Section 6 of the Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia Act 1998 established the FESA Board of Management and states:
The Board is the governing body of the Authority and, in the name of the Authority, is to perform the functions of the Authority under the Emergency Services Acts.
The FESA Board continues to be accountable to the Minister for Emergency Services and is responsible for:
- Determining strategic direction and overall performance
- Ensuring compliance with key legislation
- Endorsing management initiatives
- Responsibilities are delegated to the Chief Executive Officer
Board Chair
Mr Allan Skinner PSM
A retired career state public servant, Mr Skinner was a former Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Land Administration and Chair of the Bush Fires Board. Since his retirement in 2001, he has undertaken several consulting assignments for Government.
Mr Skinner is a National Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia (FIPAA) and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management (FAIM). He was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2001 and the Centenary Medal in 2003.
Deputy Board Chair and Bush Fire Services Consultative Committee Chair
Mr Bruce Brennan APM
Mr Brennan had a long and distinguished career with the Western Australia Police, rising to the rank of Deputy Commissioner before his retirement in 2003. Mr Brennan represented the Western Australia Police on many committees, including the State Emergency Management Committee. In 1998, he was awarded the Australian Police Medal. Mr Brennan was Deputy Chair of this Board for 2008 to 2010 and has been reappointed to this position.
Chief Executive Officer (Ex-Officio Member)
Mr Wayne Gregson, APM
Mr Wayne Gregson is currently the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) of WA.
Mr Gregson joined FESA from Western Australia Police, where he was Assistant Commissioner Judicial Services. He joined the police as a cadet in 1979 and operated at the Assistant Commissioner level for seven years.
Mr Gregson holds a Master of Business Administration from Edith Cowan University, Graduate Certificate in Applied Management from the Australian Institute of Police Management and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Australia.
State Emergency Service Volunteer Representative
Mr John Capes OAM
Mr Capes has been involved in the State Emergency Service Volunteer Association in many capacities for the past 20 years. After leaving the Australian Government he established his own business Capes Consultancy Services, which supplies expertise on security and facilitation of emergency management exercises.
Bush Fire Brigade Volunteer Representative
Mr Eddie Van Rijnswoud
Mr Van Rijnswoud has 17 years experience as a Bush Fire Brigade volunteer and was the Secretary of the Association of Volunteer Bush Fire Brigades Western Australia for six years. For many years Mr Van Rijnswoud has been involved in a variety of other voluntary community organisations and committees and also has 37 years’ experience in the public sector.
FESA Employee Representative
Mr Iain Agnew
Mr Agnew has been an employee of FESA since 1979. He is a senior firefighter in the Fire and Rescue Service and is currently on secondment to the staff deployment branch. In 2000 he was appointed a member of the Fire and Rescue Service Consultative Committee and has also been a committee member of the United Firefighters Union of Western Australia since 1998.
Fire and Rescue Services Consultative Committee Chair
Mrs Penny Valentine
Mrs Valentine was a FESA staff member for seven years before leaving in July 2005 to pursue private business interests. Her professional career spans more than 40 years, commencing in journalism and more recently in management positions in media and public affairs, strategic planning and corporate governance with FESA. She currently serves in a voluntary capacity on several local government and community committees.
Volunteer Fire and Rescue Services Representative
Mr Trevor Jones
Mr Jones has a long association with the Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service in regional Western Australia. He has been a member of the South Kalgoorlie brigade since 1977, including a five year term as Captain, and the Kalgoorlie Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service since its inauguration in 2005 where he holds the position of secretary. Mr Jones is currently the Goldfields Zone representative for the WA Volunteer Fire and Rescue Services Association.
Independent Member
Ms Jenny Sales
Ms Sales has more than 20 years experience at senior executive level with the WA State Government. Her extensive public service career included working with the Department of the Premier and Cabinet in the role of Assistant Director General. Since 2007 Ms Sales has provided management consultancy services to the WA Public Sector. More recently she has been involved in relocation consultancy for the mining industry.
State Emergency Service Consultative Committee Chair
Ms Sandra Gregorini
Ms Gregorini has been a Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade member for more than 14 years and has been involved in a number of other community groups since 1966. She has 32 years experience in property development management and is a current Councillor for the City of Swan. Ms Gregorini was Deputy Chair of this Board for 2007 to 2008.
Volunteer Marine Rescue Services Consultative Committee Chair
Ross Monger
Mr Monger was a public servant for 43 years, mostly in state court administration. On his retirement in 2007, he was appointed Director of Magistrates Courts Western Australia. Mr Monger also spent 10 years with WorkCover Western Australia as the director responsible for workers' compensation dispute resolution. He is currently a Justice of the Peace and a lay member of two ethics committees.
Marine Rescue Volunteer Representative
Mr Eliot Fisher ESM
Mr Fisher is the former Commander Bunbury Sea Rescue and has had many years’ experience as a volunteer with the Bunbury and York State Emergency Service units, Bunbury Volunteer Marine Rescue and the York Bush Fire Brigade.
He currently serves as the National Commander of the Australian Navy Cadets and has served in the Citizen Military Forces and spent more than 20 years as a leader in the Scout Association of Australia. Formerly a local government CEO, he retains an active interest in rural communities as Western Australian Local Government Association Zone Executive Officer for the South West.
Western Australian Local Government Association Representative
Councillor Christine Thompson
Cr Thompson is a Councillor of the Shire of Murray and the Chair of the Shire of Murray Local Emergency Management Committee. She also represents local government on the Peel Region District Emergency Management Committee and the Recovery Services Committee which is a sub-committee of the State Emergency Management Committee. Cr Thompson has a wealth of experience in emergency services, is a current volunteer firefighter and has served on a number of advisory committees and boards.