Speakers

Commissioner Rob Rogers AFSM first became involved with the NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) in 1979 as a volunteer member of the Belrose Rural Fire Brigade, before being appointed Deputy Fire Control Officer for the Greater Taree District in 1995.

Mr Rogers has held various executive roles in the NSW RFS since 2001, including responsibility for Regional Management, Community Safety and Operations and in 2011 was appointed as Deputy Commissioner.

Commissioner Rogers represents the NSW RFS on national and state bodies including Chair of the Australian Fire Danger Ratings Board and a Board Member on the following NSW Telco Authority, Fire Predictive Services and Australasian Fire & Emergency Service Authorities Council.

During the unprecedented 2019/20 fire season, Mr Rogers coordinated the state-wide response to more than 11,400 bush and grass fires that burnt more than 5.5 million hectares, destroyed 2,448 homes and tragically took 26 lives.

Commissioner Rogers was formally appointed to the role of Commissioner in July 2020.

Commissioner Rogers was awarded the National Medal in 1995 and the Australian Fire Service Medal in 2004.

Mr Rob Webb is the Chief Executive Officer of AFAC, Australia and New Zealand's National Council of Fire and Emergency Services.

AFAC seeks to amplify the collective capability and capacity of emergency management organisations.  Through connection, collaboration, and innovation, they support members to advance the safety and resilience of communities.

Mr Webb is an experienced leader in the emergency management industry.  A meterologist, and formerly Deputy CEO at the Bureau of Meteorology, he built experience across multiple jurisdictions covering some of Australia's most damaging natural disasters.  Mr Webb specialised in extreme weather services and led the Bureau's national weather, flood and climate forecast and warning operations.

Prior to taking up a salaried role with the NSW RFS, Deputy Commissioner Peter McKechnie was a volunteer firefighter with the Narara Brigade.  In 2002 he was employed as a staff member, holding roles such as Director Area Operations, Manager State Operations and Aviation and District Manager.

After acting in the role of Executive Director Operations from September 2020, he was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Field Operations in March 2021.

Deputy Commissioner McKechnie has been part of and led efforts to combat major fires and other emergencies within NSW, interstate and overseas.  He has also represented the NSW RFS in international programs throughout Singapore, Indonesia and the United States and led Australian deployments to the USA and Canada to assist local firefighting authorities.

Deputy Commissioner McKechnie holds Graduate Diploma of Executive Leadership and is a certified Strategic Commander through the national Emergency Management Professionalisation Scheme.

Deputy Commission McKechnie has been awarded the National Medal, Commissioner's Commendation and NSW RFS Long Service Medal.  The 2023 Australia Day Honours saw Deputy Commissioner McKechnie awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal.

Anthony Clark has been a member of the RFS for more than 15 years.  As Director of Communications and Engagement, Anthony is responsible for media, internal and external communications, publications, social media and community engagement activities for more than 70,000 RFS members across NSW, and to the broader community.  This includes the state's annual bush fire safety campaign, and public liaison during bush fire incidents.

Anthony has also led the development of the Australian Warning System through the National Warnings Group, and the national public education for the new Australian Fire Danger Rating System.

Prior to working with the RFS, Anthony was a journalist and broadcaster, covering major news events such as court cases, Olympic Games and, of course, bush fires.

Chief Sjolund oversees CAL FIRE's Command & Control, Fire Protection Operations, Mobile Equipment, Aviation, law enforcement, and Fire Intelligence programs.  With extensive experience in wildfire management and emergency response, he plays a critical role in ensuring California's fire protection strategies remain effective and innovative.  Chief Sjolund is dedicated to enhancing operational efficiency, advancing fire suppression tactics, and strengthening interagency coordination to safeguard communities and natural resources across the state.

1997:    U.S. Coast Guard (E-1 through E-3)

1999:    U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Electrical Technician (E4-E6)

             U.S. Coast Guard H-65 Crew Chief; Coast Guard Air Station North Bend, Oregon

2004:    U.S. Coast Guard H-65 Crew Chief Instructor; Coast Guard Aviation Training Center, Mobile, AL

2005:    Hurricane Katrina Operations (159 lives saved)

2007:    U.S. Coast Guard Officer Candidate School, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT

2008:    U.S. Navy Flight School, Pensacola, FL

2009:    U.S. Coast Guard MH-60 Flight Training, Training Aviation Center, Mobile, AL

             U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Astoria, OR (Aircraft Commander)

2013:    U.S. Coast Guard Aeronautical Engineering Program

             U.S. Coast Guard Aeronautical Engineer and MH-60 Instructor Pilot

2017:    HC-130H & MH-60 Program Manager, U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, DC (MH-60 & HC-130 Pilot)

2020:    CAL FIRE Helicopter Program Manager & Chief Helicopter Pilot (S-70i Instructor Pilot)

Dr Matt Plucinski is a Senior Research Scientist who has over 20 years' of experience in bushfire research.  He is an expert in bushfire suppression effectiveness, which has been his main research interest since joining CSIRO in 2004.

He has conducted many suppression field experiments and evaluations and has used these to develop robust evaluation methods and criteria.  Matt has also undertaken highly controlled suppression experiments in CSIRO's combustion wind tunnell, the Pyrotron, and has developed and applied methods for evaluating wildfire suppressants and retardants.

He has developed initial attack probability models and used these to construct decision support tools that have been used to inform operational response strategies.

Matt has been a member of several national and state level working groups such as the AFAC Fire and Emergency Aviation Group and Victorian Large Air Tanker Reference Group (2014) and has been a volunteer firefighter with his local brigade for over 20 years.

Commander Rigg is an experience Air Operations Manager and Air Attack Supervisor.

In 2022 Commander Rigg was awarded the Australian Fire Service medal (AFSM) for his dedication to improve aviation programs and capability within Victoria which has resulted in some of the most significant changes over the last decade in the way aircraft are dispatched and used operationally to protect communities.

Commander Rigg's influence and leadership in gender diversity has also been integral to the development of women in the aviation sector.  His mentoring and support have seen an increased number of women in the sector and greater gender representation across a range of roles.

He has been instrumental in establishing an Australian first; the Night Fire Suppression Operations Program and the Pre-determined dispatch (PDD) program, along with a range of other aviation initiatives.

Commander Rigg has significantly contributed to the fire and emergency aviation sector through the development of programs that have enhanced operational response and improve safety for both firefighters, and the wider community.

Bernie has over 20 years' experience within the NSW RFS including 11 years in the aviation team as an Air Attack Supervisor and as part of the aviation training portfolio.

He is currently the Supervisor, Aviation and was responsible for overseeing the State Air Desk during the 2019/20 bush fires which devasted large areas of New South Wales.

Ash Morrow is a NSW RFS aviation specialist having been trained as an Air Observer and Air Attack Supervisor and is based in Sydney, NSW.  Ash was born and bred in the central west of New South Wales (Orange) and grew up on a cattle farm. It was during this time Ash joined a local Rual Fire Brigade (North-West Orange) in which he progressed and developed his fire-fighting skills.  Ash held positions of Deputy Captain, Senior Deputy Captain and permit officer whilst he was heavily involved in the brigade before moving onto University in Wollongong to study Commerce.  In 2018, Ash was awarded "Young Volunteer of the Year" for the NSW RFS.

Whilst in Wollongong, Ash maintained his involvement with the RFS and was trained in Air Observer which sparked his passion in fire aviation.  In 2019, Ash completed Air Attack Supervisor Training at the NSW RFS training facility in Dubbo and since this time, has been working towards certification having completed multiple fire and emergency aviation missions.

Ash has been operationally deployed to most parts of New South Wales, Tasmania, Ontario (Canada) and most recently, Alberta (Canada), for a variety of positions.

Ash is currently working full time for Emergency Services in Sydney and is a passionate emergency management practitioner.

Michelle has  been working with the NSW RFS for the past 4 years, on both secondment and now as a permanent staff member.  In addition, she has been a volunteer with the NSW State Emergency Service for the past 29 years and was awarded the Emergency Service Medal in 2020.

Michelle has been involved in aviation operations for the past 15 years and has been involved in many deployments to airbases covering bush fires, flooding and storms.

Superintendent Gibson is the current Executive Manager of the State Air Operations Unit for the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services.  He has been involved in Aerial Firefighting since 2011 and has been managing the capability since 2015.

Martin has had an aviation background his entire career through completing a Bachelor of Engineering (Aeronautical) from Sydney University in 2004 and a Bachelor of Science in Aviation from Griffith University in 2009.

He has worked for both Boeing Australia and Australian Aerospace on military aircraft platforms doing Structural Engineering before joining QFES in the Air Operations Unit in 2011.  Volunteer Firefighting with QFES in 2006 he has evolved a passion for community service and was able to mix this with Aviation in joining the Air Operations Unit for QFES in 2011.

Alina has been involved in Aviation sector for over 15 years in both Australia and the Middle East, her past experience has been with large commercial airlines, in operational, emergency and crisis management roles.  In 2020 Alina worked for the Department of Health using her crisis and emergeny management skills in the COVID-19 response, in the role of Deputy Commander - Compliance and Enforcement covering Aviation and Airports.  Alina then joined the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action in January 2023, and is supported by a team of extremely knowledgeable and dedicated aviation experts within the Aviation Services Unit.

The Aviation Services Unit (ASU) is part of the Forest, Fire and Assets Branch and is a diverse team comprised of subject matter experts in training, procurement, contract management, aviation safety risk and assurance and finance.  On behalf of the State of Victoria, the Aviation Services Unit manages the fire and emergency fleet used in response to emergency response and land management activities.

The Aviation Service Unit procures and manages the Victoria State Fleet/Call when Needed contracts of aircraft, as well as maintaining aviation policy and procedures on behalf of the fire and emergency agencies.  The Aviation Services Unit also facilitates the provision of specialist aviation advice, training of specialist aviation roles, prepares/operates specialist aviation equipment and provides support for Emergency Management Victoria's (EMV) State Air Desk.

Greg is the Manager of Aviation and Logistics for Emergency Management Victoria with portfolio responsibilities for Aviation Operations, Health & Safety, Logistics, Resources, and the Combined Agencies Operations Group within the Victorian EM sector.  As Manager of Aviation since 2014 Greg has been a key contributor to the extensive aviation initiatives undertaken in Victoria since that time.

The Aviation Manager role coordinates the operations and procedures for the State Air Desk and the aviation function regionally as part of a multi agency team.  This includes the ongoing continuous improvement of procedures and operations before, during and after emergencies.  Greg also manages the Victorian Night Fire Aviation Program.

With extensive incident management and operational (response and recovery) experience in major emergencies across a range of hazards, Greg's emergency management roles include State Air Operations Coordinator, Level 3 Incident Controller, Operations and Logistics and various senior field command roles.

Greg has been a volunteer firefighter with CFA since 1986 and is also an ICAM lead investigator and internal safety management systems auditor.

Salah Sukkarieh is the Professor of Robotics and Intelligent Systems at the University of Sydney.  He was awarded the NSW Science and Engineering Award for Excellence in Engineering and Information and Communications Technologies; one of Australia's Most Innovative Engineers by Engineers Australia; the CSIRO Eureka Prize for Leadership in Innovation and Science and was recognised by Engineers Australia's as one of their Centenary Heros.  Salah is a Fellow of Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) and IEEE Senior Member.  He was the Director Research and Innovation at the Australian Centre for Field Robotics from 2007-2018, where he le3d the strategic research and industry engagement program in the world's largest field robotics institute.  Salah has received over $50m university-industry-government research grants in the last ten years and is recognised as an international expert in the research, development, and commercialisation of field robotic systems.  He has led several robotics and intelligent systems R&D projects in logistics, commercial avaition, aerospace, environment monitoring, agriculture, and mining.

Wayne Coulson is the youngest son of Cliff Coulson, who founded Coulson Forest Products Ltd. in 1960.  Wayne began is career in 1978 in the Forestry and Wood Products business, before taking over the administrative side of the family business in late 1984.  Under Wayne's leadership as CEO, the Coulson Group has evolved into a provider of a wide range of management support, and technical services through eight operational companies.  Over the last 55 years, Coulson Aviation has consistently provided clients and customers with quality services and products, highly qualified technical staff, and innovative support solutions.  

Since 2007, Wayne has been working alongside his two sons, Britt and Foster Coulson, developing proprietary technology making Coulson a leading company in the global fight against wildfires.  He has been actively involved with research and development as well as quality control, operation, and inspections of the company's state-of-the-art equipment, ensuring optimal functionality and also that all pieces meet and exceed all contractual requirements.  Wayne's hands-on approach has proven to be a winning strategy accelerating Coulson Aviation to the forefront in the aerial firefighting industry.

James background is in filming and broadcast of recorded and live footage, and he has considerable experience in this field.  James has been involved in the design, development, and implementation of Microflite's SIG technologies for many years, and his expertise has ensured our SIG products are ideally tailored to Member requirements and to the unique conditions of th Australian fire environment.  James is the primary trainer of our SIG aircrew and the primary technician maintaining our surveillance turrets and SIG systems in impeccable conditions.

Rodney has been instrumental in Microflite's growth and diversity since 2010, with continual and dedicated support of Microflite's passionate and qualified management team.  In addition to completing his commercial helicopter licence in Victoria in 2008, Rodney was an aerial camera and systems operator for the NSW Rural Fire Service, monitoring and reporting fire activites across the State.  This led to further aerial utility work including the development and operation of capture and recording systems for powerline networks in Queensland - invaluable experience in the development of Microflite's highly sophisticated Airborne Specialist Intelligence Gathering systems.

Robert (Bob) Baird is the Director, Government and External Affairs at Fortress, a Division of Compass Minerals, developers of the next generation of eco-friendly, long-term, aerial delivered fire retardants.

Mr. Baird retired from the US Forest Service (USFS) after more than a decade in Fire and Aviation Management in 2022, most recently as Director, Fire and Aviation Management (FAM) Pacific Southwest Region (California and the Pacific Islands) for five years.  His prior USFS roles included Deputy National Fire Director, Operations and Aviation in Washington, DC, detailed Deputy Director, CALFIRE in 2014, and Forest Supervisor of the Los Padres National Forest.  In 2012, he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Marine Corps with over 24 years of service, serving multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Barry Kohler joined Erickson in May of 2023.  His experience includes over 40 years in the aerospace industry, with 30 years in senior and executive leadership roles.  These senior leadership positions include roles at Honeywell, BAE Systems, and Bell Flight/Textron.  Barry started his engineering career with Rolls Royce Engines and continued in the propulsion research and development field with Honeywell for 14 years.  He assumed Product Director roles with Honeywell before joining BAE Systems as the leader of their fly-by-wire flight controls business.  He spent 11 years with Bell Flight, running the commercial business and Canadian operations.  He then went on to become President and CEO of Eagle Copters, a position he held for five years.  Barry Kohler earned a mechanical engineer degree from Kettering University (formerly the General Motors Institue).  Barry Kohler is a resident of Central Point Oregon.  This location is near Erickson's manufacturing facilities and is optimal for remaining apprised of critical operations components.

Ray Cronin is one of Australia's most experience helicopter pilots and instructors and has been a key contributor to the development of helicopter safety, training policies and regulations.  Having established Kestrel Aviation in 1985 to fill the void in the Australian market for helicopter pilot training, Ray has led the business through significant growth and adaptation to its current position as a recognised leader in the helicopter industry.  With a focus on safety, innovation and continuous improvement in the technological and service deliver space, Kestrel continues to be a trusted partner to government and commercial clients.

Since commencing his aviation career in 1975 with the Department of Civil Aviaiton he has amassed over 10,000 hours of aeronautical experience; continually contributing to the industry through his expertise and passion for improving the safety of helicopter operations in Australia through his regular input to government committees.  In 2018, he was elected to be the President of the Australian Helicopter Industry Association and was awarded the Royal Aeronautical Society's Col Pay Award for a Lifetime of Service to General Aviation.

Ray holds a Diploma in Air Traffic Services; Commercial Pilots Licence for both helicopters and airplanes; Chief Pilot Approval; Chief Flying Instructor Approval; Command Instrument Rating and Instructor ratings for both helicopters and airplanes.  Ray is also a CASA approved Flight Examiner for all pilot licences and ratings for both aeroplanes and helicopters and is a current member of the Aviation Advisory Safety Panel which provides the CASA CEO with strategic industry advice.