Highlights from the 2026 Australian Community Engagement and Fire Awareness Conference

Representatives from AFAC and AIDR joined delegates from across the country to share knowledge, strengthen partnerships, and exchange practical approaches to community engagement. 
 
Centred on the theme ‘Evolving Engagement, Tailored Action, Prepared Communities’, the conference examined how agencies can adapt to changing risks, use research and local data more effectively, and work alongside communities as active partners in building preparedness. 
 
AFAC was proud to sponsor the event, which provided a valuable opportunity for practitioners to share knowledge, strengthen partnerships and exchange practical approaches to community engagement.

Throughout the conference, AIDR and AFAC staff connected with delegates through the exhibition space, having discussions on recovery, resilience and the future direction of disaster risk reduction. The stand provided a valuable opportunity to hear directly from practitioners about emerging challenges and opportunities, while also raising awareness of the work of AIDR and AFAC in supporting the emergency management sector and the work of volunteers.  

Across 2 days, delegates attended presentations and discussions spanning 4 key streams focusing on strengthening community engagement through capability building, innovation, evidence-based practice, and community preparedness. 

The conference opened with a keynote from Dr Jason Fox, who encouraged delegates to embrace new ways of engaging with communities while remaining authentic to their values and purpose.  
 
Later, a keynote presentation from Gabrielle Dolan explored the power of storytelling in community engagement. She emphasised that authentic stories, whether personal or second-hand, are among the most effective ways to communicate important messages, while fabricated stories can undermine trust and credibility. 

Katelyn Samson, Oshanna Alexander, and Melissa Pepping from the Resilience and Risk Reduction team hosted a workshop exploring how communities are experiencing and responding to repeated disasters. Delivered through the AFAC and AIDR partnership, the session created space to hear directly from people working with communities affected by bushfire, flood and other emergencies, and to reflect on the growing reality that disasters are no longer occurring as isolated events with clear time to prepare, respond, and recover.

Participants discussed how compound and cascading disasters, alongside pressures such as housing stress, cost-of-living challenges, trust and fatigue, are shaping community recovery and resilience. The workshop highlighted the importance of understanding the accumulated impacts people may be carrying from previous events, and how this can influence the way communities engage with emergency services, volunteers and each other. It explored how strong relationships, community capability and locally informed engagement can both support preparedness activities and strengthen recovery, reinforcing the connection between recovery, preparedness, and disaster risk reduction. 

Insights from the discussion will help inform national guidance, like AIDR’s review of the Recovery Handbook, and strengthen the connection between research, policy and practice in the disaster risk system, which is important as the system adapts to increasingly complex disaster environments.  

On the second day, a session on caring for Country and communities highlighted the NSW Rural Fire Service’s ongoing commitment to strengthening partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.  

Discussions centred on creating more pathways into mitigation and volunteer roles, supporting cultural heritage and awareness programs, strengthening Aboriginal Ranger groups and On Country burning initiatives, and building lasting partnerships that value Indigenous knowledge in emergency management. There was also a strong focus on education, community engagement, and sharing positive stories to inspire future collaboration and resilience. 

Overall, the conference was a valuable opportunity to strengthen partnerships, share knowledge, and reinforce AIDR and AFAC's commitment to supporting more resilient communities.