Coronavirus: NSW RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons takes on new coronavirus role

The man who led NSW through the horror bushfire season will now help the state rebuild during the coronavirus outbreak.

NSW Rural Fire Services boss Shane Fitzsimmons will head a new agency to help the state recover from recent challenges, including the coronavirus pandemic.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the establishment of Resilience NSW at a briefing this morning.

The agency will be devoted to “world-leading disaster preparedness and recovery”, after the state endured a summer of drought, bushfires, flooding and now a COVID-19 outbreak.

“Given (Mr Fitzsimmons’) skills and the level of respect he has in the community and given his understanding of what it takes to recover from a major disaster, the NSW Government is very pleased to announce that Commissioner Fitzsimmons has accepted to take on the responsibility of being our Commissioner for NSW Resilience.”

She added that it was “a new agency that will ensure now and into the future New South Wales is prepared but also is able to respond and recover through major crises be it COVID, be it cybersecurity, be it a whole range of things we could not foreshadow.”

Mr Fitzsimmons, 51, has been widely praised for his leadership during the horror bushfire season just ended.

He joined the RFS in 1985 and held a number of senior roles until his appointment as commissioner in 2008.

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NSW RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons pictured at their headquarters in Sydney Olympic Park. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“We know NSW has had a tough couple of month, in fact the fire season was horrific,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“One of the true heroes of NSW remains commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons and, with an eye to recovery, I wanted to firstly thank and acknowledge him for his decade-long service in the RFS.

“His leadership, the way in which he pulled NSW through those difficult times was outstanding.”

Mick Fuller + Shane Fitzsimmons.. Name a more iconic NSW coronavirus duo 💪🏼 #COVID2019AU

— Rachel Furolo (@rachel_furolo9) April 5, 2020

Not too many people more widely respected than Shane Fitzsimmons. Has been an outstanding leader.

— Peter Stefanovic (@peterstefanovic) April 5, 2020

Ms Berejiklian also acknowledged the hard times ahead.

“Who would have thought in 2020 NSW would be facing a pandemic? We don’t know the challenges of the future but what I do know is that NSW through Resilience NSW will be able to focus on preparing and recovering from anything that comes our way now and into the future,” she said.

“It is really important for us to have a whole-of-government approach and I really want to thank Commissioner Fitzsimmons for accepting this new role within the public service, which he will commence in a month.

“He will wind up his duties in the RFS over the next month and commence heading up the new agency in New South Wales in a month’s time.”

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller also paid tribute to Mr Fitzsimmons and thanked him for his leadership “not just over the last fire season but nearly 13 years at the helm”.

“In his new role it will be a great pleasure to work with him in the great challenge of recoveries,” he said.