On Friday 21 August, the conference continues with a dedicated Professional Development Program, open to anyone in the sector, whether you are new to it or you have spent decades in it. Six workshops and a field trip are led by the practitioners, researchers and agencies actively shaping emergency management today, giving you the chance to hear how real decisions get made in real emergencies and connect with peers and leaders from across the country.
Workshop: Geospatial technologies – Enabling broader collaboration across all levels of emergency management
Presented by EMSINA, sponsored by Fujitsu. Discover how geospatial technology and AI are transforming emergency response. This session is free to attend, so there is no reason not to bring your curiosity, whatever stage you are at. Price: Free
Workshop | Improving operational decision making in Incident & Emergency Management: the AFAC National Operational Guidelines on Decision Making
Presented by CQ University and Natural Hazards Research Australia. Sharpen how you make calls under pressure with a new model built on 70 years of research into expert decision making. Valuable whether you are leading your first incident or your five hundredth. Price: $350 + GST.
Workshop | Unpacking Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR): Building practical approaches to identify and reduce risks
Presented by Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience, with guest contributor Professor JC Gaillard. Rethink what you know about risk in a full day of hands-on learning, fully catered, for anyone working with risk at any level. Price: $350 + GST.
Workshop: Disaster recovery for all
Presented by Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience, led by Dr Kate Brady. Work through a live recovery scenario and leave with practical tools for the thorniest problems recovery practitioners face, drawing on 50 years of research. Price: $350 + GST.
Workshop: ESF 2026 Mental Health Showcase
Presented by ESF. Join national leaders in wellbeing for a full day exploring psychosocial safety, suicide prevention and the future of first responder mental health, built for anyone responsible for the people around them. Price: $250 per person.
Field Trip: Fire safety in the Metro rail project
Presented by Fire Rescue Victoria. Step onto an active worksite and see how fire brigade intervention and project delivery come together on one of Melbourne’s biggest infrastructure builds, with morning tea and lunch included. Price: $125 + GST.
Spaces are limited and fill quickly. Choose the sessions that speak to you and register today.
