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AFAC25 powered by INTERSCHUTZ, From local to global: leveraging systems, capability and connection

From the red plains of the Kimberley to the dense southern forests, Australia’s natural beauty is matched only by its unpredictability. Weather events including fires, floods, cyclones, and heat are familiar, yet powerful forces.

Last updated5 Aug 2025

From the red plains of the Kimberley to the dense southern forests, Australia’s natural beauty is matched only by its unpredictability. Weather events including fires, floods, cyclones, and heat are familiar, yet powerful forces. They are neither new nor tame. In every community, in every corner of this country, there are people who rise to meet them. They are our responders, our planners, our volunteers, those who hold the line when nature surges forward. And once each year, they gather.

In 2025, AFAC powered by INTERSCHUTZ returns to Perth, a city shaped by distance, defined by strength. From 26–29 August, what is expected to be more than 5,000 emergency management professionals will come together for AFAC25 to share knowledge, forge connections, and confront the challenges that lie ahead.

This year’s theme, ‘From local to global: leveraging systems, capability and connection’, reflects the reality that emergency events are no longer contained by international borders and neither are their solutions. As disasters become more frequent, complex and interconnected, the sector must evolve. Breaking down silos, improving coordination, and applying insights from both local experience and global best practice is essential to building a more resilient future.

AFAC25 will feature four days of immersive programming, including the AFAC Conference and Exhibition, the Australian Disaster Resilience Conference, the Institution of Fire Engineers (Australia) National Conference, and the Women and Firefighting Australasia Conference. Delegates and visitors will engage with thought leaders, experience new technologies, and explore strategies that bridge on-the-ground realities with global insight.

In the face of rising pressure and limited resources, AFAC25 is a moment to pause, reflect, and realign. Not only to prepare for what’s coming but to protect what matters most. Because resilience is not only in systems – but is in people, and in the powerful act of coming together.

AFAC25 is proudly hosted by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA), with support from regional partners the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and COSEM Safety & Security Services. We also acknowledge the valued support of our destination partners, Business Events Perth and the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.

This year, the conference will also welcome delegations from Hong Kong and Singapore to share best practice on a global scale, strengthening Australasia’s international partnerships in the emergency management sector.

This shared moment of connection, reflection and progress is shaped by the following key features:

Distinctly Perth

Experience the vibrant city of Perth | Boorloo, Australia’s sunniest capital city, where business opportunities abound amidst its natural beauty. This dynamic urban centre, nestled alongside the Swan River | Derbal Yerrigan, offers a plethora of options for you to connect, collaborate, and learn.

Framed by the Swan River, the city boasts 19 pristine beaches, each blessed with dreamy Indian Ocean sunsets, and is home to one of the world’s largest inner-city parks.

You can explore Perth’s historic and bohemian port city of Fremantle | Walyalup, embark on dolphin watching cruises in Rockingham, or arrange a visit to Rotnest Island | Wadjemup to capture a Quokka selfie of your own.

Enhance your conference experience and immerse yourself in cultural tours, luxury hotels, shopping precincts, rooftop bars and waterfront dining at Elizabeth Quay | Goomup on the beautiful Swan River. When you experience Perth, it is easy to see why it is such a relaxed and naturally adventurous capital city.

Sustainability

AFAC25 powered by INTERSCHUTZ continues its commitment to responsible event delivery, with practical steps to reduce environmental impact and promote climate-conscious operations. In partnership with sustainability consultancy Trace, the event will build on existing efforts and introduce further initiatives that make a measurable difference.

Diversity and Inclusion

AFAC25 is committed to fostering a culture of inclusion, respect and equal opportunity. Diversity strengthens our sector, and all delegates are encouraged to support a safe, welcoming environment by upholding these values and calling out behaviour that undermines them.

Networking and Professional Development Programs

One of the most valued aspects of AFAC25 is the chance to reconnect face-to-face with peers, mentors and colleagues from across the country. There’s no better setting than Perth to bring the sector together.

AFAC25 will once again host a series of much-anticipated networking and social events:

Delegates can take part in the AFAC25 Professional Development Program on Friday, 29 August, featuring practical workshops, forums and field visits. These hands-on learning opportunities round out the AFAC experience with real-world applications and cross-agency collaboration.

Keynotes

AFAC25 will feature a standout line-up of keynote speakers, offering critical perspectives on disaster resilience, risk reduction, recovery, planning, and communication. This year’s program includes leaders from global institutions, academia, research, and media.

Keynote speakers include:

Full keynote abstracts and session times can be found in the AFAC25 conference program.

AFAC25 powered by INTERSCHUTZ Exhibition

The AFAC25 powered by INTERSCHUTZ Exhibition is more than a trade show, it is the most comprehensive, future-focused showcase of emergency management capability and innovation in the Southern Hemisphere.

From 26–28 August 2025, the exhibition will span all six halls of the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre, occupying more than 15,000 square metres of indoor and live demonstration space. It will feature hundreds of national and international exhibitors delivering best-in-class solutions across fire, emergency, resilience, recovery and public safety. Exhibitors will present across Halls 1 to 5, while Hall 6 will host the popular Live Demonstration Program, a purpose-built environment for showcasing high-impact techniques, equipment and real-world response simulations.

Whether you're managing frontline crews, overseeing regional infrastructure, coordinating national emergency response or driving innovation within your agency, the AFAC Exhibition is designed to meet the needs of all who protect life, property and community.

The exhibition will focus on products, services and solutions to these industry groups.

These sectors intersect across five collaborative capability categories, each supported by a wide range of exhibitors and demonstrations:

From rotary wing aerial assets and surveillance drones to high-clearance fleet, data platforms, mobile comms, robotics, and climate risk modelling the exhibition is where sector leaders come to see the future of emergency response in action.

With AFAC25 returning to Perth, the event will also provide critical value for professionals in mining, gas, petroleum and heavy industry sectors that face high exposure to fire risk, hazardous materials, workforce vulnerability and regional response pressures. The exhibition will deliver targeted insight and supplier access for:

Key 2025 Features:

Live Demonstration Zone – Hall 6
A showcase of techniques, tools and technology in action. Highlights include accident scene management, patient extrication, rescue system deployment and next-gen firefighting equipment demonstrations.

Solutions Theatre – Hall 3
An open-access program of 20-minute sessions featuring exhibitors, manufacturers and industry professionals delivering practical insights across capability, workforce, fire safety and operational support.

AIDR Knowledge Centre – Hall 2
A space to engage with current research, community projects and applied innovation. The Poster Display provides delegates with the chance to explore peer-reviewed work, speak with authors and vote for the best research initiative.

Meet the Speaker Lounge – Hall 3
A chance for delegates to engage directly with keynote and conference speakers in an informal setting at the AFAC Stand.

AFAC25 will feature hundreds of national and international exhibitors including Natural Hazards Research Australia (NHRA), AWS, Fujitsu, ISUZU Australia, NRMA, DTN, GAAM Emergency Products, Nearmap, FlamePro Global, W. L. Gore & Associates, and Public Safety Training & Response Group. These organisations will showcase cutting-edge products and services tailored to the Collaborative Sectors from response operations and capability to resilience, risk reduction and workforce development.

Exhibition attendance is free, and a $25 lunch voucher is available to registered delegates from participating AFAC25 host agencies.

Exhibition Opening Hours:

AFAC25 thanks the event’s host agencies, exhibitors and partners for supporting a national platform that continues to shape the future of emergency management, response and recovery across Australia and beyond.