Meet Graeme Thom AFSM
Graeme is a thought leader, professional Keynote speaker and a multi-award-winning Toastmaster. He is also a former fire Commander with extensive expertise in firefighting, fire services, building fire safety and the fire protection industry.
He has been appointed to or acted in various leadership and management roles withing the state of Queensland and at the federal level.
Having served as a fire officer for more than 40 years he has experienced multiple emergency situations: he has been burnt, had ceilings collapse around him, fallen into gullies and dropped through burnt-out floors. He has been spat at, shot at, abused, falsely accused of corruption but also praised, thanked and recognised for his service, but not all at the same incident.
From rescuing puppies and people to seeing human bodies burnt, broken and torn apart Graeme has experienced many of the mental and physical effects during and since his time in the Fire Service.
Graeme led the Queensland Fire Service convoy taking troops to help fight the fires in NSW and has been the fire commander at numerous bush fires and building fires in Queensland.
He led the ongoing fire safety project into the Childers Palace backpacker’s tragic fire where 15 young backpackers lost their lives. He is an international speaker and mentors high profile people in the fire industry.
He was recognised in the Australian Honors Awards and presented with the Australian Fire Service Medal for Leadership as well as the Australian Centenary Medal for his contribution to Australian society in the Bi-Centennial year.
As a keynote speaker Graeme provides your organization or association with insights, knowledge and wisdom, in an entertaining and engaging way that is tailor made to your organizational needs, or conference theme, gained from his more than 40 + year career in disaster, emergency, and fire management.
