Use Cases
These models are used by many firefighters, government agencies and mining companies.
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​​This section looks at these firefighters and how they are using the models.
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The firefighters:
Model applications:
Volunteer Fire Brigades
The Bushfire Model is a valuable tool for experienced firefighters to share their knowledge with new firefighters and their communities.
Brigades use the model for:
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Exercises
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Re-creating fire events for debriefs and sharing lessons learnt
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Cadet programs
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Community engagement
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School visits
Fire Departments
The Bushfire Model® is a training resource for bushfire courses.
The model suits a broad range of Language, Literacy and Numeracy abilities and successfully integrating visual, auditory and kinaesthetic (physical activity) learning styles.
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Trainers use the model to explain and clearly demonstrate aspects of fire behaviour and suppression. Students actively engage with the topic, seek clarification, and reinforce their knowledge.
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Trainers gain valuable feedback by observing students as they demonstrate their understanding.
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Using the Bushfire Model compliments established training courses and provides performance evidence for online / eLearning.
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A growing number of Australian Fire Departments have developed guides, exercises and skills cards to support their firefighters to use the Bushfire Model. Other publicly available resources include:
Resources
Australian Disaster Resilience Knowledge Hub Managing Exercises Handbook
Industry - Emergency Response Teams
The Bushfire Model® is used as part of emergency response training in the mining sector.
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Instructors use the model to demonstrate fire behaviour and suppression strategies together with company specific standards.
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The model's effectiveness in simulating fire scenarios and enhancing training has made it a valuable training resource.
Training Exercises
Training exercises and Tactical Exercises Without Troops (TEWTs) are exercises that require firefighters to assess a tactical situation before developing and applying an appropriate solution.
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Firefighters have successfully used TEWTs to practice roles such as incident control, operations, sector command and crew leader. This practice helps to maintain skills and prepare for the season ahead.
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Scenarios can range from bushfires in grasslands and forests through to fires impacting the Rural Urban Interface. More complex exercises can be created by replacing fire shapes to imitate fire development. As the exercise unfolds, participants use the resources to respond to the incident.
In meeting the needs of the group, exercises can be kept simple to ensure new firefighters understand the key points or made more challenging to suit experienced firefighters.
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Community & School Engagement
The model can be used for community activities including bushfire awareness, bushfire mitigation programs and firefighter recruitment.
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Explaining what firefighters will be doing at a fire and the challenges they face helps people understand how important it is for them to be prepared and act in a bushfire situation.
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This advice from local firefighters assists communities to be better prepared and contributes to their resilience.
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School programs
Rural Fire Brigades have used the model as part of school visits and cadet training sessions.
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The hands-on nature of the model has made these events more engaging.
Community Events
Displaying the model attracts attention. People are drawn to the model and the events depicted, questions flow and interest is generated.
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Many community members have a keen interest in the work of firefighters. The model assists in explaining what happens at a bushfire and the work they do.
Re-creating Fire Incidents
The model can be used to re-create past bushfires for incident debriefs or sharing experiences.
Sharing these experiences can provide a valuable learning opportunity.
Bushfires can be re-created to show terrain, roads, assets, firefighting resources as well as the fire’s location and behaviour.