Achievements
First officer to award a FoodSafe certification to a food premises (presented by Premier the Hon. Richard Court
Presented at Emergency Management Australia workshop into mass gathering safety in the lead up to the Sydney Olympics.
Established the successful Pollution Response Unit in WA in 2003.
Emergency response to the Bellevue Hazardous Waste Fire in 2001, managing the pollution from the fire and acting to prevent contamination of the Helena River. Appeared before the Parliamentary Inquiry and provided important evidence to assist in the findings
Managed the pollution response to hazardous materials issues relating to the Brookdale Liquid Waste Treatment Facility including resolving complex issues around alleged chemical drum dumping.
Lead the investigation into buried drums of ‘Agent Orange’ (245T contaminated with dioxins) which lead to uncovering buried drums in Dwellingup that assisted proving exposure of workers in the 1970s.
Managed the on-site environmental response to the Esperance bird deaths and lead contamination issue in 2007 and took direct action to identify the cause and source of emissions and stop the discharge of xanthate odours through the town. His evidence was used in a successful prosecution under the Environmental Protection Act 1986.
Managed the field response and investigation into mass bird deaths in Henderson, where innovative sampling and evidence management identified the cause and potential source.
Assisted with the response and clean up of the Yarloop fire by providing field officers and advice to the Dept of Premier and Cabinet.
Directed the creation of a detailed 200 page report to the State Emergency Recovery Sub-Committee on Emergency Waste Management (following Yarloop) with over 50 recommendations (2018).
Directed the Recovery Sub-Committee project on Emergency Waste Management and the development of Priority Actions for government successfully during COVID lock downs.
Lead and managed the emergency response to many major HAZMAT fires including the 2019 South Guildford Cleanaway MRF fire which burnt for over five days.
Managed the environmental response to the Wooroloo bush fire and then was appointed Project Director for the Coordinated Residential Clean Up Program that was completed in record time, at half the projected budget and with excellent feedback from the community.
Established and chaired the Australasian Environmental Law Enforcement Regulators Network ‘Emergency Operations Working Group’ and lead the development of national standards and consistency in environmental incident response.
Managed the field response to the asbestos contamination of Kalbarri and Northampton as a result of Tropical Cyclone Seroja in 2021. His actions on-scene resulted in reducing the risk to public health from asbestos materials and prevented the unnecessary evacuation of Kalbarri.
Managed the field response to the Bridgetown (Hester) copper-chrome-arsenic timber treatment facility fire which resulted in the evacuation of 28 residences due to heavy metal contamination concerns. He managed the emergency sampling, monitoring and clean up programs that allowed residents to return to their properties within a week.
Managed the environmental response to over 300 hazardous materials emergencies including chemical fires and spills, tanker roll overs, explosions, waste facility fires and aircraft/train crashes.
Ran a state level emergency recovery exercise with USEPA in 2011 that identified numerous systemic problems with CBR emergency management and proposed solutions.
Represented the Department on the State HAZMAT Emergency Coordination group and assisted the development and review of the State Hazardous Materials emergency plan.
Represented the Department on the State Emergency Recovery Sub-Committee
Represented the Department on the Chemical, Biological and Nuclear Technical Working Group
Represented the Department on the State Marine Environmental Emergency Management Ctte
Represented the Department on the Kwinana Industry Council Public Safety Committee
An active participant in the State Emergency Management Committee’s Risk Project, attending most of the state and district level risk workshops
Member of the COVID Metropolitan District Emergency Incident Support Group and provided high level advice on PPE selection, use, cleaning and re-use, as well as creating and delivering a professional PPE donning-doffing video within seven days of the request.
Presented at numerous conferences both within WA and inter-state.
Lead and drafted significant legislative reforms including amendments to the Health Act, Environmental Protection Act, Dangerous Goods Safety Regulations and the Unauthorised Discharged Regulations
Introduced infringement notices and Environmental Field Notices for minor offences in WA.
Lead and managed the award-winning Light Industry Program in WA