Q&A: perspectives from the sector

PERSPECTIVES FROM THE SECTOR

In this regular series, AFAC CEO Rob Webb interviews AFAC Director Standards and Strategic Procurement Russell Shephard AFSM on the cusp of his retirement, to reflect upon his career and his professional observations.

Former AFAC CEO Stuart Ellis with Russell Shephard, AFAC Director Standards and Strategic Procurement at the announcement of his retirement.

You have been in the world of standards development on behalf of AFAC for more than 15 years, and your approach to collaborative procurement has delivered savings and efficiencies for AFAC Members. Do you have any reflections of the impacts of collaboration on organisational planning and procurement?

The most important aspect of developing standards is having a standardised approach to personal protective equipment (PPE) for fire and emergency services personnel across the world. While standards have an impact in other areas such as equipment and fleet, this approach particularly ensures that all emergency service workers’ PPE meets minimum safety requirements. Australian emergency services can collaborate when it comes to procurement by having consistent specifications that deliver standardised equipment, which supports interoperability.

PHOTO: AFAC

By cooperating through the AFAC Collaborative Procurement Business Strategy Group (CPBSG) mechanism, or by simply engaging with agencies on the relevant AFAC committee, this approach reduces duplication of effort and achieves savings that would have been otherwise spent on costly procurement processes—all while delivering standardised equipment to firefighters and emergency service personnel.

Although the procurement of agency fleet and associated equipment is not directly linked to standards, it is an area that has seen great success in previous years with agencies sharing information and collaborating where possible, accessing other AFAC Member contracts through the CPBSG access clause. This has seen significant savings, not only with respect to the cost of running a full procurement process but also the cost of the vehicle, by creating a more competitive market and gaining greater buying power.

You’ve had a distinguished and dedicated career spanning 45 years of service to the industry as a firefighter, executive leader and respected standards influencer. What has been your path to AFAC Director Standards and Strategic Procurement?

My first exposure to the fire industry was joining the [then] NSW Fire Brigade as a volunteer in a small country town, which incentivised me to become more involved in the industry. In December 1976, I successfully completed training with the [then] ACT Fire Brigade at the Australian National University, the first training college for the newly established ACT Fire Brigade.

I developed an interest in PPE and the general health and safety of firefighters. I worked on numerous safety committees and in 1994 was awarded the ACT Government Achievement Award for the development of the first structural firefighting protective clothing made from an aramid fabric.

I spent many more years representing firefighters on health and safety issues and national training competencies and held numerous positions on government consultation committees. During this time, I also represented AFAC on PPE-focused Standards Australia committees and, following the departure of Richard Donarski from AFAC, I was appointed as the (seconded) AFAC Manager Standards.

I distinctly remember the 2003 Canberra bushfires; this was a turning point for me, and I decided to take a different direction with my career. After

assisting with the establishment of the ACT Emergency Services Agency (ESA) Procurement and Fleet division, I was successful in transitioning out of the fire service and into the ACT ESA, while still maintaining my seconded role at AFAC.

September 2008 saw me resign from the ACT ESA and taking up the ongoing position as the AFAC Manager Standards, working remotely from Canberra. Since this time, I have continued to enhance my knowledge and share my experience with others and help to create a collaborative framework within AFAC, one that I hope would and will continue to assist all AFAC Member Agencies in areas such as standards, PPE, fleet and procurement.

PHOTOS: AFAC

How do you see your role benefiting AFAC, and indeed the industry, in the past and the future?

Russell Shephard hosts AFAC Collaboration Groups covering a range of topics, including PPE, fleet, and strategic procurement.

The role that was initially established as AFAC Manager Standards had a focus more about standards representation and firefighting, and not all-encompassing emergency services as it is today. With the support of AFAC, in particular former CEOs Naomi Brown and Stuart Ellis, and with assistance from Arthur Tindall (former Director, Operational Infrastructure & Logistics, South Australian Country Fire Service) we have been able to broaden the scope.

With that support, I established the Collaborative Purchasing Initiative (2008) to facilitate a new approach to procurement among AFAC Member Agencies that reduced the duplication of research, development and testing by AFAC Member Agencies in the technical services area through targeted Technical Committees.

This has included formation of the AFAC Standards Representatives Network, PPE Technical Group and Fleet Technical Group, with ongoing oversight and support from the CPBSG. These AFAC committees are a key to the past and future successes of the AFAC collaboration model and will continue to deliver and share information, create opportunities and deliver standardised equipment across our industry. It will also ensure that the model established for AFAC’s involvement in the development and revision of Australian and international standards, puts the collective view of our Members forward on every occasion.

The next Director of Standards and Strategic Procurement will hopefully continue to encourage and foster relationships with our AFAC Members and the wider fire and emergency service industry.

You’ve been instrumental in many improvements to the industry. In your view, what are some of the key challenges it will need to overcome?

To answer this question, I will focus on one issue—one that is very current and, in my opinion, will be one of the most challenging issues that many agencies will face.

With the development of the International Standard 23616 Cleaning, inspection and repair of firefighters’ personal protective equipment (PPE) over the last four years, we have broadly and consistently consulted and collaborated through the AFAC PPE Technical Group and Standards Australia SF-049 (Firefighters PPE) Committee in relation to the proposed standard at its various stages.

The challenge for agencies will be to look at how they can improve the systems they have in place for the cleaning and maintenance of PPE and in doing so, continue to improve the health and safety of firefighters and emergency service personnel.

For a long time, it has been the norm for many firefighters and emergency service personnel to take the PPE home. Often this would involve cleaning the protective clothing in home washing machines, perhaps with general household clothing and as a result, creating opportunities for cross-contamination.

This will not be acceptable under the requirements of the new standard and, while Australia is not obliged to comply with the standard, it will become best practice and agencies will be encouraged to work towards compliance in some form.

You leave a tremendous legacy of achievement and have improved the lives of so many, with firefighter safety at the fore. All of us wish you, your wife Josie and your family the very best for the future, and a happy and healthy retirement. Any retirement plans (once broader COVID-19 restrictions lift) that you’d like to share?

It has always been my intention to see out my International Organization for Standardization and Standards Australia appointments, which remain in place until the terms end in 2024. Hopefully I will be able to transition to retirement over this time and continue to represent our industry working on standards until then.

I plan on taking some time out to visit some of the wonderful caravan parks up and down the east coast. I enjoy kayaking, so that will be one of the things I will look forward to dedicating more time to. I also look forward to doing some small woodworking projects at home and, of course, spending more time with the family. My family is spread out across WA, NSW, the ACT and South Korea. COVID has very much limited access to them over the last couple of years, so I look forward to the opportunity to see them all.