NSW Rural Fire Service (FRS) commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons is quitting the role to lead a newly created state disaster agency.
Announcing the creation of Resilience NSW this week, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said it would oversee the government’s disaster preparedness and recovery efforts – “be it Covid, be it cybersecurity, be it a whole range of things we may not foreshadow”.
Mr Fitzsimmons, who has been RFS commissioner since 2008, was widely praised for his leadership during the calamitous bushfire season just ended.
Resilience NSW will lead a whole-of-government approach to disaster prevention, preparedness and recovery effort, and will oversee emergency management policy, service delivery and all aspects of disaster recovery.
Rob Rogers, who has been NSW RFS deputy commissioner for nine years, will succeed Mr Fitzsimmons.