How to Run a Monthly Breakfast Meeting with County Emergency Managers
Volunteer firefighters in rural areas are stretched thinner than most people realise. Between responding to callouts, running training nights, fundraising, and holding down day jobs, finding time for another meeting can feel like a stretch. Yet a relaxed, recurring catch-up with the local emergency manager can become one of the most useful habits your brigade develops, and it does not need to eat into your week.
The same approach that works for rural departments in the United States translates well to Australian conditions, whether your patch is covered by the NSW Rural Fire Service, the Country Fire Authority in Victoria, or a QFES area further north. A monthly brekkie gives captains, group officers, and the local emergency management officer a chance to compare notes without the formality of a quarterly committee meeting.
The real value is in the small talk between the formal items. Joint training opportunities, upcoming prescribed burns, the latest bushfire outlook, and grant rounds often surface over a flat white or a plate of smashed avo. People who see each other monthly build the kind of trust that holds when a major incident hits and the phones start ringing.
Below is a practical way to get one of these meetings off the ground, keep it sustainable, and make sure it actually delivers value to your brigade and your broader emergency management community.
Choose a venue that suits the whole crew
The venue sets the tone, so pick somewhere that feels welcoming rather than corporate. A local pub with a back room, an RSL club, or a café that opens early are all strong options. In country NSW, somewhere like the Services Club in Dubbo or a café on Bridge Street in Tamworth works well because they sit centrally and most brigades can reach them within an hour. In Victoria, a quiet spot in Bendigo or Shepparton will suit CFA members travelling from smaller towns.
Make sure there is enough parking for a few brigade vehicles and that the venue can handle a group of eight to fifteen people without booking out the whole place. A rotating venue across different towns can also help share the travel burden and give smaller communities a turn to host.
Lock in a day and time that sticks
Consistency matters more than the perfect slot. The first Tuesday of the month at 7am tends to work for most rural volunteers because it falls before farm work ramps up and well before school pick-up. Avoid Fridays, as end-of-week fatigue and weekend callouts can quickly erode attendance.
Send out recurring calendar invitations for at least six months ahead, and pair them with a group chat on WhatsApp or Signal for quick reminders. A short message the day before, something like "Brekkie on at 7am, Tamworth, see you there" is enough. Australians respond better to a casual nudge than a formal agenda blast.
Keep the format short and conversational
A good brekkie meeting runs for sixty to ninety minutes. Start with a quick round-the-table where each captain shares anything from the past month, whether it is a truck breakdown, a new recruit, or a close call during a grass fire. This is where the real intel gets shared.
Follow that with one or two focused items: an update from the local emergency management officer, a guest speaker from the SES or police, or a short briefing on an upcoming hazard like a total fire ban period. Finish with a clear list of any action items, who is taking them, and by when. Avoid turning the meeting into a lecture. If someone is presenting for more than fifteen minutes, the room will switch off.
Invite the right mix of people
The core group should include your brigade captain, neighbouring captains, the local emergency management officer, and a representative from the council or Local Emergency Management Committee. Adding the SES controller and a liaison from police or ambulance gives the meeting a true multi-agency feel and mirrors how things operate at a regional level.
Aim for a small, committed group rather than a large mailing list. Eight to twelve regulars is the sweet spot. If the meeting starts pulling in too many people, split it into a smaller working group and a broader quarterly forum. Quality conversations happen in smaller circles, especially over a plate of bacon and eggs.
Keep the momentum alive
The biggest risk is that the meeting fades after the first three months. Protect it by taking brief minutes, sharing them within a week, and ticking off action items at the next catch-up. Celebrate small wins, whether it is a successful grant application, a joint training exercise, or simply consistent attendance across a tough fire season.
After six months, review the format with the group. Ask what is working, what feels like a waste of time, and whether the day or venue should change. Treat the meeting like any other piece of equipment on the truck, give it regular servicing and it will keep performing when you need it most.
If your brigade is ready to start a monthly brekkie, the Arkansas Rural and Volunteer Firefighters Association can help with the broader picture. Membership gives your department access to training resources, grant directories, and a statewide network of brigades facing the same challenges. Visit the membership page today, lock in your first date, and send the invites out before the week is out.