About EMPS
The AFAC Emergency Management Professionalisation Scheme (EMPS) advances professionalisation in emergency management across Australia and New Zealand. Professionalisation refers to the technical and ethical standards of practice that guide our sector. The Scheme is open to all eligible EM practitioners, regardless of whether they service in paid or volunteer roles.
AFAC EMPS is supported by AFAC, the Australian and New Zealand Council for fire and emergency services in Australasia. The professional standards used by the Scheme are approved by AFAC and represent a sector-wide consensus on the training and experience required for practitioners to be recognised as proficient (Registered) or expert (Certified) in their role.
AFAC EMPS is the only scheme endorsed by AFAC to provide professional recognition of individuals’ skills and experience.
AFAC EMPS does not assess technical competence directly, Registration and certification require a technical competence assessment by a third party and must be supported by the applicant’s agency.
Registration or certification under AFAC EMPS is not a licence to practice emergency management. Authority to practice depends on applicable jurisdictional laws and policies.
Background to the Scheme
The Emergency Management Professionalisation Scheme (EMPS) was established to support the recognition of fire and emergency services as a profession, not just a professional service. Created by AFAC, the scheme provides a framework for recognising practitioners’ education, experience and commitment to professional and ethical standards.
2015
EMPS commenced with a professional standard and credential for Certified Incident Controllers, open to practitioners across Australia and New Zealand.
2017
Following its success, AFAC expanded the scheme in to provide credentials across all Incident Management Team (IMT) functions within the Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System (AIIMS), as well as other specialist and technical roles.
2018
By the end of 2018, registration was available for all IMT functions, except Investigation Officer, and a range of specialist roles. EMPS also introduced certification for selected high-risk, high-consequence roles, beginning with Certified Public Information Officer.
2026
Today, EMPS continues to expand and mature, with updated professional standards and new credentials in development to support a diverse and evolving emergency management workforce.
Governance
EMPS is developed and maintained by AFAC, the Australian and New Zealand council for fire and emergency services.
The AFAC Council comprises the chief executives of government fire and emergency service organisations and land management agencies in Australia and New Zealand. Through this governance structure, AFAC provides the strategic oversight and authorising framework that enables EMPS to establish and maintain professional standards for emergency management practice.
EMPS operates as a dedicated business area within AFAC and is led by the Director, Industry Workforce Development, who reports to the AFAC CEO and EMPS Strategic Committee.
The EMPS Strategic Committee is a diverse group of experienced practitioners that provides governance and strategic direction for EMPS. The Committee is responsible for policy development, financial oversight, and upholding the Professional Standards and Code of Ethics within the Scheme.
The Chair of the Committee is, ex officio, the CEO of AFAC. In this role, the Chair supports the Committee’s governance responsibilities, while AFAC remains accountable to the AFAC Board and Council for the effective administration and governance of the Scheme.