In emergency service organisations the term 'leadership' is often used and referred to. Senior members of the various organisations are expected to provide leadership, particularly in times of crisis or during emergencies. During major incidents such as bushfires, floods and high-risk incidents, there is an expectation leadership will be provided by the more senior members to the more junior, who are generally the first responders or on the frontline.

This presentation will attempt to provide a differing perspective on the leadership provided by emergency organisations and highlight the importance of the leadership provided by the frontline, the first responders to the community.

When a major incident occurs, be it natural disaster or man-made, our frontline officers are the first responders and immediately looked to by the community. Most often this community is needing and wanting someone to take control and provide leadership. Generally speaking, this leadership role of our most junior will continue throughout the response phase. While the more senior among us are leading our own people from command posts and operation centres, the community are working with our most junior and will continue to look to them for leadership.

Via case studies and discussion, we will explore methods by which organisations can assist their more junior staff to develop leadership skills and act on those skills. It will be proposed that improvements can be made via use of mentoring programs, formal learning, desktop exercises and development opportunities. Leadership can be developed and via this the professional reputation of any organisation will be enhanced.

Leadership is a skill that, like any skill, can be learnt, developed and improved and requires practice. It is the responsibility of all organisations to provide this development.