NSW Rural Fire Service Library
New books, reports and articles in the library
September 2023
Subjects
Lessons from the 2019/2020 ‘Black Summer Bushfires’ in Australia (Journal article)
International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, October 2023
Co-authored by Iftkehar Ahmed and Kylie Ledger this paper is pitched for an international audience to disseminate the knowledge and lessons gained from a major disaster in Australia.The ‘Black Summer Bushfires’ resulted in extensive devastation with severe economic, social, environmental and political impacts, and tragically, loss of human lives and wildlife. However, despite the strong institutional structure and community social capital, various gaps and challenges were evident at different stages – before, during and after the bushfires – especially stemming from the uncertainty posed by climate change. Recovery and rebuilding has proven highly challenging and even after two years recovery has not been achieved for many people, who need to rely on the social capital of their neighbours and community to cope with the difficult circumstances that they are confronted with.
Use this ScienceDirect link to read the article online
Fire incidents - International
The August 9, 2023 Hawaii Wildfires (Briefing note)
Risk Frontiers, August 2023
On August 9, 2023, around 11 fires burned across the Hawaiian islands, one of which tore through the township of Lahaina on the island of Maui. This particularly fast-spreading fire engulfed most of the buildings, razing timber houses and historical monuments. At the time of writing this article, these fires have collectively claimed 115 lives, ranking them as the deadliest fires that have occurred in the US over the past century. This article summarises the fire evolution, Hawaii’s fire experience, and the impact
Use this Risk Frontiers link to read the article online.
ON FIRE: The Report of the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission (US report)
US Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission, September 2023
In 2021, the US federal Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission was created with the responsibility of outlining a comprehensive set of recommendations to address the US wildfire crisis and how the US federal agencies will manage wildfire across the landscape. The final report makes 148 recommendations covering seven key themes including proactive planning, expanding the workforce, collaboration support and investing in resilience.
Use this USDA link to read the report online.
A case study of the camp fire - notification, evacuation, traffic, and temporary refuge areas (NETTRA) (Report)
National Institute of Standards and Technology (US), August 2023
The 2018 Camp Fire in Butte County, California quickly impacted the communities of Concow, Paradise, and Magalia, triggering widespread evacuation of 40000 people. The fire became the most deadly and destructive fire in California history, resulting in 85 fatalities and more than 18000 destroyed structures. This report focuses on the life safety components of Notification, Evacuation, Traffic, and Temporary Refuge Areas (NETTRA).
Use this NIST link to read the article online.
WUI Fire Evacuation and Sheltering Considerations: Assessment, Planning, and Execution (ESCAPE) (Report)
National Institute of Standards and Technology (US), August 2023
The purpose of this report is to use the lessons learned from the NIST Camp Fire case study to present a methodology and other considerations about WUI fire incidents that can be used by small and intermediate-size WUI communities to help develop notification and evacuation plans. The proposed methodology considers the spatial and temporal components of fire spread and the resulting impacts fire can have on evacuation to create an evacuation triangle that can be used as the foundation for notification and evacuation decisions by emergency managers.
Use this NIST link to read the report online.
Building code checklist for fire safety (Checklist)
The World Bank, 2023
Urban fire risk is a global problem - one that can be heightened during periods of rapid urban development. Inadequacies in urban planning, infrastructure and construction practices related to fire prevention and mitigation significantly increase the potential for fire ignition, fire spread, and potential conflagration. The combination of urbanisation and climate change pose significant challenges for countries and cities to form a comprehensive set of regulatory and policy instruments to achieve a more resilient, sustainable, and accessible built environment.
Use this World Bank link to read the checklist online.
Space Assets and Technology for Bushfire (Book)
By Southern Hemisphere Space Studies Program, 2021
This report was prepared by participants of the Southern Hemisphere Space Studies Program 2021 (SHSSP21) to address the question, ‘How can space assets and technologies be applied to better predict and mitigate bushfires and their impacts?’ The task was addressed under three pillars, namely bushfire prediction (‘Predict’), mitigation of bushfire effects (‘Mitigate’), and communication needs relating to bushfire response (‘Communicate’). Working initially in these three groups, the report was developed by combining the diverse expertise and experience of participants with the interdisciplinary knowledge gained from seminars, distinguished lectures, and workshops, and a literature review. With reference to the 2019–2020 Australian fire season, each group conducted a current state analysis and identified key challenges. Comparing this to the future desired state, we identified gaps in each of the three domains, and then worked across teams to reach consensus on a combined list of recommendations. This included cloud-based technology infrastructure, thermal protective materials, and an interoperable national communications.
Contact the library to borrow this book.
Fundamentals of fire fighter skills and hazardous materials response (Book)
By International Association of Fire Chiefs, 2019
This fourth edition is a complete US Fire Fighter I and Fire Fighter II training solution. Understanding that today's fires release energy faster, reach flashover potential sooner, and may reach higher temperatures than building fires of the past is critically important for new and seasoned fire fighters. This foundational knowledge is covered extensively, in addition to recent data identifying the higher rate of physical and mental health issues in the US fire service than the general population. Information relating to fire fighter health and safety has been revised and updated to include behavioural and physical health awareness topics and statistics.
Contact the library to request a loan of the book.
Ground cover fire fighting for structural firefighters (Book)
By Thomas E. Richter, 2018
This US manual is for emergency responders who encounter fast-moving fires that are commonly referred to as ground cover fires or brush fires, as opposed to forest or wildland fires. This book combines information from three trusted sources, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The information in this manual presents organized, safe, and effective responses to ground cover fires.
Contact the library to request a loan of the book.
AI sensors in the forest can smell a wildfire before it spreads (News article)
The Next Web, August 2023
Telecoms specialist Dryad Networks, based out of Berlin, hopes to bring down wildfire detection time from several hours to just a few minutes, giving firefighters time to respond more effectively. Dryad has developed a suite of technologies installed throughout the forest that detect wildfires before they spread — an ‘Internet of Trees’ if you will. Unlike conventional tools, like satellites, cameras, and watchtowers, Dryad’s network doesn’t need to see a fire to know it’s there. Solar-powered sensors, placed about one per hectare throughout the forest’s understory, detect wildfires in their early smouldering phase by ‘smelling’ tell-tale gases like hydrogen and carbon monoxide in microscopic quantities. They also monitor temperature, humidity, and air pressure.
Use this TNW link to read the article online.
Extending methods for assessing fuel hazard in temperate Australia to enhance data quality and consistency (Journal article)
International Journal of Wildland Fire, online 22 Sept 2023
The authors developed a repeatable method for assessing fuel in forests, woodlands and shrublands that extended an existing Australian method. Fuel properties and hazard differed between the two methods. The extended method took longer but offered advantages including improved scope for data integration with emerging fuel-measurement techniques and multi-value vegetation assessments.
Use this CSIRO link to read the article online.
Taming Wildfires in the Context of Climate Change (Online Presentation)
OECD Environment, September 2023
How does climate change affect the occurrence of extreme wildfires? What are the losses and costs observed during recent extreme wildfire events and what can be expected for the future? How are countries’ policies and practices evolving in the face of increased wildfire risk and how can they scale up climate adaptation efforts and limit future wildfire costs? Along with a panel of wildfire scientists and country experts, including Raoul Raward from the Australian National Emergency Management Agency, OECD analysts presented key findings and recommendations.
Use this YouTube link to watch the presentation online.
The OECD report and policy highlights are online here.
Fire Behaviour
Dry lightning can spark wildfires even under wetter conditions, (ScienceDaily News)
Washington State University, 14 August 2023
Dry lightning can still be disastrous even when conditions aren't so dry, a study has found. These cloud-to-ground strikes during little to no rainfall were previously thought to pose wildfire danger only if occurring with less than 2.5 mm of rain in a day (about 0.10 inches). A new study of lightning-ignited wildfires in the U.S. West found the strikes caused wildfires despite up to 7.7 mm (about 0.3 inches) of precipitation.
Use this ScienceDaily link to read the news article online.
The effects of pulsating wind on the transition from smouldering to flaming combustion (Journal article)
Fire Safety Journal, Online 25 September 2023
Smouldering and flaming of solid fuels are both originated from pyrolysis and fires can transition between these two types of combustion. Smouldering-to-flaming (StF) transition introduces a sudden increase of fire hazard in terms of temperature, spread rate, and heat release rate. The literature has studied the effect of wind on StF but only on continuous wind. Here, we show for the first time the influence of pulsating wind. Pulsating wind enhances transition by eliminating the cooling and dilution effects of the wind
Use this Elsevier link to read the article online.
Fire investigator (Book)
By International Fire Service Training Association, 2021
The third edition of this US manual provides US fire and emergency services personnel and civilian inspectors with basic information necessary to meet the job performance requirements (JPRs) of NFPA 1033, Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire Investigator, 2021 Edition. Second, this manual meets the US Fire and Emergency Services for Higher Education (FESHE) Course Outcomes for two Associates, Non-Core Courses: Fire Investigation I and Fire Investigation II.
Contact the library to request a loan of the book.
Youth Firesetting Prevention and Intervention (Book)
By Don Porth, 2021
A US manual, the first edition of Fire Protection Publication’s Youth Firesetting Prevention and Intervention will equip interventionists and program managers with the tools needed to create, implement, and evaluate a Youth Firesetting Prevention and Intervention program. The first six chapters of the book are for the interventionist while the last two chapters speak directly to the program manager.
Contact the library to request a loan of the book.
Learning and Professional Development
Driving performance through learning : develop employees through effective workplace learning (Book)
By Andy Lancaster, 2020
An essential handbook for all L&D professionals seeking to transform workplace learning and drive organisational performance. Beginning with an exploration of the fast-changing organisational learning landscape, the book covers everything from how to diagnose needs through performance consulting conversations, using data and metric and tracking impact to designing agile solutions by leveraging technology, facilitating social collaboration and vibrant learning communities. It also defines the key characteristics of the new learning organisation and the emerging roles of the future-focussed L&D team and whether these new responsibilities should be developed in-house or outsourced.
Contact the library to request a loan of the book.
Balancing the Scales (Magazine article)
TD : Talent Development, September 2023
For almost a decade, McKinsey has published its Women in the Workplace study, which has shown a significant drop in the representation of women at the management level (the gap is even more significant among women in underrepresented racial groups). Since the launch of the Emerging Women Leaders program's first cohort in 2019, the one business’s organisational development team has continuously enhanced the program based on feedback and program results.
Contact the library to request a copy of this article.
The blood red sun (Book)
Written and illustrated by Estela Domaoal, 2023
Written for young children, this picture book is about an Australian bird that witnesses a bushfire that swept across Australia. Illustrations in this book are a product of the artist's paintings using different media, most of which are her renditions of the Black Summer scenes found in magazines and on the internet.
Contact the library to request a loan of the book.
Alight : a story of fire and nature (Book)
By Sam Lloyd and illustrated by Samantha Metcalfe, 2023
Fire is a natural part of the Australian bush. This is a story about that relationship - fire that breathes life back into nature. Alight shares the story of Australian native plants and animals during a planned fire. Discover how the fire helps Christmas Bells grow new flowers and Wallum Banksia to open its woody seed capsules. Follow Antechinus and a tiny Wallum Sedge Frog as they face the danger of the fire. See how the bush recovers and flourishes after the fire, all under the watch of Old Eucalypt. Alight is a gentle exploration of the importance and benefits of healthy fire in the bush. Recommended for children ages 6 to 9 years old.
Contact the library to request a loan of the book.
Our Children’s Bush Fire Collection webpage is here and some of our favourite picture books are listed here, available to borrow.
How to survive a crisis : lessons in resilience and avoiding disaster (Book)
David Omand, 2023
In How to Survive a Crisis, Professor Sir David Omand, formerly both a director of GCHQ and the UK's Security and Intelligence Coordinator, shows how anyone can survive - and even thrive in - crises when using methodologies employed by the British intelligence agencies. Using gripping real-world examples from Omand's storied career, including chairing the COBR room in the storm of a crisis, to lessons from historic crises such as Chernobyl, 9/11, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the WannaCry ransomware cyber-attack, this empowering book shows what we can do as individuals and societies to increase our resilience in the face of ever-multiplying crises.
Contact the library to request a loan of the book.
Managing spontaneous volunteers during emergency response: The role of trust (Journal article)
International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, October 2023
Spontaneous volunteers often serve as a critical resource during disaster and emergency response, but they may also cause confusion, accidents and further escalation of an emergency situation. In order to contribute towards a deeper understanding of managerial decision-making and conditions limiting and enabling efficient and effective emergency response, this article examines the role of trust in managing spontaneous volunteers during emergency response
Contact the library to request a copy of this article.
Data, AI and crisis management (Journal article)
Crisis Response Journal, Vol 18, Sept 2023
HAL 9000 isn’t coming for us just yet. For now, AI tools are a great opportunity to get more from our data and information as we prepare for and respond to crises, allowing us to focus on what human minds do best, writes Araba Cole
Contact the library to request a copy of this article.
Silence is a legitimate crisis media strategy (Journal article)
Crisis Response Journal, Vol 18, Sept 2023
Interacting with the media as quickly as possible isn’t always the best idea for organisations, according to Charlie Maclean-Bristol
Contact the library to request a copy of this article.
Alternative Commonwealth capabilities for crisis response (Discussion paper)
Department of Home Affairs (Australia), August 2023
​The Australian Government is currently seeking to enhance Commonwealth crisis responses and recovery capabilities. This comes as Australia faces increasingly frequent and severe crises. The Department of Home Affairs is seeking views on how the nation can achieve this. Climate change will likely make future crises increasingly complex, consecutive and cascading. This applies across a spectrum of hazards. Currently, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the Government’s primary non-financial means to assist State and Territory-led crisis responses, should it be requested. The Defence Strategic Review recommended that the ADF should only be used as the last resort for domestic aid to the civil community.
Use this Home Affairs link to read more about this online.
Largest historic fire death toll belongs to aftermath of 1923 Japan Earthquake (ScienceDaily News)
Seismological Society of America, 12 September 2023
Fires that raged in the days following the 1 September 1923 magnitude 7.9 Kant earthquake killed roughly 90% of the 105,000 people who perished in and around Tokyo, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in history -- comparable to the number of people killed in the World War II atomic bombing of Hiroshima. The story of the conflagration, not well-known outside of Japan, holds important lessons for earthquake scientists, emergency response teams and city planners, according to a new article.
Use this ScienceDaily link to read the news article online.
Transitioning operational satellite grassland curing from MODIS to VIIRS (Journal article)
International Journal of Wildland Fire, online 13 Sept 2023
In Australia, MODIS-based grassland curing (senescence) data have fed into fire danger calculations since 2013. MODIS has exceeded its designed lifespan, so the grassland curing model has transitioned to VIIRS. The VIIRS curing model was handed over to the Bureau of Meteorology for continued daily input into fire danger calculations.
Use this CSIRO link to read the article online.
Trends in bushfire related tweets during the Australian ‘Black Summer’ of 2019/20 (Journal article)
Forest Ecology and Management, October 2023
Social media is widely used in emergencies, but the nature of the communication is poorly understood. 80,000 Twitter tweets on Australian bushfires were analysed using machine learning posted by users in Australia over a six-month period before, during and after the severe bushfires in 2019–2020. Social impacts were important in the early phase of the fires with health impacts discussed when the fires were most intense and ecological impacts becoming important in the recovery phase. Twitter users also talked about emergency responses, mainly evacuation, as the fires were starting, showing that Twitter played an important role in communicating advice to leave early to avoid harm.
Use this ScienceDirect link to read the article online.
Social vulnerability of the people exposed to wildfires in U.S. West Coast states (Journal article)
Science Advances, Vol 9, September 2023
People experiencing a high degree of social vulnerability are also more exposed to wildfires in Oregon and Washington in the US as wildfire risk increases. Increased social vulnerability of populations in burned areas was the primary contributor to increased exposure of the highly vulnerable in California, whereas encroachment of wildfires on vulnerable populations was the primary contributor in Oregon and Washington. The study’s results emphasise the importance of integrating the vulnerability of at-risk populations in wildfire mitigation and adaptation plans.
Use this Science link to read the journal article online.
The influence of regional wind patterns on air quality during forest fires near Sydney, Australia (Journal article)
Science of The Total Environment, Vol 905 Online early 20 December 2023
Wind drives both fire behaviour and smoke dispersal. Understanding regional wind patterns would assist in effectively managing smoke risk. Sydney, Australia is prone to smoke pollution because it has a large population close to fire-prone eucalypt forests. Wind patterns influencing smoke movement on active fire days are identified. Wind patterns with sea breezes generally had worse air quality. The work helps identify wind patterns that should avoided when scheduling burns.
Use this ScienceDirect link to read the article online.
Health costs of wildfire smoke to rise under climate change (Journal article)
npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, July 2023
The global health burden from wildfire smoke is expected to worsen under climate change, yet we lack quantitative estimates of the economic costs of increased mortality and hospital admissions for cardiovascular and respiratory conditions. Using a quantitative wildfire risk assessment framework and a 12-member climate model ensemble, we find a median increase in wildfire smoke health costs of 1–16% by 2070 across diverse landscapes in south-eastern Australia. Ensemble maximum cost increases (5–38%) often exceed abatements from fuel treatment, while costs decline moderately (0–7%) for the ensemble minimum. Unmitigated climate change will increase the health burden of wildfire smoke and undermine prescribed burning effectiveness.
Use this Nature link to read the article online.
World heritage sites of Australia (Book)
By Peter Valentine, 2023
From the ancient, pristine temperate rainforests in the south to the massive escarpments and tropical wetlands in the north, our world heritage sites are dazzling in their ecological complexity and the record they offer of life on this planet and the human experience in Australia. The outstanding qualities of each site are described and illustrated in exquisite detail, along with an account of how the site came to be on the World Heritage List. Rainforests that show the connections of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana. Rock art that points to a history of human settlement reaching over 60,000 years into the past. Sandstone remnants of eighty years of convict labour and imprisonment. A marvel of twentieth-century architecture. This is Australia’s world heritage.
Contact the library to request a loan of the book.
Wildlife and Habitat Bushfire Recovery Program (Report)
Australian National Audit Office, August 2023
The Australian Government committed $200 million to promote the recovery of native wildlife and their habitats as part of the response to the 2019–20 bushfires. This audit provides assurance to Parliament on the design and implementation of the Wildlife and Habitat Bushfire Recovery Program (the program). The audit also assesses whether the department is monitoring whether the program’s objectives to facilitate the recovery of wildlife and habitat in the fire-affected areas are being met.
Use this ANAO link to read the summary and recommendations online.
Native plants of the Sydney region : from Newcastle to Nowra and west to the Dividing Range (Book)
By Alan Fairley & Philip Moore, 2010
This is the third edition of the Handbook of the native plants found from Newcastle to Nowra, with 1400 colour photographs and authoritative text. It is a reference for anyone who loves the Australian bush.
Contact the library to request a loan of the book.
Almost half of koala habitats will be under high bushfire threat by 2070 (ScienceDaily News)
Flinders University, 18 September 2023
The research team generated a series of fire susceptibility maps. These show the proportion of Australia experiencing 'high' or 'very high' fire susceptibility increasing from 14.9% now to 15.66% by 2070 -- while fire susceptibility of areas suitable for the plants that koalas depend on is tipped to jump from 39.56% to 44.61% by 2070.
Use this ScienceDaily link to read the news article online.
Use this Environmental Technology & Innovation journal link to read the related journal article Habitat in flames: How climate change will affect fire risk across koala forests landscape online.
Meteorology and Climate Change
Climate of the nation 2023 (Report)
The Australia Institute, Sept 2023
The Australia Institute’s annual Climate of the nation report provides a comprehensive account of Australian attitudes towards climate change, its causes and impacts, and the integrity of Australia’s current and proposed climate solutions. For many Australians, 2023 has been defined by the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. Nevertheless, even with the overwhelming and understandable distraction caused by inflation and ever-growing interest rates, climate change remains at the forefront of the nation’s consciousness. Over 70% of Australians say that they are concerned about climate change and its impacts, including the potential it has to compound existing cost-of-living pressures.
Use this Australia Institute link to read the report online.
Tracing the formation of exceptional fronts driving historical fires in Southeast Australia (Journal article)
npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, August 2023
Extreme cold fronts are closely associated with the spread of large wildfires in Australia. The strength of a front is determined by the drop in temperature across it, which will in turn be determined by the warm and cold temperature anomalies on either side of the front. Here, we examine the Black Saturday and Ash Wednesday fires in southeast Australia through a Lagrangian decomposition framework, exploring the origin of the potential temperature anomalies that formed these extreme cold fronts.
Use this Nature link to read the article online.
The end of trauma : how the new science of resilience is changing how we think about PTSD (Book)
George A. Bonanno, 2021
"After 9/11, thousands of mental health professionals from across the country assembled in Manhattan to help handle the almost certain avalanche of traumatised New Yorkers. Curiously, it never came. While plenty of people did seek mental health counseling after 9/11, the numbers were nowhere near expected. As renowned psychologist George Bonanno argues, psychiatrists failed to predict the response to 9/11 because our model of trauma is wrong. Bonanno's research has shown that the natural response to stressful situations is not trauma but resilience.
Contact the library to borrow this book.
Helping an Employee in Distress (Magazine article)
Harvard Business Review, Sept-Oct 2023
Many managers are given first-aid training in the office. But very few receive any training for dealing with mental health crises that may arise in the workplace. Amid heightened stressors, including the lingering effects of the pandemic and economic uncertainty, more employees than ever are experiencing issues such as anxiety and depression at work. And increasingly, employees are open to having—and even expect to have—conversations about mental-health challenges that are affecting their performance. This article introduces the basic tenets of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as a mental-health first-aid tool.
Contact the library to request a copy of this article.
The jenga blocks of traumatic stress (Magazine article)
Wildfire Magazine, August 2023
This article looks at the stress of wildland fire, where stress hormones take much longer to subside, spiking quickly and disproportionately in response to stressful stimuli. The constant and cumulative cascade of these hormones can wreak havoc to our health and well-being, physically, mentally, emotionally, relationally and spiritually.
Use this Wildfire link to read the article online.
The Survivors (US Podcast Series)
NFPA Podcasts, August 2023
Originally broadcast in 2017, this award-winning five-part podcast series gives a rarely seen look at the lingering effects of American home fires. It follows the van Dijk family who lost two children in a fire in 2014 and follows the impact and healing process.
Principles of passenger vehicle extrication (Book)
By International Fire Service Training Association, 2022
IFSTA's Principles of Passenger Vehicle Extrication, 5th Edition, provides rescue personnel with an understanding of the current challenges, techniques, skills and equipment available for the safe and effective extrication of victims trapped in passenger vehicles. This US manual teaches passenger vehicle extrication in three levels of capability by orientation or vehicle position and follows the same linear sequence a rescuer will encounter at a vehicle extrication incident from size-up through disentanglement.
Contact the library to borrow this book.
Australian women pilots : amazing true stories of women in the air (Book)
By Kathy Mexted
Tenacious, determined and sometimes fearless, Kathy Mexted shares the stories of ten extraordinary Australian women compelled to take to the skies. You will meet trailblazers like Nancy Bird Walton, Deborah Wardley, who was told by Ansett that women couldn't be pilots, and Gaby Kennard, the first Australian woman to fly solo around the world. Others are perhaps less known, but as flyers of Spitfires, Tiger Moths, Cessnas and fighter jets, their stories are just as extraordinary.
Contact the library to borrow this book.
Public safety and AI-powered drones (Journal article)
Crisis Response Journal, Vol 18, Sept 2023
AI-enabled drones have revolutionised public safety by providing data analysis and strategic recommendations in various emergency scenarios, writes Charles Werner
Contact the library to request a copy of this article.
537 days of winter (Book)
By David Knoff
What would you do if you were stranded in the coldest place on Earth as the world you knew back home changed forever? David Knoff had embarked on the adventure of a lifetime as station leader of Davis research station in Antarctica when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. After their ride home was cancelled indefinitely, what was supposed to be a routine mission became a high-pressure cauldron of uncertainty and anxiety that pushed David's team of 24 expeditioners to their mental limits.
Contact the library to borrow this book.
HBR guide to AI basics for managers (Book)
Harvard Business Review, 2023
The rewards of every AI system come with risks-and if you don't understand how to make sense of them, you're not going to make the right decisions. Whether you want to get up to speed quickly, could just use a refresher, or are working with an AI expert for the first time, HBR Guide to AI Basics for Managers will give you the information and skills you need. You'll learn how to: understand key terms and concepts; identify which of your projects and processes would benefit from an AI approach; deal with ethical issues before they come up; hire the best AI vendors; run small experiments; work better with your AI experts and data scientists
Contact the library to borrow this book.
When your life depends on it : lessons from the Antarctic (Book)
Brad Borkan and David Hirzel, 2017
This book puts you right into the action of the life-and-death decisions made by early Antarctic explorers. It is filled with unforgettable stories about the challenges and decisions they faced on the ice. While we might not be pulling sledges across Antarctica in the early 1900s, this book also reveals valuable lessons in leadership, team work, and sheer grit and determination that can help all of us make better decisions in our lives today.
Contact the library to borrow this book.
To the top : how women in corporate leadership are rewriting the rules for success (Book)
By Jenna Fisher, 2023
You’ll discover how traits often held by women―including compassion, empathy, communication, mentorship, and collaboration―are now in high demand. And why, in this time of volatility and disruption, women are standing on the most solid foundation for success than ever before. Drawing on scientific research and the powerful stories of women business leaders who have already made it to the top, the book sets out how we can seize this opportunity in front of us.
Contact the library to borrow this book.
Leadership matters : stories and insights for leaders, achievers, and visionaries (Book)
By Peter Baines, 2023
In Leadership Matters, celebrated humanitarian Peter Baines OAM shares remarkable stories and unique insights about leadership in challenging times. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience in leading others through crises and disasters, Peter demonstrates how great leaders rise above adversity. He unpacks how leadership skills such as courage, compassion, and integrity are essential for finding a way forward and triumphing against the odds. In particular, it reveals how the devastating aftermath of Thailand's Boxing Day Tsunami has shaped Peter's understanding of what it means to be a true leader.
Contact the library to borrow this book.
Using Old-School Theories to Drive Successful Change (Magazine article)
Fire Engineering, September 2023
Without question, one of the most difficult challenges facing leaders in the fire service is getting members to adopt change in their routines. In many cases, when we are first introduced to innovation, our first reaction is cynicism. As technology permeates the fire service at an unprecedented rate, leading the membership through change is becoming a critical skill for the modern fire officer. Understanding the Diffusion of Innovation Theory allows a fire officer to identify how others perceive and assimilate new ideas and technology into their routines.
Contact the library to request a copy of this article.
The Anxious Micromanager (Magazine article)
Harvard Business Review, Sept-Oct 2023
The command-and-control management style has been on the decline for decades. Research has shown that companies perform better when leaders empower, encourage, and coach employees instead of delivering orders, micromanaging, and meting out discipline. Nonetheless, that style remains prevalent. At root, the tendency to micro- manage stems from a leader’s own anxiety and lack of confidence.
Contact the library to request a copy of this article.
 |
A national evidence-based SES program to reduce injury (Hazard Note)
Natural Hazards Research Australia, August 2023
The SES Fitness for Role program was launched at the AFAC23 conference in Brisbane in August 2023. This research has developed an evidence-based program that defines the minimum physical fitness required to safely undertake certain SES tasks, supplemented with a set of physical fitness assessments that can be undertaken by SES units and groups. It is the first time that state- and territory-based emergency services across Australia have collectively developed and implemented a single national approach to safe physical fitness of first responders
Use this NHRA link to read the hazard note online.
Storytellers : questions, answers and the craft of journalism (Book)
By Leigh sales, 2023
Highly respected ABC anchor, bestselling author and hit podcaster Leigh Sales interviews the cream of Australian journalists about their craft - how (and why) they bring us the stories that inform our lives. In this book, she turns her interviewing skills onto her own profession. In ten sections - from News Reporting to Editing, via Investigative, Commentary and of course Interviewing - Sales takes us on a tour of the profession, letting the leaders in their field talk direct to us about how they get their leads, survive in war zones, write a profile, tell a story with pictures, and keep the show on the road. A who's-who of Australian journalism - including Lisa Millar, Kate McClymont, Hedley Thomas, Trent Dalton, Benjamin Law, Tracy Grimshaw, Richard Fidler, David Speers, Stan Grant, Niki Savva, Waleed Aly, Annabel Crabb, Karl Stefanovic and Mia Freedman - talk candidly about their greatest lessons and their trade secrets.
Contact the library to borrow this book.
The Gratitude Cloak : A Memoir (Book)
By Kate Hammond, 2023
One ordinary Tuesday, Katie finds herself catapulted into a parent's worst nightmare when a precautionary blood test reveals her five-year-old son Josh has leukaemia. With two more little boys and a husband with a spinal cord injury, Katie has to learn to balance family life with months of intensive hospital treatment for Josh. Her raw vulnerability is exposed as she finds a strength she didn't know she had - a strength fortified by moments of completely unexpected beauty and humour. This frank, heartfelt and witty memoir sheds a warm glow over the darkest of times through Josh's two years of gruelling cancer treatment, and offers an insight into the heart of this traumatic experience.
Contact the library to borrow this book.
Hosted by Prosentient