Melinda McDonald is an experienced communications specialist, researcher, and operational firefighter with Fire & Rescue NSW. Having transitioned from a corporate role, Melinda has dedicated the second phase of her career to firefighting - combining her expertise in communications and her passion for community safety to make a lasting impact.
Melinda’s focus is on community risk reduction and organisational culture in the Australian fire services. She emphasises the importance of prevention as the first line of defence in reducing fire-related injuries and fatalities and highlights the need to foster values-based behaviour and positive organisational culture to achieve sustainable outcomes.
Melinda believes curiosity, collaboration, and relentless optimism are key to equipping emergency responders with greater cultural competence, and empowering communities to actively participate in risk reduction program design. Melinda has shared her research with audiences at the Australian and New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management Conference and the AFAC Conference in Australia, and at the International Communications Conference in Toronto, Canada, and was awarded the National Emergency Media and Public Affairs Award for Research Excellence for her joint initiative with University of Technology Sydney on culturally appropriate communication in emergency services.
Melinda holds a Bachelor of Business (with Distinction) from the Queensland University of Technology, where she received the Coca-Cola Amatil Scholarship and the Public Relations Institute of Australia Award. She is currently completing her Doctorate through University of Technology, and serves as Vice President of Women and Firefighting Australasia, where she actively contributes to the advancement of women in fire services.
Melinda received the National Emergency Medal and the NSW Premier’s Commendation for her service as a firefighter during the 2019-2020 bushfires.
Project
To study co-designed fire and emergency risk reduction programs for culturally diverse communities
Melinda McDonald
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