Building Cultural Competence in Emergency Management

Emergency management professionals from around Australia gathered at the DFES Bushfire Centre of Excellence for a full day workshop as part of the AFAC25 Professional Development Program. The event, held on Friday 29 August, focused on enhancing cultural competency and fostering respectful, effective collaborations with First Nations Australians.

Titled “Sharing Learnings for Meaningful Collaborations with First Nations Australians”, the workshop brought together practitioners committed to developing culturally safe practices and deepening their understanding of cultural fire management.

Held in the heart of Bindjareb Country, the Bushfire Centre of Excellence provided a meaningful and respectful setting for these important conversations. The centre, located in the Shire of Murray, was developed in close partnership with the Bindjareb Nyungar people, whose cultural knowledge and connection to Country have shaped its design, services and programs.

Facilitated by Zoe Davis from As One Nyitting, participants engaged in small-group discussions guided by insights from the DFES Cultural Fire Program which has documented 23 key lessons over three years using a lessons management methodology. These insights focused on three areas:

• Enabling Two-Way Learning
• Demonstrating Cultural Competence
• Navigating Authorising Environments

The learnings provided practical guidance for government programs supporting cultural burning initiatives. A detailed summary is available in the Australian Journal of Emergency Management (April 2025).

Bushfire Knowledge and Practice Manager Peter Galvin said workshop was about more than fire management. “It’s about listening, learning and walking together. The lessons shared today are a roadmap for respectful, enduring partnerships with First Nations communities,” he said.

A highlight of the workshop was the live graphic recording that visually captured the discussions in real time. The evolving murals encouraged deeper reflection, supported memory retention and provided a vibrant summary to share post-event.

Attendees also explored the Bushfire Centre of Excellence, with its culturally embedded design features gaining further insight into how place can support meaningful engagement.

As the workshop concluded, participants left with a renewed sense of purpose and a shared commitment to embedding cultural competence into their work. The event not only deepened understanding but also reinforced the importance of walking alongside First Nations communities to shape a more inclusive and resilient emergency management future.

For more information, contact the Bushfire Centre of Excellence Cultural Fire Program team cultural.fire.prog@dfes.wa.gov.au.