Breaking: The two volunteer NSWRFS firefighters killed have been identified as Geoffrey Keaton, 32, and Andrew O’Dwyer, 36. Both were fathers to 19-month old children. Read more:
Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons spent time overnight with the brigade and the families of the firefighters who died. "They're a close-knit brigade, they're a very community-focussed brigade, they work together, socialise together, they're very interactive together."Mr Fitzsimmons said the two men's wives were also close and gave birth to their 19-month-old children just two days apart.
"Our thoughts and prayers are absolutely with the families, first and foremost, but so, too, with their colleagues." "It just highlights conditions that people are operating in, just how dangerous it is and particularly after the main fire front passes through, these trees just get burnt and they just can come down at any particular time," Mr Rogers said.
Mr Rogers said the tight-knit brigade would be hit hard by the loss which would also be felt by the rest of the firefighters battling blazes.
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