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After 12 years at the helm of the Rural Fire Service, Shane Fitzsimmons has made the "very difficult decision" to step down from the organisation to which he has dedicated most of his life.
Nicknamed the "nation's father" last year, Commissioner Fitzsimmons became the comforting face of a devastating 2019-2020 bushfire season, from which NSW is still reeling.
His tireless work, tell-it-like-it-is communication style and genuine show of emotion earned him immense praise with calls for "Shane Fitzsimmons for PM" shared widely on social media.
But a week on from the official conclusion of the fire season, Commissioner Fitzsimmons is bowing out after 35 years in the volunteer service.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced today that he had been chosen as Commissioner for the new government disaster agency, Resilience NSW.
His bushfire expertise will still be put to good use in the new role, but Resilience NSW's purpose is broader: to ensure the state is prepared for any major crisis, from COVID-19 to major cyber security attacks.
"It will [cover] a lot of things we may not have foreshadowed," Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.
Commissioner Fitzsimmons, who has lived and breathed firefighting since age 16, said he accepted the new job with "great trepidation".
"There is no doubt in my mind that I take on this new role with a deal of trepidation, of course, but I'm very open to the idea of continuing to make a difference, a meaningful difference."
Shane Fitzsimmons was recognised as a stand-out in his field from day one and enjoyed a swift rise to the top.
He was appointed brigade captain at Duffys Forest Rural Fire Brigade at the age of 19 and was RFS assistant commissioner by 29.
His knowledge was vast and his dedication had been instilled from a young age, following in the footsteps of his father, George Fitzsimmons, who was also a firefighter.
Tragically, George lost his life to the cause in 2000 when a hazard reduction burn in the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park went wrong, killing him and four others.
For the younger Fitzsimmons, who was fighting fires in another area that day, the tragedy only pushed him to work harder for firefighter safety.
"Every family has the right to expect their loved ones to come home after a shift," he told The Australian earlier this year.
Unfortunately Commissioner Fitzsimmons had to tell three families their loved ones would not be returning when firefighters Andrew O'Dwyer, Geoff Keaton and Samuel McPaul died earlier this year.
And when it came time to share the heartbreaking news with the nation, Mr Fitzsimmons' emotions were palpable and relatable.
His frankness was again on show as the season worsened, revealing he was "disappointed and frustrated" at Prime Minister Scott Morrison for not communicating the decision to deploy army reservists.
This honesty so often on display put Mr Fitzsimmons in good standing with the public as well as the men and women he led.
Earlier this year volunteer Scott Norris of the Coomba Park RFS shared a poem on Facebook dedicated to Commissioner Fitzsimmons, saying he wasn't just a boss, he was also a mate.
"When a member goes down in the heat of the battle you know Shane will be there because he has fought the same battle," the poem read.
In announcing his departure, Commissioner Fitzsimmons paid tribute to the "remarkable" people who make up the RFS and do it all for nothing in return.
"To make a decision to step down and move on to something else was absolutely difficult and deeply personal, but it's the right one," he said.
"The reality is that important decisions, necessary decisions, usually are the most difficult."
He will begin his new role at Resilience NSW in May as the state continues it's all-encompassing fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
When the PM faced criticism for unclear messaging about coronavirus restrictions last month, an expert in risk communication, Claire Hooker, told the SBS who Australia needed.
"We need a Shane Fitzsimmons right now," Claire Hooker said.
It seems somebody was listening.
Topics: disasters-and-accidents, fires, bushfire, states-and-territories, emergency-planning, emergency-incidents, nsw
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