GRAEME THOM
SPEAKER | MENTOR | MC | MEDIA COMMENTATOR
As a firefighter he has been burnt, had ceilings fall down around him, fallen into gullies and dropped through burnt out floors. He has been been shot at, spat at, abused, wrongly accused of corruption, praised and thanked, but not all at the same time.
Utilising his 40+ years of leadership and management experience, he blends stories of fires and emergencies into your conference theme, bringing it all together to light up your audience with new ideas and ways to think about their own business.
Graeme shares his insights and expertise, drawn from years of crisis and emergency management, allowing the audience into the world of firefighting, and emergency management inspiring his audience to re-ignite their own unique ideas.
GRAEME'S STORY
Always an operational fire officer throughout his more than 40-year career, and one of Queensland Fire and Emergency Service’s (QFES) longest serving senior officers, he also filled a variety of roles (either appointed or acting) including, Commissioner – Community Safety and Risk Management, Assistant Commissioner Northern region, Brisbane City Fire Commander, Executive Manager-state Fire Safety Department and Director of Operational Performance Improvement.
For over 10 years he represented the QFES and Queensland at the Federal level as Chair of AFAC’s (Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authority Council) Built Environment Committee, dealing with key issues in fire safety, fire prevention, fire investigation, major infrastructure development (e.g. tunnels), fire engineering, fire education, research and policy. As such he also had significant input into developing national building codes and building fire safety standards and regulations. He has had long years of experience as a Vice President and Director on the Board of the Fire Protection Association of Australia (FPA), The Fire Protection Industry Board of Queensland, and either chaired or represented the QFES on many interdepartmental government committees and key stakeholder groups dealing with a range of critical fire safety and policy issues.
Graeme holds a Bachelor’s degree in Government and International Relations, is a Graduate of the Institution of Fire Engineers, holds a Diploma of Front Line Management in Command & Control in Emergency Management, has participated in the Graduate Certificate in Management with the Australian Institute of Police Management (AIPM) and completed competencies in Executive Leadership through various tertiary institutions.
Graeme has received commendations and citations from Minister’s of Emergency Services, Director’s General and Fire Service Commissioners. He has been awarded the:
- Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) – Australia’s highest award to a firefighter.
- Australian Centenary Medal
- Australian Fire Protection Medal
- Fire Service DES Medal
- Australia Day Medallion
- The Australian Long Service Medal
- The Queensland Fire Emergency Services Diligent and Ethical Services Medal
- The Australia Day Award (medallion)
- The Queensland Flood and Cyclone Citation
- Commissioners Award for Operational Excellence
- Assistant Commissioners Commendation for Major Infra-structure operations (personal & unit)
- Police Service (QPS) Assistant Commissioner’s Award – 2011 Brisbane Floods
- The 2014 – G20 citation award
- Two x Ministers Letters of Commendation
- Director General’s Letters of Commendation
- The Cyclone Larry Award (pin)
- AFAC’s “Significant Achievement award” (Australasian Fire Authorities Council)
- FPAA “Significant Contribution” award. (Fire Protection Association Australia)
He has operated in 26 ranks or positions – substantive and acting;
- Acting/Commissioner – Community Safety and Risk Management (QFRA-later equivalent to an Assistant Commissioner rank under QFRS).
- Acting Assistant Commissioner – Northern region.
- Acting Assistant Commissioner – Community Safety and Training.
- Director Regional Operations-Brisbane Region.
- Director Operational performance and improvement Branch – State.
- Zone Commander – Central Brisbane.
- Area Commander – North West Command.
- Area Director – Townsville.
- Area Director – State Community Safety.
- Snr Fire Safety Officer – State Community Safety.
- Senior Public Safety Officer – State Public Safety.
- District Officer -Safety Equipment and Breathing Apparatus Section.
- District Officer –fire safety department – State.
- Safety Equipment and breathing apparatus Officer.
- Safety Assessment Officer (SAO).
- Roster Officer.
- Training Officer.
- Development Officer – Trainer of Computer Aided Dispatch – Communications Centre.
- Station Officer.
- Sub-station Officer.
- Fire fighter 1st Class
Graeme Thom uses the magic and the menace of fire to deliver hard hitting life lessons and organisational wisdom on the foundations of success, leadership, teamwork and managing cultural and organisational fires.
CONTACT GRAEME