Emergency management with Andrew Short AFSM

Andrew Short AFSM is the Assistant Commissioner for the State Emergency Services for Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES).

Andrew is no stranger to the challenges associated with providing effective emergency management, having worked for QFES for over 20 years. He is passionate about lifelong learning, especially when it comes to investigating how organisations can improve how they lead, manage and train to achieve the outcome of operational excellence.

In 2007 he was acknowledged for his achievements when he was awarded an Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) for significant contribution to QFRS Operational and Business processes. including iZone, wildfire preparedness (WAL, LAP, RAM), Functional Management and Absenteeism Management improvements. This medal is the highest national award for fire service officers in Australia. He is also a life member of the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland.

Andrew is married with two teenage children, and with his family enjoys travelling within (and outside of) Australia. He is also an avid shipwreck scuba diver, and uses this sport as a means of gaining respite from work and from his phone!

You can connect with Andrew on LinkedIn.

What Andrew Short and I talked about

• what connection means to him
• preparing for the worst – management of a large emergency
• helping communities understand risk in emergencies and that they can be impacted by an emergency at any time during the year
• working with volunteers
• communication challenges with paid staff and volunteers
• the notion of learning throughout life
• accepting responsibility and what you could do differently to get a better outcome
• having critical friends who are brave enough to challenge you
• Dominick Quartuccio – episode 17
• Books –
• John Carlin, Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation
• Malcolm Gladwell
• Bill Bryson
• Victor Frankel, Man’s Search for Meaning
• Craig Ferguson, Riding the Elephant

You can connect with me on LinkedIn or Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #thisconnectedlife and tagging me @melkettle

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