John Johnson Named Soperton & Treutlen Fire Chief

The city of Soperton and Treutlen County announced the appointment of John Johnson to the position of fire chief of the Soperton City Fire Department and the Treutlen County Fire Department in a press release on Monday, July 7.

“I am honored to serve as Fire Chief and provide leadership to our dedicated firefighters,” Johnson said in the release. “Our mission is to ensure the safety of our community, and I am committed to fostering a culture of excellence and service”

Johnson grew up in fire stations and around firefighters, as his grandfather was the Soperton mayor when Johnson was young. He began his own career in fire safety in 1988 with the Soperton Volunteer Fire Department. 

He later transferred to the Baldwin County Fire Department while completing a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and public safety administration from Georgia College and State University. Johnson became a full-fledged firefighter with the department in 1992, and later achieved the rank of apparatus operator.

After his time with the Baldwin County Fire Department, Johnson served under the Georgia State Fire Marshal’s Office as southeastern region arson and hazardous materials compliance officer, while volunteering at the Soperton Volunteer Fire Department. He would then transfer to the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth to act as a staff instructor while also serving as a volunteer firefighter for the Monroe County Emergency Services.

Johnson also oversaw state and national firefighter certifications as a program manager for the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council.

In the private sector, Johnson worked as a field representative for Insurance Services Organization and as a health and safety manager for several industrial facilities.

Johnson’s father died in 2020 due to COVID-19, and in 2023, Johnson moved back to Soperton to take care of his ill mother.

“The ultimate reason I’m here is Francis Johnson, and she will always be my priority,” says Johnson. “But every other citizen, every other visitor in this town has priority below that.”

Having accepted the position as fire chief, Johnson will accumulate 37 years of work in fire safety on Tuesday, September 30.

“His extensive background and passion for fire service make him an excellent leader for

our community,” said Mayor John Koon in the release. “We are confident that he will continue to strengthen community safety and the capabilities of our fire department.”