Gavin Allen
Seaford,SA
Summary
Experienced Fire Fighter offering extensive list of successes building and leading talented teams in training, drills and high-danger emergency events. Highly committed to safety and continuous provision of quality emergency response. Equipped with strong background overseeing group efforts across diverse facilities ranging in size and complexity.
Transitioned to Community Engagement Manager and now filling the role of Commander managing a team delivery the message though multiple programs whilst managing budgets and problem solving on a daily basis.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Section Commander/ Manager
Metropolitan Fire Service
12.2022 - Current
- Ensure personal preparedness to respond to emergencies by:
- Developing and maintaining required skills and knowledge and completing required Staff Development Framework programs;
- Maintaining physical, mental and emotional fitness; and - Maintaining personal presentation and protective clothing to a satisfactory MFS standard.
- Ensure personnel they supervise are prepared for operational response by:
- Preparing for Incident Management roles within a defined Incident Management Structure;
- Ensuring effective operational learning and development within the department or command;
- Evaluating performance of personnel and equipment, and ensuring their operational readiness; and - Managing deployment and staffing levels.
- Monitoring and managing compliance with response procedures by using correct Work, Health and Safety (WHS) procedures and MFS policies and procedures.
- Assuming and ensuring effective command and control of incidents as detailed in policies and procedures.
- Ensuring development and maintenance of effective situational awareness of the conditions and risk factors present at operational incidents by:
- Obtaining and analyzing appropriate incident information;
- Identifying and evaluating risks present; - Evaluating suitability and effectiveness of available firefighting resources; and
- Developing an accurate picture of current and potential overall incident.
- Making effective decisions in high-risk, low-time incident situations by:
- Employing a range of decision strategies including intuitive, value-based, procedural and formal;
- Ensuring decisions are consistent with MFS risk hierarchy;
- Ensuring decisions are timely, safe and effective, and consistent with relevant legislation and MFS policies and procedures.
- Ensuring the development and maintenance of an appropriate Incident Action Plan (IAP) by:
- Developing appropriate incident objectives consistent with MFS priorities of saving life, property, environment and economy;
- Developing aligned strategies and tactics in accordance with relevant legislation and MFS policies and procedures;
- Identifying and acquiring resource requirements necessary to implement IAP;
- Prioritising required actions;
- Formalising the incident plan and Incident Management structure as appropriate; and
- Liaising with property owners, relevant experts, personnel from other Emergency Services Organisations (ESOs) or Government agencies, and members of the public as required.
- Ensuring effective Incident Management by:
- Making effective operational decisions;
- Conducting incident operations in accordance with MFS policies and procedures;
- Ensuring an effective IAP is developed, managed and reviewed (personnel, resources, strategies and tactics, operational procedures);
- Performing required and/or designated roles within an Incident Management Team at large scale incidents;
- Performing required media liaison roles and functions;
- Ensuring appropriate public warnings are issued;
- Ensuring all actions taken comply with the IAP; and
- Ensuring effective and appropriate deployment by:
- Managing human resources;
- Allocating and providing direction on operational tasks;
- Identifying equipment/resource requirements; and
- Applying effective fireground communications in accordance with relevant MFS policies and procedures.
- Managing ongoing incident safety and review by:
- Applying dynamic risk assessment principles;
- Monitoring and managing WHS and welfare responsibilities including fatigue and emotional wellbeing;
- Preserving the incident scene for investigating agencies; - Where appropriate or necessary, upgrading the incident; and - Providing handover/briefing to another Officer/Senior Officer or legislated agency.
- Ensuring incidents are safely and effectively concluded by:
- Ensuring incident objectives have been met;
- Ensuring the incident site is safe and secure, and that required processes have been completed;
- Ensuring salvage and overhaul is conducted;
- Liaising with Fire Cause Investigation Officers;
- Completing appropriate records and documentation in a timely manner;
- Liaising with management/owners/occupiers; and
- Ensuring standby after the incident (fire watch) is conducted when required.
- Managing post-incident debrief, review and analysis by: - Analysing, reviewing and reporting on the effectiveness of the response including strategies and tactics employed; - Recording notes relevant to reviewing and reporting the incident;
- Reviewing that operational vehicles and equipment remain fit for purpose;
- Reviewing the effectiveness of personnel and resources, and identifying future training requirements;
- Reviewing the effectiveness of MFS policies and procedures;
- Managing/conducting and recording the debrief process; - Identifying the need for Critical Incident Stress Management and arranging support services where necessary; and
- Participating in any post incident welfare recovery activities involving the MFS and the community.
- Ensuring effective planning and administration within a designated department or command by:
- Employing accepted business planning and administrative practices;
- Ensuring plans are consistent with MFS strategic direction and intent; and
- Ensuring plans are compliant with WHS, equal opportunity and other relevant legislation, policies and procedures
- Ensuring departmental outcomes are managed by:
- Monitoring, reporting and managing project/program status;
- Managing risk and safety in all projects/programs; - Reviewing service delivery practices and procedures and, where necessary, implementing changes;
- Managing and presenting workplace information; - Managing/Conducting required meetings;
- Maintaining appropriate records;
- Managing business support services;
- Coordinating risk analysis assessments; and Engaging with relevant stakeholders and customers.
- Ensuring the effective management of human resources by:
- Providing leadership, guidance and mentoring;
- Evaluating the performance of personnel;
- Ensuring the performance of personnel is managed against required/agreed outcomes that are aligned to clearly understood objectives, strategies and tasks, and record performance indicators that demonstrate inputs, outputs and outcomes;
- Applying the principles of personnel management in the areas of behaviour management, discipline and grievance; - Maintaining morale;- Managing the learning and development of supervised staff;
- Resolving conflict within the work environment through counselling and mediation;
- Managing staff in accordance with legislation and MFS policy and procedure;
- Managing staffing levels and leave entitlements; - Ensuring that they and other personnel behave consistently with the MFS Doctrine, Code of Conduct and the Code of Ethics for the South Australian Public Sector; - Ensuring that they and other crewmembers comply with current legislation and internal policies on Equal Opportunity and Work Health Safety and Welfare; and
- Ensuring that they and other personnel comply with the Fire and Emergency Services Act 2005 (as amended), MFS Policies, SOPs, SAPs, Service Directives, Memoranda and all other relevant legislative requirements.
- Effectively manage Financial and Physical Resources by:
- Preparing written submissions for the repair or replacement of equipment as required;
- Managing finances, inventory and records;
- Ensuring the maintenance and cleanliness of stations, buildings and environs;
- Ensuring the operational readiness, maintenance and safety testing of MFS vehicles and equipment;
- Ensuring personal protective equipment and uniforms are maintained to organisational standards;
- Ensuring the preparation, implementation, monitoring and review of capital and recurrent budgets;
- Preparing written submissions for new and improved business initiatives as required to direct reporting line;
- Managing administrative and financial transactions; - Verifying the validity and accuracy of departmental estimates and reports;
- Exercising delegations and monitoring expenditure; - Complying with legislation, MFS policies and procedures relating to the procurement, management and disposal of physical assets, and exercising financial delegations;
- Evaluating the performance of equipment; and
- Overseeing site/station maintenance and development projects.
- Manage large budgets and continually review methods to decrease departmental cost pressures by liaising with external corporates stakeholders for program sponsorship
Station Officer Crash Rescue Fire Fighter
Metropolitan Fire Service
09.2007 - 12.2022
- Monitor and manage compliance with response procedures by using correct Work, Health and Safety (WHS) procedures and MFS policies and procedures.
- Assuming command and control of incidents as detailed in policies and procedures
- Develop effective (tactical) situational awareness of the conditions and risk factors present at operational incidents by:
- Using level one situational awareness behaviours to gather the right incident information;
- Using level two situational awareness behaviours to develop a clear and accurate mental model of incidents;
- Using level three situational awareness behaviours to predict likely outcomes or consequences of the incident;
- Employing effective interpersonal behaviours to develop, share and using dynamic review to maintain situational awareness;
- Make effective decisions in high-risk, low-time incident situations by:
- Employing a range of decision strategies including intuitive, value-based, procedural and formal;
- Ensuring decisions are consistent with MFS risk hierarchy;
- - Ensuring decisions are timely, safe and effective and consistent with relevant legislation and MFS policies and procedures.
- Ensure an appropriate Incident Action Plan (IAP) is developed by:
- Establishing incident objectives consistent with the MFS mission of protecting life, property, the environment and our economy;
- Developing aligned strategies and achievable tactics; - Ensuring the benefits of tactics and their individual actions outweigh the risks taken;
- Formalising the incident plan and incident management structure as appropriate;
- Liaising \ with property owners, relevant experts, personnel from other Emergency Services Organisations (ESOs) or Government agencies and members of the public, as required.
- Ensure the effective management of incidents by: - Managing the implementation of the IAP;
- Making effective operational decisions;
- Ensuring effective and appropriate incident management by:
- Managing effective and ongoing communication and tasking for the duration of the incident;
- Employing risk management systems including control zones, staging;
- Managing the deployment, safety and effectiveness of personnel and ensuring all actions taken comply with the IAP;
- Performing required and/or designated incident management or public liaison roles within an IMT at large scale incidents;
- Ensuring they continually monitor the incident as it evolves and act on and/or communicate and changes that may impact on safety or progress by:
- Applying dynamic risk assessment of:
- Changes in the incident situational factors and risk level - The effectiveness of current operations
- Equipment/resource requirements
- The safety of themselves and others
- Promptly addressing emerging risks of incident changes by:
- Revising the IAP
- Stopping/modifying unsafe or ineffective practices
- Communicating required changes to the plan or tasking - If appropriate, or necessary, upgrading the incident;
- Providing handover/briefing to another Officer/Senior Officer or legislated agency;
- Ensuring effective planning and administration on station by:
- Developing station management processes as per SAP18 and the Station Management Responsibilities portfolios to ensure compliance with WHS, equal opportunity and other relevant legislation, policies and procedures;
- Managing levels and duty rosters and ‘Stand By’ leave entitlements;
- Managing and presenting workplace information and records;
- Maintaining fire alarm/installation key records and security;
- Managing/conducting required meetings;
- Effectively managing Human Resources at the station level by:
- Ensuring their crew understands their role in delivering outcomes, service and public value to the community;
- Maintaining crew morale;
- Resolving conflict within the work environment through counselling and mediation;
- Evaluating the performance of personnel and providing leadership, guidance and mentoring;
- Ensuring that they and other personnel behave consistently with the MFS Doctrine, Code of Conduct and the Code of Ethics for the South Australian Public Sector; - Ensuring that they and other personnel comply with the Fire and Emergency Services Act 2005 , MFS Policies, SOPs, SAPs, Service Directives, Memoranda and all other relevant legislative requirements.
- Contribute to the MFS focus on learning and improvement by:
- Improving the capability of their crew by;
- Evaluating performance, conducting learning and training needs analysis and implementing learning improvement strategies;
- Providing training, feedback, coaching and mentoring;
- Managing required competency-based assessments;
- Developing and implementing training plans;
- Facilitating participation in MFS Staff Development Programs.
- Developing personal expertise by undertaking ongoing personal professional development as required.
- Effectively managing Financial and Physical Resources by:- Ensuring regular maintenance and safety testing of MFS vehicles, station, equipment and surrounds;
- Managing station finances, inventory and records;
- Coordinating the maintenance of station, equipment, personal protective equipment, uniforms and appliances;
- Preparing written submissions for the repair or replacement of equipment as required.
- Managing station work health and safety (WHS) by:
- Ensuring that they and other personnel are aware of and comply with the Emergency Services Sector Strategic Work Health and Safety & Injury Management (WHS&IM) System and the agency’s WHS&IM Policy and supporting procedures and in delegated area of responsibility; requirements are implemented within area of responsibility; and contribute to policy and procedure reviews and the development of WHSW&IM objectives in the Business Plan; and provide feedback on WHS performance to senior management.
- Manage Station budgets through continual review and reporting and deliver finance reports monthly.
Contact Manager
Telstra
01.2000 - 09.2007
- Verified fulfillment of contract requirements and developed internal relationships with various teams for coordinated performance.
- Analyzed trends and performance data and achieved superior customer satisfaction ratings across team.
- Led people and achieved results through others and organized and managed multiple projects.
- Monitored and reviewed relevant reporting data and produced statistical reports resulting in improved team performance.
- Maintained professional demeanor by staying calm when addressing unhappy or angry customers.
- Defined clear targets and objectives and communicated to other team members.
- Established team priorities, maintained schedules and monitored performance.
- Assisted in organizing and overseeing assignments to drive operational excellence.
Education
High School Diploma -
Wirreanda High School
Morphett Vale, SA09.1991
Skills
- Manage Budgets
- Station Leadership
- Emergency Preparedness
- Technical Guidance
- Routine Inspections
- Process Improvement Initiatives
- Employee Performance
- Professional Relationships
- Employee Performance Evaluations
- Job Assignments
- Operational Efficiency
- First Aid Care
- Logistical Operations
- Equipment Deployment
- Issue Resolution
- Safety Leadership
- Providing Feedback
- Leadership Strengths
- Crew Resource Management
- Maintain Records
- Routine Maintenance
- Coordinate Events
Timeline
Section Commander/ Manager
Metropolitan Fire Service
12.2022 - Current
Station Officer Crash Rescue Fire Fighter
Metropolitan Fire Service
09.2007 - 12.2022
Contact Manager
Telstra
01.2000 - 09.2007
High School Diploma -
Wirreanda High School
Similar Profiles
Cori SimpsonCori Simpson
Senior Firefighter at South Australian Metropolitan Fire ServiceSenior Firefighter at South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service
Joshua W. PiazzaJoshua W. Piazza
Firefighter at Sacramento Metropolitan Fire DistrictFirefighter at Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District
Chelsea JustrichChelsea Justrich
Office Technician at Sacramento Metropolitan Fire DistrictOffice Technician at Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District