leader in my community. I came to it after seeing unmet needs and needing to act. It’s my first time in a role like this and I am feeling my way through. After much hard work our funding application for the Black Summer Bushfire program was unsuccessful and so we’ve had to pick ourselves back up and get stuck into grant writing once again. Reflecting on this experience I am seeking advice from someone who can help me navigate these challenges, especially the intersection of governments and communities in recovery, response and resilience.”

Answer
This question saw some fantastic offers of grant writing support by Mentors from right across Australia and we’ve put them in touch with the member who made the initial enquiry. One Mentor suggested Australian Business Volunteers (ABV) which specialises in grant writing and is working in a number of communities impacted by the Black Summer Fires. ABV delivers economic change to communities across the globe through donated business expertise and aim to help create self-reliance and resilience and leave a lasting economic impact – one that endures generations.

If anyone else has any offers of support or has ideas about how a community-led model fits into recovery, please reach out to the Mentoring Coordinator Lisa Marie Jackson at [email protected] who will connect you with the member. who asked the question.

Our Mentors have lots of experience, ideas and networks. If you’ve got a question for them please contact Lisa at the email address above.

AWE Chapter Updates

AWE NSW

Greetings from an exceptionally soggy NSW! While 2019/2020 was the season of continuous fire, smoke and rushing from one emergency to another, the relief of rain in March 2020 was short-lived as we turned to storm and flood response within the week, and the wet weather now seems unending. As I write this, we are awaiting what these next systems will produce, thinking of our friends in northern NSW and SE Queensland who are dealing with yet another disastrous flood event.

I believe what the last few years has taught us is that emergency response doesn’t always come with lights and sirens, and that community resilience isn’t always about a uniform. Our emergency sphere is so much more than that, from spontaneous volunteers who just want to help their communities, to the research being undertaken into disasters and resilience building, to the people who improve our governance processes, from the organisational emergency teams who build corporate resilience and business continuity, to the governmental emergency teams strengthening our infrastructure and of course the NGO’s and community sector that tirelessly responds to help those in need.

I recently reached out to some women in my network to find out why they work in the emergency sphere, and how we might encourage other women. These are some of their responses:

“It fulfills my need to belong to something and give back to the community…..volunteering with emergency services is a really great way to make new friends that don’t revolve around your children…you connect with these people in high-energy, tense, dramatic situations and can then bond over a campfire” – Erika

“..applying new skills as well as enhancing skills that I felt I had…. Try to find a positive mentor to help you progress in the organisation and avoid toxic people!” – Midge

“To encourage other women to join (I would say) to give it a go there are plenty of roles for every woman, it’s also a great way to get out in the community and show them how much you love to support the community” – Lucy

Photo: Joanne Smith – Lismore Floods 2022

Here’s to all the amazing people who deliver emergency and disaster response to our community in all its forms, and let’s hope these trying times will soon come to an end.

Kylie – AWE NSW Chapter Lead

AWE Aotearoa NZ

Hello AWE Aotearoa NZ members – I’m your new Chapter Lead Paula Naude.

What an incredible network AWE is! I have been blown away by the breadth of emergency services represented by so many women. I am excited, and feel privileged, to be heading up AWE Aotearoa NZ chapter as I am an advocate for furthering the interests of women in spaces historically not seen as the female domain, and believe women have an incredible amount to offer in crisis management spaces.

I am currently the Manager of Emergency Management for Tauranga City Council and will soon be appointed Recovery Manger for the city Prior to entering the emergency management space, I had a career in policing, having left the police service after 16 years as a commissioned officer (Detective Captain), my commission authorising me to lead the police Joint Operations Centre (JOC), a role that has many similarities to the role and responsibility of our EOC controllers.

I have qualifications in policing and psychology, and currently just a research report away from completing my masters in psychology. I am interested in people’s behaviour and subsequent response to disaster, as this better informs planning and subsequent engagement in the Emergency Management space. I am a member of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), and currently working toward my certification. I am also a believer in giving back to community, and I volunteer my time with NZ Mentoring Foundation, providing mentorship to leaders primarily from the not-for-profit sector.

I am married with 2 teenage girls aged 15 and 18, and live in the beautiful Tauranga moana, New Zealand. As a family we enjoy travelling and the outdoors, particularly the beach.

I look forward to being part of a network that encourages and supports the development of women in emergency management and disaster resilience, and which provides opportunities to network and learn from each other. There is such strength to be drawn from such a network and I look forward to the many conversations I will have, and skills I will develop and strengthen within this amazing organisation.

Please feel free to email me at any time, and I look forward to meeting you all!

Paula – AWE Aotearoa NZ Chapter Lead

AWE VIC

AWE Breakfast – Yarra Ranges
8am Wednesday 13 April
Hutch & Co, Lilydale
Contact Amanda Lamont for further information

Australasian Women in Emergencies for Climate Action

Women in Emergencies for Climate Action is a new AWE Chapter focusing on Climate Change.

Our next meeting will be held at 12pm on Tuesday 19 April. Copy this link into your calendar if you’re going to join us.

For enquiries about Women in Emergencies for Climate Action, please email Amanda.

News, resources and opportunities

Domestic violence increase during natural disasters: A Flinders University review of 39 papers on domestic violence finds that while thirty percent of women experience domestic violence in various circumstances, this rate increases during natural disasters such as bushfires, floods, and cyclones while community attention is focused on recovery and reconstruction.

Women at the table: UNDRR explains how women leaders are driving pandemic recovery to achieve an inclusive and equal future for all, and that to bring about genuine inclusive and sustainable change women and girls must be the architects of preparedness, response and recovery plans.

Gender and disaster training: Gender and Disaster Australia’s training program focuses on how women, men and LGBTIQA+ people experience emergencies and disasters differently, including: understanding the escalating rates of family violence and men’s harmful behaviours and suicide; referral of women to the services and support needed in emergencies and after disaster; support for men to access help in the community or workplace; planning to respond well to the needs of LGBTIQA+ people. Register your Expression of Interest now.

Federal budget doesn’t meet the needs of women: AGEC has stated that the recent federal budget does not address the systemic issues surrounding women in Australia. In their media release in response to the budget, AGEC calls for a robust and sustainable framework within government to achieve true gender equality and safety for women.

Job Opportunities

ACT
Secretariat and Governance Officer – NRRA
Operational Capability Coordinator – ACT State Emergency Service

NSW
Community Disaster Resilience Officer – Murwillumbah
Safety Partner – Central Coast North Sydney – NSW Ambulance

NT
Emergency Services Officer – Preparedness & Engagement – Australian Red Cross
Paramedics – Royal Flying Doctor Service

QLD
Community Engagement Officer – Queensland Fire and Emergency Services
Disaster Resilience and Recovery Officer – Moreton Bay Regional Council

SA
Director Community Risk, Resilience and Planning – Country Fire Service
Director Contract Management & Delivery – Country Fire Service

TAS
Manager – Mental Health Recovery – Department of Health,
Business Relationship Manager – Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management

VIC
Climate Emergency Program Officer – Mornington Peninsula Shire
Development Support Officer – Life Saving Victoria

WA
Deputy Commissioner Strategy and Emergency Management, Department of Fire and Emergency Services
Coordinator Emergency Services – Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale

NZ
Senior Response Advisor – Auckland Council
Team Leader, Planning – NEMA

Other Events

7 March Resilient Australia Awards – NRRA/AIDR (applications open)

23-28 May Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction – UNDRR

6-10 June Fire & Climate 2022 Conference – IAWF

5-6 July Emergency Management Conference 2022 – ESF

25-26 July Disaster & Emergency Management Conference – ANZDMC

23-26 August AFAC22 – AFAC/Deutsche Messe/IFE/AIDR

10 October Australasian Women in Emergencies Day

Newsletter contributions

The AWE Newsletter is published monthly and is distributed to almost 1600 AWE members across Australasia. For contributions, queries or to let us know what you would like to see in the newsletter, please email us at [email protected].

About AWE

The Australasian Women in Emergencies Network (AWE) promotes, supports and recognises the contributions of women in emergency management and disaster resilience across Australasia.

www.awenetwork.org.au
[email protected]

To become an AWE member, please click here.
AWE badges are available from our shop.

AWE acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work, and pays our respect to Elders, past, present and emerging.