THE Bega Valley Shire's new fire control officer is Mr John Cullen.
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He replaces Mr Phil Collins who officially retired last Thursday after more than 25 years on the job.
Mr Cullen (48) has been deputy FCO for the past nine years and has worked closely with Mr Collins during that time.
He plans to take over from where the retiring FCO left off, particularly with regard to station upgrades, vehicle replacement and training.
Mr Cullen said that while the new job would be a challenge, it would be made easier thanks to a loyal volunteer base in the Bega Valley Shire and great administrative staff at the fire control centre in Maher Street, Bega.
He said the Bega Valley Shire also enjoyed co-operative working arrangements with Bombala, Snowy River and Cooma Monaro Shires and assistance from those districts would be forthcoming if needed.
Mr Collins, who turns 70 in December, said he was looking forward to a life away from "the enemy" - radios and mobile phones - and the opportunity to spend more time with his wife and family.
"It's time for a younger man to take over and steer the organisation into the future," he said. "I've gone as far as I can go".
Mr Collins described Mr Cullen as a man of the future who had shown that he could adapt quickly to changing technology and fire-fighting techniques.
"I could not think of a better person or more able person to take on the job," he said.
Mr Cullen has spent his entire life in the Bega Valley Shire, moving from Cobargo to Bemboka in the early 1970s.
He and his wife, Robyn, have three children, Nathan (20), Bree (17) and Mark (15).
Besides his work locally, Mr Cullen has assisted with a number of major incidents in other parts of the State including the Eurobodalla fires in 1994, at the Thredbo landslide in 1997, as a group leader at the Coonabarabran fires in December 1997, as an out-of-area commander at the Sydney hailstorm clean-up in April 1999, as a divisional commander at the Armidale fires in 1999 and as an operations officer at the Nowra fires in 2001-02.
His efforts were recognised in May 2000 with the presentation of a Certificate of Commendation by NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner, Phil Koperberg.
Mr Cullen said the changeover between FCOs would be pretty straightforward.
He said one of his main tasks would be fostering the excellent relationship with volunteers and other fire fighting agencies in the Bega Valley Shire and surrounding regions.
There was a need to get people involved in their local brigades - particularly those people taking up small acreages.
"Fire control is a community issue and there is a need for people to work together to make this area safe," he said.
Mr Cullen is expecting there to be more of an emphasis on hazard reduction and community education in the wake of the disastrous Christmas 2001 fires.
He said the Rural Fire Service would be driven by the findings of a State Government inquiry, due to be made public soon.
The search will begin now for a new deputy fire control officer, with the position expected to be filled within the next five to six weeks.