May 25th, 2023 by WCBC Radio
State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci announced Brandon Beall as the new Deputy Chief of the State Fire Marshals Western Regional Office.
Beall, who has been with the Office of the State Fire Marshal since September 2017, officially took over the reins after Master Deputy State Fire Marshal Ed Ernst filled in as interim deputy chief after Jason Mowbray was promoted to Chief Deputy last May.
"We had a lot of great candidates and a competitive process, and I am proud to make this choice. Deputy Chief Beall has demonstrated that he is prepared for this new role through his high level of competence and character," said State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci.
Beall, who previously was a career firefighter with Loudon County Fire-Rescue, decided on a new career path and joined Boonsboro Police Department, graduating from the Hagerstown Community College Police Academy in June 2015. After a few years, Beall decided his fire science and law enforcement knowledge was a good fit for the Office of the State Fire Marshal. He was one of the first lateral transfers after the agency revised its hiring requirements.
Beall was assigned to the Western Regional Office, which consists of Garrett, Allegany, and Washington counties. He quickly excelled in the field of arson and explosive investigation, becoming a certified Fire Investigation Technician and Evidence Collection Technician with the International Association of Arson Investigators, and was recognized as Deputy State Fire Marshal of the Year for the Western Region in 2018. Beall was selected to be on the Bomb Squad and graduated from the FBI's Hazardous Device School, which led to him being chosen for the agency's Underwater Hazardous Device Team. This elite team responds to and manages explosive incidents in or around Maryland's waterways and shipping industry. Bomb Technicians assigned to the Underwater Hazardous Device Team receive advanced training in underwater diving, boating, and tactical operations.
"I am very grateful for the opportunity to serve in this new position. I look forward to playing a part in this agency's continued growth and advancement. I want to thank my family for their support; I would not be here without them," stated Beall. "Most importantly, I would like to thank God and acknowledge that I will follow him wherever he leads me."
At just over 1,500 square miles, Beall will oversee the largest and most mountainous area the Office of the State Fire Marshal covers and supervise a staff of eight. With recent promotions and retirements, Beall still covers on-call until new investigators positions are filled within the coming months.
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