New South Wales Rural Fire Service
As of 30 June 2019[update], the service employed 936 paid staff who fulfil senior operational management and administrative roles.[1] The agency is led by its Commissioner, Rob Rogers AFSM, who reports to the Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience.In addition to facilitating advocacy at all levels of the RFS the RFSA also provides support for Brigades, Members and their families.The core of the service, then as now, was the volunteer brigades that were organised along council district lines under the command of a locally appointed Fire Control Officer.[3] In January 1994, extreme weather conditions resulted in over 800 bush fires breaking out along the coast of NSW.The lengthy Coronial Inquiry that followed recommended the State Government introduce a single entity responsible for the management of bush fires in NSW.These culminated in the Red Tuesday fire of 1 February 1898 in Gippsland that claimed 12 lives and destroyed 2000 buildings.In September 1939 a conference of fire-fighting authorities was convened to discuss the prevention of bush fires during the summer months.The Minister for Local Government was empowered to appoint a person to take charge of all bush fire operations during a state of emergency.[17] The Department's main role was in co-ordinating the fire fighting activities of other government agencies such as the National Parks and Wildlife Service, State Forests of New South Wales, Sydney Water and the New South Wales Fire Brigades in emergency circumstances.[48] NSW RFS Headquarters is located at 4 Murray Rose Avenue, Sydney Olympic Park.Since the establishment of the Rural Fire Service, the role of brigades has gradually expanded to include disaster recovery, fire protection at motor vehicle accidents, search and rescue operations and increased levels of structural firefighting.Category 9 appliances are most often used as rapid intervention vehicles (thus the name 'Striker') to attack small and spot fires quickly before they are able to spread.The NSW Rural Fire Service operates an Aviation Unit and owns the largest Firefighting Aircraft fleet in Australia.The NSW RFS owns a Boeing 737 Air Tanker, two Citation jets as well as six helicopters, including a Chinook.The NSW RFS aircraft continue to be upgraded with additional camera technology and night vision capability.Each NSW Rural Fire Service member is issued and equipped with the latest safety equipment including RFS uniform and bush firefighting.These include: Since its formation, the NSW Rural Fire Service and its personnel have been recognised in a variety of ways.On 5 August 2022, a Memorial Garden at the State Training Academy in Dubbo dedicated to those NSW RFS members and contractors who died in the line of duty was unveiled.It lists the names of NSW RFS members and contractors who lost their lives in the line of duty.
State and territoryNew South WalesJervis Bay TerritorySydney Olympic ParkCommissionerStationsEnginesRescuesAmbulancesTendersWildlandAirplanesHelicoptersFireboatsfirefightingagencyGovernment of New South WalesFire and Rescue NSWbushfiresvolunteerMinister for Emergency Services and ResilienceNSW Rural Fire Service AssociationBlack Summer (2019–20)NewcastleWingelloCoronial InquiryPhil KoperbergBerriganVictoriaGippslandGovernor of NSWSouthern Highlands (1965)Far West NSWLidcombeBlack Christmas (2001–02)Central CoastJunee (2006)Pulletop (2006)Australian season (2006–07)New South Wales (2013)Carwoola (2017)Tathra (2018)Coffs HarbourTamworthMoruyaAlburyLake MacquarieGlendenningsearch and rescue2007 state electionMember for Blue MountainsShane FitzsimmonsToyota Land Cruiserreflectivechevronsemergency lightsCapacityToyota LandcruiserLand Rover DefenderToyota HiluxNissan NavaraVolkswagen AmarokMitsubishi TritonFord RangerBell 412Cessna 560 Citation VBoeing CH-47D ChinookBoeing 737-300Beechcraft King Air 350CER2010-2011 Queensland FloodsBenjamin FranklinRoyal Life Saving Society AustraliaRoyal Humane Society of AustralasiaAustralian Fire Service MedalAustralian honours and awards systemPremier of New South WalesNSW Premier's Bushfire Emergency Citation2019–20 Australian bushfire seasonCountry Fire ServiceCountry Fire AuthorityNSW National Parks & Wildlife ServiceSection 44 (New South Wales)Remote Area Firefighting TeamAustralasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities CouncilWayback MachineSt George & Sutherland Shire LeaderAttorney-General's DepartmentThe AgeThe Sydney Morning HeraldThe AustralianABC NewsNational Council for Fire & Emergency ServicesFire & Rescue New South WalesSection 44 powersCommunity Fire UnitsMetropolitan Fire BrigadeFire Rescue VictoriaQueensland Fire DepartmentDepartment of Fire & Emergency ServicesMetropolitan Fire ServiceEmergency Fire ServiceTasmania Fire ServiceACT Fire & RescueACT Rural Fire ServiceNorthern Territory Fire & Rescue ServiceBushfires in AustraliaAustralian Capital TerritoryCanberra (2003)Chatsbury (1965)Eastern seaboard (1994)Black Christmas (2001)Warragamba (2001)South AustraliaAdelaide Hills (1939)Black Sunday (1955)Wandilo (1958)Ash Wednesday I (1980)Ash Wednesday II (1983)Black Tuesday (2005)Kangaroo Island (2007)Cherryville (2013)Sampson Flat (2015)Pinery (2015)TasmaniaBlack Tuesday (1967)Tasmania (2013)