NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian today announced the creation of a new NSW Government agency, Resilience NSW, which will drive world-leading disaster preparedness and recovery approach for the NSW community.
This follows Commissioner Fitzsimmons' retirement after decades of service in the RFS, including 12 years as its leader.
Ms Berejiklian said NSW is proud of Commissioner Fitzsimmons' role during the recent bushfire season and for his outstanding service over many decades to the RFS.
"The NSW community has shown extraordinary resilience in the face of many disasters - bushfires, drought, flood and now the COVID-19 pandemic," Ms Berejiklian said.
"We know the next six months will be very difficult but we must already turn our mind to recovery.
"Through Resilience NSW we will re-double our efforts to prevent, prepare and recover from crisis which impact NSW."
Commissioner Fitzsimmons said he was honoured to have the opportunity to continue to serve the people of NSW in this vital new role, and to work alongside the leadership of the state's combat agencies.
"Resilience NSW will lead the whole-of-government prevention, preparedness and recovery effort. It will oversee and coordinate emergency management policy, service delivery and all aspects of disaster recovery at a state, national and international level," Commissioner Fitzsimmons said.
"There was never a more important time to make sure that communities devastated by drought, bushfires and now COVID-19 are getting the help they need to rebuild and recover."
