NSW Rural Fire Service Library

New books, articles and reports in your library this month

Very excited to inform you that your library’s archived collection of Sitrep, our joint publication from the 1970s with State Emergency Services of NSW, is now online for anyone to read…more details below.

This month’s new additions includes books, reports and articles such as the recently released BNHCRC report on the Currandooley, Sir Ivan and Carwoola fires community response, news editor Sam Walker’s book on sporting teams’ success and leadership, the Land of Fire which looks at wildfires in the US West, the CRMMH report on rural suicide, articles from the latest issue of the Australian Journal of Emergency Management, and two new cookbooks to cover all tastes – CSIRO low-carb diet and the just published cookbook by a group of women who bonded in the 2003 Canberra fires and include a fabulously simple (I made it!) chocolate cake recipe. (And yes, you may have not known but officially launched at the Parliamentary Friends of Australian Books and Writers event at Parliament House yesterday was that today,  the 14th of February, is Library Lovers’ Day)

Travel back to bushfires, floods and disaster food kits of sardines in tomato sauce and strawberry instant pudding - Sitrep and the 1970s is now online!

Almost 18 months ago the NSW Rural Fire Service joined forces with the National Library of Australia to digitise the entire collection of the Bush Fire Bulletin dating back to September 1952. This resulted in all editions of the historical archived collection of the Bush Fire Bulletin being available online and fully searchable.Unfortunately, there was no coverage of our bulletin in the mid 1970s. This gap no longer exists with the digitisation of the Sitrep Bulletin from 1976 to 1978. During these years the State Emergency Services of New South Wales and the Bush Fire Council of New South Wales produced this joint publication that incorporated both our Bush Fire Bulletin and the SES Bulletin.Browse the Sitrep publication online using this link or search the Bush Fire Bulletin and Sitrep collection concurrently by using the Trove search box provided on your NSW RFS Library homepage

FIRE INCIDENTS – AUSTRALIAN

Community Preparedness, Warnings And Responses: NSW Fires 2017 (Report)Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, 2018In January and February 2017, New South Wales faced some of the worst bushfire conditions ever forecast for

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Disaster Management in Australia : Government Coordination in a Time of Crisis (Book)George Carayannopoulos, 2018In recent times the frequency and severity

the state. During this time, a number of large and damaging fires occurred. Following this period of activity, the NSW RFS commissioned the BNHCRC to conduct research into community preparedness and responses by affected communities. The research involved interviews with people affected by the Currandooley, Sir Ivan and Carwoola fires, and an online survey of residents in bushfire risk areas throughout NSW.Use this BNHCRC link to read the full report online.The BHNCRC related Hazard Note 45 is available online here.

Tears laughter champagne : a story of friendship forged through fire & food (Book)Yes, a recipe book! But also a beautiful story just published about nine women who forged an unbreakable bond in the

weeks and months following the 2003 Canberra bushfires that consumed their homes and changed their lives. From tea and tears in the months following the fires to champagne and laughter as they moved into newly built homes, this book is their story of recovery and the recipes that helped along the way. Two copies available for loan from your library.Please contact the library to borrow this book.

Beyond the 2009 Gippsland bushfires: Acknowledgment and young rural adults’ recovery (Journal article)Australian Journal of Emergency Management, Vol 33 (1), 2018In 2009, four major bushfires destroyed vast areas of Gippsland in eastern Victorian including the areas around Delburn, Bunyip, Churchill and Wilsons Promontory, and are collectively known as the 2009 Gippsland bushfires. This paper explores how young adults in the rural areas are recovering from these bushfires and what psychosocial supports they perceive assists their recovery. Use this AIDR link to read the article online.

FIRE INCIDENTS – INTERNATIONAL

Land on fire : The New Reality of Wildfire in the West (Book)Wildfire season is burning longer and hotter, affecting more and more people, especially in the US west. Land on Fire explores the fascinating science

behind this phenomenon and the ongoing research to find

of natural disasters has placed a clear emphasis on the ability of governments to plan, prepare and respond in an effective way. This book examines government coordination when faced with large scale crises, outlining the challenges in managing events such as the 2009 Victorian bushfires and 2011 Queensland floods. Please contact the library to borrow this book.

Report on government services 2018: Chapter 9 Emergency services for fire and other events(Report)Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision, Productivity Commission, January 2018Detailed information on the equity, effectiveness and efficiency of service provision and the achievement of outcomes for fire services and State and Territory Emergency Services (STES), ambulance services, public hospitals (including emergency departments), ambulance services and police services is contained in the service-specific chapters in this Report.Please use this Productivity Government link to read the report online.

Natural-disaster shocks and government's behavior: Evidence from middle-income countries (Journal article)International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, Vol 27, March 2018.This paper aims to examine the causal relationship between natural disasters, budget deficit, public debt and economic growth for a global panel consisting of 9 middle income countries. Natural disasters lead to an increase in public debt to finance reconstruction activities. They aggravate the impact on the budgetary resources which are often limited to absorb the effects of external shocks. Please contact the library to borrow this book.

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

It's not complicated : the art and science of complexity for business (eBook)By Rick Nason, 2017In his straightforward and highly engaging style, Rick Nason introduces the principles

of “complexity thinking” which empower managers to understand, correlate, and explain a diverse range of business phenomena. His book provides managers with fresh, counterintuitive, and actionable models for dealing with challenging business problems.This title link allows NSW RFS Staff to open the eBook directly when at work. Volunteers and for those wishing to

a solution. This gripping narrative and dramatic photographs details how years of fire suppression and chronic drought have combined to make the situation so dire. Please contact the library to borrow this book.

Wildfire: a changing landscape (US Report)Northeasten University, US, December 2017The focus of the report is to determine the impacts of wildfire on vulnerable

communities and critical infrastructure. The study analysed several disasters from the 2016 wildfire season and was informed by numerous published studies, reports, and various public- and private-sector projects addressing wildfires in North America.Please use this link to read the report online.

Alternative Treatments Help Animals Burned in California Wildfires (News article)Wildland Firefighter, 25 January 2018

Veterinarians successfully used alternative medical treatments such as acupuncture on three wild animals burned in the Southern California wildfires - two adult bears, one of them pregnant, and a young mountain lion.Use this Wildland Firefighter link to read the article online.

Wildfire News of the Day (News alert) This US news alert offers a compilation of international wildfire-related news items that goes out weekdays. It is written by Michael Archer, a wildfire consultant who writes articles for publications such as Wildland Firefighter magazine. If you are interested in following this alert either follow on Facebook or use this link to sign up to his email alert.

FIRE DANGER RATINGS

Spatially-variable thresholds for fire danger ratings (Bulletin)CSIRO PyroPage, Issue 16, January 2018Current systems for determining fire danger nationally have been found to be inadequate and are presently being revised. Recent advances in spatial statistical analysis, in particular extreme event modelling using ‘max-stable’ processes, may provide an avenue for refining fire danger rating determination. This study used the spatial behaviour of extreme values of a common fire danger

use the eBooks at home, please contact the library for a password-embedded link.

What Are YOU Afraid Of? Fear is the single biggest impediment to relationship-building. (Magazine article)Firehouse, Vol 42, December 2017The article discusses the impediment of fear in relationship-building and the positive functioning of management and leadership. It states that understanding that neither side gets everything they want is one key trait of successful operational relationships, and that it is best to work alongside multiple agencies to deliver the best possible servicePlease contact the library to request a copy of this articleNSW RFS Staff may use this EBSCO link to access the article at work.

The Captain Class : the hidden force behind the world’s greatest teams (Book)Walker starts with one of the most hotly debated questions in sports: What are the greatest teams ever--particularly those that sustained success over a long period

of time. At that point, Walker became obsessed with another, more complicated question: What did these teams have in common? A genius coach? A transcendent superstar? A groundbreaking system? Or was it all a matter of chemistry? A surprising pattern emerged: There was a very specific kind of leader at the centre of these teams.Please contact the library to borrow this book.

Prepping for the apocalypse: bunkers, bullets and billionaires (podcast)ABC Conversations Podcasts, February 2018This podcast interviews Dr Bradley Garrett, an urban geographer, who is interested in how we inhabit the spaces we build, and what that says about society on the whole. He discusses Doomsday Prepping, or equipping oneself to survive an imminent apocalypse including natural disasters, has morphed from the activity of a small sub-culture to become a multi-billion dollar industry. Listen to this podcast at this ABC link.

ETHICAL BEHAVIOUR

Blind spots : why we fail to do what's right and what to do about it (Book)

index to investigate the utility of employing spatially-varying thresholds for defining fire danger ratings.Please use this CSIRO link to read the bulletin online.

HAZARD REDUCTION

Simulating the effectiveness of prescribed burning at altering wildfire behaviour in Tasmania, Australia (Journal article)International Journal of Wildland Fire. Volume 27(1) 2018Simulation modelling showed that an unrealistically large-scale prescribed-burning program across Tasmania would be necessary to reduce wildfire extent and intensity under dangerous fire-weather conditions. By contrast, more feasible, but geographically constrained, broad-scale prescribed-burning plans had substantially reduced effects on area burnt and fire intensity. This study highlights the need for targeted localised fuel treatments.Please contact the library to request a copy of this article

FIRE MANAGEMENT

Intentional Fire-Spreading by “Firehawk” Raptors in Northern Australia (Journal article)Journal of Ethnobiology, 2017, Vol 37(4)The authors document Indigenous Ecological Knowledge and non-Indigenous observations of intentional fire-spreading by the fire-foraging raptors Black Kite (Milvus migrans), Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus), and Brown Falcon (Falco berigora) in tropical Australian savannas. Observers report both solo and cooperative attempts, often successful, to spread wildfires intentionally via single-occasion or repeated transport of burning sticks in talons or beaks. Please contact the library to request a copy of this article.

HAZARD MITIGATION

Natural hazard mitigation saves: 2017 interim report (US report)National Institute of Building Sciences, Jan 2018During an ongoing United States study, the National Institute of Building Sciences'

project team looked at the results of 23 years of federally funded mitigation grants provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Economic

When confronted with an ethical dilemma, most of us like to think we would stand up for our principles. But we are not as ethical as we think we are. Here, two leading business ethicists examine the ways we overestimate our ability to do what is right and how we act unethically without meaning to in addition to famous ethical failures, such as Enron, the defective Ford Pinto and corruption in the tobacco industry. Available as both an eBook and hardcopy.This title link allows NSW RFS Staff to open the eBook directly when at work. Volunteers and for those wishing to use the eBooks at home, please contact the library for a password-embedded link or to request a loan of the hardcopy.

Business ethics : an ethical decision-making approach (eBook)By Mark Schwartz, 2017This book presents a practical decision-making framework to aid in the

identification, understanding, and resolution of complex ethical dilemmas in the workplace. It uses real-life examples of moral temptations and personal ethical dilemmas faced by employees and managers.This title link allows NSW RFS Staff to open the eBook directly when at work. Volunteers and for those wishing to use the eBooks at home, please contact the library for a password-embedded link.

The library has a number of resources available on this topic. Located under Lists on the library website, click for more Conduct and Ethics Recommended Reading

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Monitoring threatened species and ecological communities (Book)Published this year by the CSIRO, this book aims to improve the standard of monitoring for Australia's threatened

biodiversity. It gathers insights from some of the most experienced managers and scientists involved with monitoring programs for threatened species and ecological communities in Australia, and evaluates current monitoring programs, establishing a baseline against which the quality of future monitoring activity can be managed. Please contact the library to borrow this book.

Development Administration (EDA) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and found mitigation funding can save the nation $US6 in future disaster costs, for every $US1 spent on hazard mitigation.Please use this NIBS link to read the report online.

COMMUNITY RESILIENCE

Living with bushfire: Recognising ecological sophistication to manage risk while retaining biodiversity values (Journal article)International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, March 2018 As peri-urban housing development extends into areas of high risk and conservation value, policy makers and landholders are challenged with two seemingly opposing objectives: the need to mitigate for bushfire risk and the desire to preserve and enhance local biodiversity. Please contact the library to request a copy of this article

The social cost of the Black Saturday bushfires (Journal article) Australian Journal of Social Issues, The, Vol. 52, No. 4, Dec 2017This study employs the 'life satisfaction approach' to place a monetary estimate on the cost of Australia's Black Saturday bushfires (Australia's worst bushfires on record). Results reveal that the bushfires significantly reduce self-reported levels of life satisfaction, with an implied willingness-to-pay of AUD 2,991 in terms of annual household income, or AUD 1,039 per capita, to reduce by one percent the extent to which an individual's immediate local area was affected by the Black Saturday bushfires. In doing so, we identify an apparent gap between current levels of expenditure on bushfire response and mitigation, and that amount which (with the inclusion of associated social benefits) would be welfare maximising.Please contact the library to request a copy of this article.

Improving Disaster Resilience Among Older Adults (US Report)RAND Corporation, 2018This report uses interview data collected from US public health departments and aging-in-place efforts — specifically, from coordinators of age-friendly communities and village executive directors — to explore how current aging-in-place efforts can be harnessed to strengthen the disaster resilience of older adults and which existing programs or new collaborations among

MENTAL HEALTH

The other side of happiness : embracing a more fearless approach to living (Book)'Pain is bad, right? In his book, Brock Bastian will convince you otherwise. Drawing on both vivid everyday examples and surprising laboratory findings, he

shows how pain, suffering, and struggle give us pleasure, make us kinder, focus our thoughts, and give our life meaning.Please contact the library to borrow this book.

Personality characteristics and individual factors associated with PTSD in firefighters one month after extended wildfires (Journal article)Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, Jan 2018 Vol 72(1)In August 2007, devastating wildfires in Greece led to the devastation of large areas and the death of 43 people among whom three were firefighters. One month after the wildfires, a joint task force of mental health clinicians was organised in order to provide psychological support and to investigate the psychological consequences of wildfires to firefighters. Please contact the library to request a copy of this article

Rural Suicide and its Prevention: a CRRMH position paper (Online report)Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health, Dec 2017In 2016, the number of suicides per 100,000 people in rural and remote

Australia was 50% higher than in the cities. This paper has two purposes: to draw attention to the unacceptable rates of rural suicide and to suggest where attention should be focused if people are serious about making a difference.Please use this CRRMH link to read the report online.

Distress and satisfaction with research participation: Impact on retention in longitudinal disaster research (Journal article)International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, March 2018Previous studies of the impact of post-trauma research participation indicate that while the research experience may be emotional, it can still be valued by participants. This paper describes participant experiences of the

public health departments and these organisations show promise for improving disaster resilience for older populations.Please use this RAND link to read the report online.

Why did Rikuzentakata have a high death toll in the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami disaster? Finding the devastating disaster’s root causes (Journal article)International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, March 2018 This paper aims to identify the root causes that exacerbated the loss of life from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (GEJET) disaster in one of the local municipalities, Rikuzentakata. Through the research design, inappropriate regional development and urbanization, inadequate tsunami countermeasures in the area and misguided belief systems based on aged memories of the local people have been identified as root causes for the high death toll in Rikuzentakata.Please contact the library to request a copy of this article

METEOROLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

2017: Another record breaking year for heat and extreme weather (Report)Climate Council of Australia, January 2018Australia experienced its third hottest year on record in 2017. The ‘Angry

Summer’ of 2016-17 broke more than 205 climate records across the nation, and included several intense heatwaves in January and February. In winter, over 260 records were broken once again across the country, with the winter of 2017 the hottest on record for maximum temperatures.Please use this Climate Council link to read the report online.

Weather, climate & catastrophe insight: 2017 annual report (Report)Aon Benfield Analytics, 2018This report evaluates the impact of the natural disasters and extreme weather

events that occurred worldwide during 2017 and provides an overview of global economic losses. The report reveals that there were 330 natural catastrophe events in 2017 that generated economic losses of USD353 billion – of which 97 percent (USD344 billion) was due to weather-related events

Australian post-bushfire research study–Beyond Bushfires. It examines the relationships between distress during research participation, probable mental health conditions, and satisfaction with the research experience over time.Please contact the library to request a copy of this article

HEALTH AND SAFETY

The CSIRO low-carb diet (Book)By Grant Brinkworth and Pennie Tayor, 2017Based on emerging research from around

the world, as well as original CSIRO research recently conducted in Australia, this easy-to-follow, comprehensive lifestyle plan and diet has proved successful in managing lifestyle-induced metabolic diseases, including unhealthy weight gain and type 2 diabetes.Please contact the library to borrow this book.

LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT

Eats, shoots & leaves (Book)By Lynne Truss, 2009In this book, Truss bemoans the state of punctuation and describes how rules are being relaxed in today's society. Her goal is to remind readers of the

importance of punctuation in the English language by mixing humour and instruction.Please contact the library to borrow this book.

The guide to learning and study skills : for higher education and at work (Book)By Sue Drew, 2010Providing a guidance for skills in learning and studying which are vital to ensure

success in higher education study, whether at undergraduate or postgraduate level, in university, college or in the workplace. Skills are needed in reflection, analysis, communication and recording information to produce good work, to engage effectively in a group, to carry out a project or perform well in exams; personal skills are needed to handle time and pressure and to relate to others on a course or in the workplace.Please contact the library to borrow this book.

Please use this link to read the report online.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Self-evacuation archetypes in Australian bushfire (Journal article)International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, Vol 27, March 2018.Australian householders respond to bushfire in diverse and complex ways according to their circumstances and characteristics. They tend not to simply make a binary decision to evacuate from or remain at their property, or simply to ‘wait and see’ what happens before they decide. Bushfire safety policy and programs should not treat these householders as simply stereotypical ‘evacuators’ or ‘remainers’ but accommodate the diversity of these archetypes to effectively meet their educational and engagement needs.Please contact the library to request a copy of this article

Engaging vulnerable populations in preparedness and response: a local government context (Journal article)Australian Journal of Emergency Management, Vol 33 (1), 2018Engaging communities proactively in preparedness and response is key to building a cohesive and resilient community. In Australia, responsibility for community engagement often falls to local government. While community-level engagement in emergency and disaster management is necessary, two demographic groups: low socio-economic; and culturally and linguistically diverse populations are of particular interest from an emergency and disaster management planning perspective as they are often exposed to, and are least prepared for, emergency and disaster events. Use this AIDR link to read the article online.

Vulnerable voices on fire preparedness: Policy implications for emergency and community services collaboration (Journal article) Australian Journal of Social Issues, The, Vol. 52, No. 4, Dec 2017An investigation of household preparedness and community connections was undertaken in the NSW Blue Mountains. Our findings demonstrate that the vulnerable people interviewed did not consider property preservation as a priority, and their knowledge and engagement with the warning system and evacuation procedures was limited. Of practical value, the research found local community services and emergency planning committees

Critical Thinking Skills For Dummies (eBook)Just what are the ingredients of a great argument? What is the secret to communicating your ideas clearly and

persuasively? And how do you see through sloppy thinking and flim-flam? If you've ever asked any of these questions, then this book is for you! This title link allows NSW RFS Staff to open the eBook directly when at work. Volunteers and for those wishing to use the eBooks at home, please contact the library for a password-embedded link.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Aussie firefighters (Book)By Aaron White, 2016Learn about all of the Awesome Machines and Equipment that the Australian

Firefighters use to save people's lives and property.Please contact the library to borrow this book.

No dragons for tea : fire safety for kids (and dragons) (Book)By Jean Pendziwol, 1999Rhymed text and illustrations for young

children show what happened at a tea party when a friendly dragon sneezed. Includes a fire safety rhyme and a checklist of things to be prepared to do in case of fire.Please contact the library to borrow this book.

Fire drill (Book)In this story told in brief rhyming text, students in a class follow the proper

procedures during a fire drill.Please contact the library to borrow this book.

should collaboratively plan for vulnerable community members who are unable to take a very active role in preparing themselves or their dependents to face a bushfire or similar disaster. Please contact the library to request a copy of this article

Borrowing books Your NSW RFS Library catalogue is online. It is easy to search. The collection holds books, DVDs and training publications. The library also has an eBook collection for all NSW RFS Members.Contact NSW RFS Library for further assistance.

More than loans... Your NSW RFS Library subscribes to numerous journals and online databases. These include EBSCO, Emerald and Australian Standards. These are available to NSW RFS Staff at work. Contact NSW RFS Library for further assistance.

Improve your search!Your NSW RFS Library is able to search for material relating to your topic of research. TOCs may be set up for your favourite journal. The librarian also provides training in information literacy for using our online resources.Contact NSW RFS Library for further assistance.

Your LibrarianKatie VandinePhone: 02 8741 5455Email: rfs.library@rfs.nsw.gov.au