AFAC National Capability Statement 2023
AFAC, in collaboration with state and territory fire and emergency services, has produced a National Capability Statement that provides a consolidated picture of the capabilities that enable Australia to respond to the challenges posed by the increasing frequency and intensity of disasters.
by AFAC
5 February 2024
The National Capability Statement is a snapshot in time of capability and provides an opportunity to ensure that Australia’s fire and emergency service resources can be quantified with a view to appropriately directing requests for assistance during large scale or multiple severe to catastrophic disasters. It also provides a platform for state and territory governments and the Australian Government to better plan future capabilities.
The National Capability Statement does not attempt to report on every capability, function and resource type that exist in fire and emergency service agencies across the country. Rather, it focuses on those capabilities that are to most commonly looked to for interstate mutual aid.
Core capabilities are listed in the following areas:
- Firefighting
- Search and rescue
- Severe weather response
- Hazardous materials (HAZMAT)
- Damage and impact assessment
- Incident management
- Aviation
The National Capability Statement is intended as a resource for state and territory agencies to understand the national capability available if they need to request assistance from other jurisdictions during a large event.
This edition of the National Capability Statement has sought to further enhance the document by providing an overview of the workforce in each jurisdiction’s capability. It also provides additional analysis of where capability might be significantly increasing or decreasing over time.