Ben Millington is the new acting Chief Officer of Rural Fire Service Queensland, after a nation-wide, highly contested recruitment search. Ben brings a wealth of experience as a leader in volunteer-based emergency services. 

Along with senior leadership roles overseeing emergency management, state operations and aviation, Ben was seconded to the Secretariat of the Pacific Community in 2016-17 as a Disaster Management Specialist to strengthen regional capacity and coordination of disaster preparedness in cooperation with Pacific nations. 

Ben has significant operational and change management experience, including as the State Operations Controller during the New South Wales 2019-20 bushfires which captured world attention, and then played a key role throughout the New South Wales COVID-19 operational response. Ben also oversaw the implementation of the Large Air Tanker program and Computer Aided Dispatch arrangements. 

Before joining the New South Wales Rural Fire Service in 2011, Ben served in the New South Wales Police Force for over 10 years. In 2013 Ben travelled to New Zealand, Japan, USA and Canada under a Churchill Fellowship to study mass evacuations and supporting arrangements following significant disasters. 

Ben has been awarded numerous distinctions for his work across emergency services including the National Emergency Medal, National Medal, NSW Premier's Bushfire Emergency Citation and Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal. 

Ben commenced in his current role on 12 February 2024 for 12 months while Chief Officer Mike Wassing is seconded to the Queensland Reconstruction Authority. 

Ben’s appointment is the first of several to be made that will firm up the Rural Fire Service leadership in the Queensland Fire Department.