Graeme Thom is the founder and Managing Director of GT & Associates, an agency providing professional speaking and consultancy services to a range of established and emerging organisations. As a Professional Speaker, Media Commentator, Master of Ceremonies, Facilitator and Mentor, he remains passionate about the need for individuals and organisations to embrace and implement lifelong learning, believing that there is a need to share knowledge in order to create wisdom in all organisations.
Experience
Always an operational fire officer throughout his more than 40-year career, and one of Queensland Fire and Emergency Services’ (QFES) longest-serving senior officers, Graeme also filled a variety of roles including:
- Assistant Commissioner – Community Safety and Risk Management (Acting)
- Acting Assistant Commissioner Northern region (Acting)
- Brisbane City Fire Commander
- Executive Manager – State Fire Safety Department
- Director of Operational Performance Improvement Branch
Impact
For over 10 years, he represented the QFES and Queensland at the Federal level as Chair of the AFAC’s (Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authority Council) Built Environment Committee, dealing with key issues in fire safety, fire prevention, fire investigation, major infrastructure development (e.g. tunnels), fire engineering, fire education, research and policy.
He also had significant input into developing national building codes and building fire safety standards and regulations. He has had long years of experience as a Vice President and Director on the Board of the Fire Protection Association of Australia (FPA), The Fire Protection Industry Board of Queensland, and both represented and chaired for the QFES on many interdepartmental government committees and key stakeholder groups dealing with a range of critical fire safety and policy issues.
Qualifications and Awards
Graeme holds a Bachelor’s degree in Government and International Relations, is a Graduate of the Institution of Fire Engineers, holds a Diploma of Front Line Management in Command & Control in Emergency Management, has participated in the Graduate Certificate in Management with the Australian Institute of Police Management’s (AIPM) Executive Leadership Program and completed competencies in Executive Leadership through various tertiary institutions.
He has received commendations and citations from Ministers of Emergency Services, Directors General and Fire Service Commissioners. He has been awarded the Australian Fire Protection Medal, the Australia Day Medallion, the Fire Service DES medal, the Australian Centenary Medal, and Australia’s highest award to a firefighter, the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM).
Values
He remains passionate about fire safety, the fire services and disaster and emergency management at the local, state, national and international level and is a strong advocate for how this knowledge, experience and wisdom, gained both by himself and his associates in this field, can be used to help other individuals and teams in other organisations, both fire-related and non-fire related, improve their performance and results.
