Less than halfway through 2026, Australian communities have already faced bushfires, flooding and cyclones. It is clear that climate change is driving an increase in the frequency of emergencies and disasters. These events have impacts that last far beyond the news cycles they dominate, affecting health services, supply chains and communities as a whole.
It is critical that employers and decision-makers start planning now to build a workforce with the leadership, planning and communication skills needed to strengthen systems, well before a crisis hits and long after it ends.
Life-changing emergencies are no longer once-in-a-generation events
With fires, floods and cyclones occurring more frequently, and sometimes even overlapping, disasters can no longer be described as events that happen ‘once in a hundred years.’
We see their immediate impact through images on the news, often updated hourly in a 24-hour news cycle. What we don’t often see is the long-term strain these events place on communities and the systems they rely on, such as healthcare.
QUT academic Dr Sam Toloo, a health sociologist specialising in community and consumer perspectives across health services, disasters and climate change, says frequent disasters are here to stay, and communities need long-term thinking to respond effectively.
“We need people with critical thinking skills and systemic approaches to identify the long-term pressures brought about by more frequent emergencies so they can develop strategic long-term solutions to make our society more resilient in facing uncertainty.”
Why leadership, planning and communication matter
Emergency roles are often associated with frontline responders such as SES, police, fire and ambulance services. These professionals are invaluable and deserve deep gratitude for the selfless work they do, often at times of greatest need.
However, their efforts rely heavily on strong leadership and coordination behind the scenes.
Without skilled leaders working across organisations, emergency responses can falter due to poor planning, ineffective communication, or workforce burnout caused by shallow talent pools and inadequate rostering.
Dr Toloo says leaders with strong management, planning and communication skills enable more effective responses when they are needed most.
“If the right planning has been done and the proper systems are in place, you will see faster decisions, clearer communications and more prepared workforces during emergencies,” he says.
“Ultimately, this leads to safer outcomes for communities when they need it most.”
What effective disaster management looks like
Organisations that respond well to emergencies have the right training, resources and planning in place long before disaster strikes.
This includes leaders who understand how their organisation may be called upon during an emergency, and who apply critical thinking and systems-based approaches to prepare for a range of scenarios.
Effective disaster management also depends on coordination across sectors. It is not enough for a single organisation to be well prepared, there must also be a clear understanding of how different organisations will respond and how their roles intersect.
According to Dr Toloo, preparation and planning are just as important as the response itself.
“This phase is the most critical because an effective response cannot follow without it,” he says.
“It isn’t possible to plan exactly when an emergency will take place, or its likely scale, but understanding the systems and frameworks that will be relevant, such as supply chains and workforce management, means that your organisation is one step ahead of the game.”
Building effective leaders through postgraduate study
QUT Online’s Graduate Certificate in Emergency and Disaster Management plays an important role in developing the workforce needed to respond to the growing frequency of emergencies in Australia and globally.
The course prepares students with the core competencies required before, during and after an emergency. It recognises that students come from diverse professional backgrounds and focuses on transferable skills such as leadership, communication, collaboration and critical thinking.
Students develop these capabilities across four units:
· Disaster risk management in health and community services – explores how emergencies impact communities and examines different approaches to disaster risk management and resilience-building
· Disaster planning and preparedness – focuses on inclusive planning to ensure essential community services are ready for increasingly frequent emergencies
· Disaster response and recovery – provides practical insights into responding to real-world emergencies and supporting community recovery
· Leadership in disaster management – examines leadership in high-pressure situations, including case studies and the importance of communication and decision-making
Why these skills matter now
Emergency and disaster preparedness is a shared responsibility. Across Australia and globally, communities are experiencing more frequent natural disasters, with impacts felt both directly and indirectly. As a result, a wide range of organisations must ensure they have skilled leaders capable of building resilient systems.
This includes emergency services, healthcare providers, charities such as the Red Cross, all levels of government, and community groups, working together to support people before, during and after disasters.
Investing in these skills now will help build the strong systems and resilient communities needed to meet this growing challenge.
If you’re interested in emergency and disaster management, register for our upcoming webinar featuring Dr Sam Toloo. You can also contact our Course Consultants at 1300 104 196.