IT’S FIRE WITH FIRE AS GEORGE APPOINTS BRAND TO JOIN THE MUNICIPALITY’S FIRE AND RESCUE DIVISION

George Municipality is proud to introduce its newly appointed Divisional Commander for Fire and Rescue Service; Johan Brand (53), who assumed his duties on the 1st of May 2023. Brand, whose surname in Afrikaans is brand, means fire, brings 33 years of experience to the George Municipality’s Fire Brigade.

Brand started his career in the Fire and Rescue services in January 1990, in Vereeniging, in the Vaal Triangle, Gauteng. He moved up the ranks in the firefighting pyramid in Municipal Fire Services in Gauteng and Mpumalanga, holding various positions such as Junior Firefighter, Firefighter, Senior Firefighter, and Leading Fire Fighter, where he was introduced to the first level of management in the business. In 2001, he ventured into industrial Fire service as a Fire Officer at Columbus Stainless in Middelburg, to expand his knowledge in industrial rescues and fire prevention, for 14 years.

In 2014, he also studied further in Fire Technology at various institutions and finally achieved his higher diploma with the South African Emergency Services Institute. One of the highlights of Brand’s career is when he had to face the devastating fires of Knysna and George in 2017 and 2018 as the Garden Route District Municipality’s Fire and Rescue Services Station Commander for mountain veld and bushfires.

“I would like to thank George Municipality and our Heavenly Father for this opportunity, and I hope to contribute positively to the service and share my knowledge and skills of the past 33 years with the next generation of young firefighters.”

When cooling off from fighting fire blazes and rescue operations, Brand enjoys watching and playing sports. He played Rugby and Volleyball and achieved provincial colours in Volleyball for Mpumalanga in 2002.

Brand affirms a saying that, “behind every successful man there a standing woman”, as he attributes his career success to his wife, Lynette, who has been his “support and inspiration”. “We were blessed with two beautiful children Bianca and Werner, who have already left the nest and are flying on their own by the grace of The Almighty,” he concluded.