Alen Slijepcevic at CFA's Cape Clear Women's Burn Day in 2021. Photo: CFA
Two Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC end-users have been recognised for their efforts and contributions to the fire and emergency management sector in the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Heather Stuart from the NSW State Emergency Service and Alen Slijepcevic from the Country Fire Authority have both been important supporters of CRC research since 2013.
CRC CEO Dr Richard Thornton said the recognitions are well deserved.
“Heather and Alen have both contributed so much to the emergency service and land management sectors throughout their careers, and have been integral to driving the use of research in their organisations. On behalf of all at the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, I'd like to congratulate Alen and Heather on their fantastic achievements over their extensive and distinguished careers,” Dr Thornton said.
Heather Stuart ESM
Manager of Operational Improvement and Lessons at the NSW State Emergency Service (SES), Heather Stuart, has been honoured with the Emergency Services Medal (ESM) for her commitment to the safety of SES members and the community. Heather is a lead end-user of five CRC research projects and is a member of the Research and Utilisation Committee on the CRC Board.
Heather received her ESM as recognition of her distinguished service to the NSW SES and her involvement in the Lessons Management Working Group, through which she assisted in the development of the Lessons Management Framework for the NSW Emergency Management sector. She is acknowledged by the emergency management community across Australia as a leader in lessons management and continual improvement, and is a passionate advocate for research that benefits SES activities.
Heather explains her role as lead end-user for the Emergency management capability cluster and discusses how organisational learning and reflection in the aftermath of an emergency can enhance communication and teamwork in complex team environments.
Alen Slijepcevic AFSM
Alen Slijepcevic, Deputy Chief Officer of Bushfire Management at the Country Fire Authority (CFA), was awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) for his contributions to the management of bushfires and to incident management capability. Alen has been involved with the CRC as a lead end-user of four CRC research projects.
The AFSM acknowledges Alen’s efforts to improve the safety and resilience of communities and the environment during significant bushfire seasons in Victoria. During the 2019-20 bushfire season, he was the State Agency Commander for CFA, leading the strategic planning and prediction activities for fires occurring in the state, and led the bushfire preparedness and operational readiness planning, along with bushfire risk mitigation.