NSW Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib has appointed a new commissioner, Jeremy Fewtrell, to lead Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW).
FRNSW provides rapid response to fire, rescue and other emergencies across NSW, with roughly 7000 full-time and on-call firefighters operating from a network of 335 fire stations.
Commissioner Fewtrell joined FRNSW in 1997 as a firefighter, spending 17 years in frontline crew, station officer and inspector roles. After working in metropolitan and regional units, he progressed to management roles in 2014 and most recently served as Deputy Commissioner of Field Operations.
He oversaw the FRNSW emergency response to major incidents such as the recent Surry Hills warehouse fire and the Greta bus crash, and played a key leadership role in major disasters such as the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires and the 2022 floods.
Along with his extensive operational and leadership experience, Mr Fewtrell also holds a Master of Business Administration.
The appointment follows a competitive recruitment process undertaken by the Department of Communities and Justice. Mr Fewtrell will take up his role as Commissioner from today.
Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:
“I am pleased to announce Jeremy Fewtrell will be the new Commissioner of Fire and Rescue NSW.
“Jeremy is a highly accomplished emergency services leader who has dedicated his career to keeping the people of NSW safe with a quarter of a century of service at Fire and Rescue NSW.
“He has shown his leadership and management abilities time and again, both in high-pressure scenarios and in peacetime, and has proven he is ready to take the helm of this critical first response agency.
“I look forward to working with the new Commissioner closely to deliver on the Minns government’s commitment to ensure this vital service is strong and sustainable into the future.”
Commissioner for Fire and Rescue NSW Jeremy Fewtrell said:
“Fire and Rescue NSW has a proud history of serving the community for 140 years.
“It is an honour, a privilege, and a dream come true to be selected as its next Commissioner.
“My priority as Commissioner is to ensure FRNSW continues to deliver exceptional prevention and emergency response services to the NSW community.
“Every 4 minutes, a FRNSW truck is rolling out the door to an emergency.
“My intention and direction is to ensure those men and women are supported with the best training, equipment and systems from across our organisation to ensure we can deliver on our mission to protect the irreplaceable in the community, whenever and wherever we are needed.”
