Latest Fire and Rescue NSW graduates bring diverse professional experiences to new career
Published: 03 Jul 2026 10:30am
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) today welcomed 172 new firefighters to its ranks at a graduation showcasing a wealth of diverse professional experience. Held at Bicentennial Park at Sydney Olympic Park, the ceremony was attended by Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC.
One hundred permanent and 72 On-Call firefighters graduated following the completion of rigorous training and assessments of mental and physical skills.
Among the service’s latest full-time firefighters are several men and women who are no strangers to high-pressure, life-saving emergencies.
They include several former life savers/guards, paramedics, police officers, disability support workers, and members of the Australian Defence Force, as well as carpenters, personal trainers, a golf professional and an AFL player.
Many firefighters have joined the permanent ranks after years, and even decades, of service as on-call personnel or volunteers with the Rural Fire Service (RFS).
Their diverse backgrounds include emergency services, law enforcement, health, trades, teaching, engineering, public service, academia and hospitality.
On what motivated them to join FRNSW, graduates cited lifelong dreams, helping the community, teamwork, being role models, access to world class training and educating others about fire safety.
“The discipline required to perform in a high-pressure role where you are trusted to protect and serve others,” one said.
Many graduates said they were following in the footsteps of family members or joining with personal connections to firefighting.
The class also includes several people who have completed remarkable personal feats like ultra marathons and ironman races.
One graduate previously competed in the 190km George Bass Surfboat Marathon, while another took part in the Finke Desert Race, a motorbike event spanning more than 500km in the Northern Territory.
A record 648 permanent and on-call firefighters joined FRNSW in 2025.
Quotes attributed to Minister for Emergency Services, Jihad Dib:
“Becoming a firefighter is a competitive and challenging process, I’d like to congratulate every successful graduate joining the Fire and Rescue NSW ranks today.
“Wherever they are stationed, I know that every new first responder will represent the service to the best of their abilities to protect their communities.”
Quotes attributed to FRNSW Commissioner, Jeremy Fewtrell:
“I’m always proud to see the men and women who come from different backgrounds to join Fire and Rescue NSW and bolster fire protection across the state.
“It’s also fantastic to know that so many graduates are following in the footsteps of family members who have served the state before them.
“These new firefighters are prepared for anything following training courses that tested their mental and physical strengths.”
Media note – FRNSW footage from the Graduation Ceremony at Bicentennial Park, Sydney Olympic Park:
https://vimeo.com/1206653542/c98638f7fd?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci
Media note – Recent FRNSW footage of recruits training at the Emergency Services Academy is available here: https://vimeo.com/1172342695/529cb53455
Updated: 03 Jul 2026 2:30pm