“I would gladly do it all over again” – A look at the career of Chief Officer Bill Reay

Chief Officer Bill Reay [Museum of Fire Collection]

When Bill Reay reflected on his time as Chief Officer, he described the role as “honouring and humbling… rewarding and demanding… satisfying and frustrating – but above all, challenging”. It was a fitting summary for a man whose leadership of the NSW Fire Brigades was defined by integrity, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to service.

Reay was the NSWFB’s 18th Chief Officer, and notably, the first Inspector ever promoted directly to the top job. Like his predecessors Fred Davies and Rex Threlfo, he would guide the Brigade through some of the most confronting mass‑fatality incidents in its history. Throughout these demanding years, he was known for his steady temperament, his humility, and the respect he earned from those who served alongside him.

Before the Brigade

Reay was born on 29 June 1931 at the Salvation Army’s Hillcrest Hospital in Newcastle. From the beginning, faith and music shaped his life. Raised within the Salvation Army, he was a gifted cornet player; at just 12 years old, he performed as a guest soloist at the NSW State Congress at Sydney Town Hall and by 21, he had become Bandmaster of the Newcastle City Corps.

After finishing school, Reay trained as a motor mechanic, qualifying in 1950. He continued to expand his technical skills, becoming a diesel mechanic in 1951, completing advanced welding in 1952, and later earning membership in the Institute of Automotive Mechanical Engineers in 1963. This strong mechanical background would serve him well in a profession where equipment, engineering, and practical problem‑solving were daily necessities.

Early Career,

At 24 years old Reay joined the NSW Fire Brigades, commencing training at Waverley on 27 January 1956. He was soon posted back to Newcastle, where he would spend the next nine years. During this period, he also undertook extensive study with the Institution of Fire Engineers, ultimately achieving Fellow status in 1978; awarded in recognition of for service as a Senior Brigade Officer and in consideration of Churchill Fellowship Award.

Reay achieved the rank of Senior Fireman on 27 January 1964 and in little more than 6 months was confronted with one of the most dramatic moments of his career. In July 1964, he helped rescue trapped workers from the ore carrier Mount Keira. While assisting a victim inside the ship’s confined lower hold, his breathing apparatus was dislodged, and he was overcome by fumes. He later confided to a family friend that he believed he would not survive and quietly prayed as he waited for what he thought would be the end. His colleagues, however, refused to give up, ultimately pulling him to safety. It was an experience that underscored both the dangers of the job and the deep bonds between firefighters.

Reay returned to Sydney in 1965, serving at Stanmore, Headquarters, and later Concord. Promotions followed steadily to Sation Officer in 1968, District Officer in 1974, and Inspector in 1983. He also spent six years in the Fire Prevention Department and, through his Churchill Fellowship, studied fire protection practices across the UK, Europe, and Japan.

Chief Officer Bill Reay presenting a National Medal to Captain R. Holloway, Tumut [Museum of Fire Collection]

Time as Chief Officer

When Bill Reay became Chief Officer on 21 May 1986, he stepped into the role at a time when the NSW Fire Brigades was undergoing significant change. Over the next five years, he would guide the organisation through a period defined by modernisation, new responsibilities, and some of the most challenging incidents in its history.

Early in his tenure, the Brigade took major steps toward expanding its specialist capability. The establishment of the Hazmat Response Unit in 1986 marked the beginning of NSWFB’s evolution into the state’s primary agency for hazardous materials. The following year saw the opening of the Fire Investigation Unit, improvements to communications systems, and a growing emphasis on firefighter health and safety. Recruitment standards were modernised, breathing apparatus was upgraded across the state, and specialist equipment for both metropolitan and regional stations continued to expand.

These operational improvements unfolded alongside a series of major emergencies that placed extraordinary demands on firefighters. Between late 1989 and 1990, crews responded to the Kings Cross backpackers hostel fire, the Grafton bus crash, the Kempsey bus crash, and the Newcastle earthquake. Each of these was a devastating event that left a deep impression on the Brigade. Reay’s calm, steady leadership helped support firefighters through these confronting months, reinforcing the importance of inter‑agency cooperation and crew welfare.

In 1990, the Brigade underwent one of its most significant administrative changes when it transitioned from the long‑standing Board of Fire Commissioners to a Government Department under the Fire Brigades Act 1989. Reay worked closely with Director General Peter Rath to guide the organisation through this shift while maintaining operational continuity. That same year, NSWFB secured extensive rescue accreditation, strengthening its role within the state’s emergency management framework.

By the time regionalisation was introduced in 1991, dividing the Brigade into four major regions, NSWFB had become a more modern, better equipped, and more cohesive organisation. Its growing workforce, expanding fleet, and strengthened specialist capabilities reflected the cumulative impact of the changes implemented during Reay’s leadership.

Throughout this period of transformation, Reay remained a steady and approachable presence; he was a leader who valued practical judgement, collaboration, and the people who carried out the work. His tenure was defined not by a single milestone, but by the steady strengthening of the Brigade across every level.

Chief Officer Bill Reay on the Shand Mason Steamer at the Museum of Fire, 12 November 1986 [Museum of Fire Collection]

Retirement and Legacy

Bill Reay retired on 4 July 1991, after 35 years of service. Director General Peter Rath wrote to him:

“Your insight, dedication and loyalty… carried you through this period of change and I believe that the future will record that Bill Reay was one of the Brigades’ finest.”

After retirement, he continued his lifelong service with the Salvation Army, even while battling illness. He passed away on 10 March 1995, aged 63. Colleagues and family remembered him as spiritually generous, humble, humorous, and deeply committed to both his faith and his profession.

His children recalled the smell of smoke on his uniform, the stories shared around the kitchen table, and the sight of him puttering into Headquarters on his beloved old Lambretta motorcycle - a symbol, they said, inseparable from the man himself.

- Story by Museum of Fire Heritage Team