Van Lieshout has been commander of the Amsterdam fire brigade and director of the Amsterdam-Amstelland Safety Region since 2019, with the ambition to ‘build the best fire brigade in the Netherlands’, he said earlier in an interview with city channel AT5. “Since then he has made great strides in the organization,” his spokesperson Carmen Westra said now.
“Everyone had complete confidence in him and he did well. After six years it is not surprising that someone would do something else.”
Succession still unclear
It is still unclear who will succeed Van Lieshout as commander of the Amsterdam fire brigade and director of the Amsterdam-Amstelland Safety Region. The safety board will meet in mid-December to discuss this. An observer will temporarily take over Van Lieshout’s position from January.
According to Westra, it is not yet known when the Amsterdam fire brigade will have a new commander. “Then it will be months further. It will be exciting for colleagues at the barracks.”