RFS Superintendent Greg Wardle has moved to a new role overseeing multiple fire crews in the Illawarra region, which has 22 brigades. Supt Wardle has been a superintendent in the Chifley Zone (Bathurst, Oberon and Lithgow) for the past eight years.

Since, July 2015, he has been in Bathurst in the role of acting team manager for the zone.

“I have mixed emotions about leaving my post here but I’m also looking forward to the challenge of my new position,” he said.

“I’ve enjoyed my time in the Lithgow community and believe that we have achieved a great deal of good during the past decade.”

Supt Wardle has overseen many improvements to local fire brigade units over the years and helped to ensure that the region’s fire crews are equipped with the latest technology.

“During my time as superintendent I’ve seen numerous upgrades to our fleets and significant upgrades to local fire stations, such as the recently improved Wallerawang Fire Station,” he said.

He began his career in 1987 as a junior firefighter at the age of 14 when he took a post in Hazelbrook.

“My father served as a fireman so it was only natural that I pursued a career in the service,” he said.

Ten years later Supt Wardle worked in fire mitigation before becoming the Operations Support Officer for the Blue Mountains region.

In 2006, he was appointed operations officer for the Chifley Zone and in 2008 became the region’s district manager.

Supt Wardle’s skills were called upon extensively during the 2013 State Mine Fire which burnt five homes and destroyed 56,000 hectares of bushland across the region.

.he State Mine Fire was the worst I’d experienced since starting here and to this day I commend all of our fire crews who took part,” he said.

“It’s because of their efforts that we avoided any loss of life.”

Supt Wardle began his new this week.