As NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) Commissioner, he was on the front line as families grieved the loss of firefighters and those unable to escape the ferocity of the blazes.

There’s “no way”, he says, anyone could come out unscathed.

“I wish we had the ability to put out every fire before they became a large fire,” he says.

“I wish we had the ability to save every home before it was damaged or destroyed. I wish we had the ability to save every person before their life was taken.

“[But] I don’t think you can think that way given the enormity of what unfolded. You’ve got to take some solace, that everyone did their very best to save and protect as many and as much as they possibly could.”

After 12 years, he is leaving the top job. His farewell will be a small morning tea on Thursday with staff, and a salute as he officially walks out the door.

It is far cry from the man who took centre stage with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on about 40 trips to bushfire-ravaged areas at the height of the crisis.

More than 6 per cent of the state or 5.5 million hectares and 2,448 homes were razed during the fires.

At the height of the crisis, there were about 2,500 firefighters at work during each shift.

Fitzsimmons paid tribute numerous times to the 25 people killed during the fires.

Commissioner Fitzsimmons with Harvey Keaton, whose father, Geoffrey, died battling bushfires. (Photo: Twitter: NSW Rural Fire Service)

Lives lost included Geoffrey Keaton and Andrew O’Dwyer from the Horsley Park Brigade and Samuel McPaul from the Morven Brigade, and American aerial firefighters Ian McBeth, Paul Hudson and Rick DeMorgan Jr.

At the closure of the bushfire season at the end of March, he said their sacrifices would be honoured.

“Our thoughts will forever be with the families and loved ones of all those who lost their lives,” Fitzsimmons said.

Bushfire recovery rollout

There is no rest for Shane Fitzsimmons, who joined the RFS at 15 and lost his father, George, in 2000 in an out-of-control backburn.

He will start as the commissioner of the newly created government disaster agency Resilience NSW on Friday.

“Rebounding and recovering is the big remit of resilience,” he said.

“My first focus is to get a real handle on where everybody is at across the state – how the bushfire recovery effort is going.

“An unprecedented fire season has led to an unparalleled level of assistance though the Commonwealth … I am really keen to hear from the team where are we up to with the rollout of the assistance.

“Is it clear enough? is it being utilised? Is there more we can do?”

The Commissioner has been praised for his clear communication. (Photo: AAP: Damian Shaw)

Fitzsimmons is vowing to “get out into the field”, not only to see how people are faring, but to assess what needs to change to address the widespread telecommunications and power outages and lack of backup during the disaster.

“On the South Coast, there was a major power outage and people couldn’t get petrol for their vehicles out of the fuel stations,” he says.

“There was plenty of fuel in the ground and no power to pump it out.”

Everyone wanted a generator, but he told ABC “hire companies only have so many”.

“We asked people to be disaster prepared, but how well prepared are we seriously?

“At petrol stations, no one could pay for fuel because no one has cash anymore. They couldn’t get EFTPOS machines working because they couldn’t get a transmission line out there, so no-one could pay.

“People I spoke to had money in the bank but couldn’t even pull it out of an ATM.

“We’ve really got to think as people, as communities, how resilient are we and how much dependence do we put on all those things working every day, even when we’re facing one of our biggest disruptions?

“I think we’ve got to seriously rethink that.

“Start at that really basic need — what might I need?”

RFS Inspector Ben Shepherd (left) and Fitzsimmons at state headquarters. (Photo: ABC News: Taryn Southcombe)

– ABC / Philippa McDonald