Georgeina Whelan, Commissioner of the ACT Emergency Services Agency (ESA), will conclude her tenure tomorrow, Friday 21 July, after four years of service.
Ms Whelan joined the ESA as the Chief Officer of the State Emergency Service in late October 2017, having completed 32 years of military service. In August 2019, shortly before the Black Summer bushfires, she was appointed as the first female Commissioner of the ACT Emergency Services Agency.
ACT Government senior ministers said that under Commissioner Whelan’s leadership since 2019, the ACT ESA had shown “exemplary resilience and efficiency” in responding to various emergencies, including bushfires, floods, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Commissioner Whelan’s commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of residents in the ACT has set a high standard for emergency services management in an all-hazards environment,” a spokesperson said.
Mick Gentleman, ACT Minister for Police and Emergency Services, on behalf of the entire community, extended heartfelt appreciation to Commissioner Whelan and conveyed best wishes for her future endeavours. He praised her “outstanding service, exceptional leadership, and unwavering commitment” to keeping the community safe.
“Through the hazardous 2019-20 bushfire season, Commissioner Whelan was a calming voice for our community. [Her] transparent and regular updates reassured our community that they were in safe hands.
“Shortly after the bushfires and storms, Commissioner Whelan led our emergency services through the COVID-19 pandemic, working with our Chief Officers to quickly innovate how emergency services were sustained whilst ensuring the safety of emergency service staff and the community.
“During the pandemic, Commissioner Whelan supported the community through the Agency’s adopted of non-traditional emergency service roles such as food and supply deliveries to students and vulnerable Canberrans, COVID-19 testing, sourcing and supplying sanitiser and masks to our community, and helping to entertain our younger Canberrans with her story book reading online.
“I would like to thank Commissioner for being there for our community during our toughest times,” Mr Gentleman said.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr said: “Every Canberran will remember Commissioner Whelan for the role that she played in our lives during the 2019-20 bushfires. We were all grateful to have her as a reassuring voice throughout a difficult time for the city.”
Effective Monday 24 July, Assistant Commissioner Jason Jones will be appointed as the Acting Commissioner role while a nation-wide recruitment process takes place to select a new Commissioner.
