New SES Zone Commander for the north

The NSW State Emergency Service (NSW SES) has appointed a new Zone Commander for the northern part of the state.

Chief Superintendent Greg Swindells, who previously led Greater Sydney as Commander of the Metro Zone, will oversee NSW SES operations from Urunga in the south to Tweed Heads in the north.

Chief Superintendent Swindells spent 18 years with NSW Police Force and completed policing duties in both metropolitan and regional parts of the state, including the Tweed Byron Local Area Command.

Following his retirement from the NSW Police Force, Chief Superintendent Swindells owned and operated small businesses in the Northern Rivers and joined NSW SES ranks as a volunteer at the Tweed Coast Unit.

Keeping communities safer

Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke said Chief Superintendent Swindells’ appointment will help to keep communities safer and stronger in the future.

‘Greg’s appointment means our communities in northern NSW, particularly in the Northern Rivers region, are better supported to face future severe weather after the unprecedented flooding we experienced in 2022,’ said Ms Cooke.

NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York APM congratulated Chief Superintendent Swindells on his new role.

‘Greg has done some fantastic work in our metro areas in recent years, particularly during times of intense flooding in the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment,’ said Commissioner York.

‘With a strong connection to our Northern Rivers communities and many years of experience leading staff through emergency situations and incidents, Greg is well placed to take on this role.’

Supporting the community a number one goal

Chief Superintendent Swindells said supporting the community is his number one goal.

‘Over the coming months we will be building a strong team of local staff and providing the best support we possibly can to our wonderful SES volunteers and the wider community,’ he said. ‘Connecting with volunteers is certainly the most rewarding part of this job, and I look forward to reconnecting with the community that I called home for such a long time.’