Shane Fitzsimmons has over 30 years experience with the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) serving as both a volunteer and salaried officer.  In 1998 he was appointed an Assistant Commissioner with the RFS and has held portfolio responsibilities for Operations, Strategic Development and Regional Management.
 
In 2004 he was appointed the inaugural Australasian Fire Authorities Council (AFAC) Visiting Fellow to the Australian Institute of Police Management (AIPM) for a period of 12 months.
 
In September 2007 he was appointed Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) and also the Chair of the NSW RFS Bushfire Co-ordinating Committee and the Rural Fire Service Advisory Council.
 
He was appointed a Director of the National Aerial Firefighting Centre (NAFC) in March 2008 and was the Chair of the NAFC Board from 2009 to 2013.
 
He is also a member of the NSW State Emergency Management Committee and the NSW State Rescue Board and was Chairman from 2008 to November 2015. He was a Director on the Bushfire Co-operative Research Centre from 2009 to 2014.
 
In July 2012, he was appointed a Board Member of the NSW Government Telecommunications Authority.  In January 2016 he was appointed as a Councillor of the Royal Humane Society of NSW Inc.
 
Shane was awarded the National Medal in 1999 and the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) in 2001.