08/24/2026
Honoring the Life and Service of Retired SAR K9 Duke
It is with heavy hearts that Gilmer County Fire/Rescue announces the passing of retired Search and Rescue K9 Duke, a loyal partner, dedicated working dog, and beloved member of our Fire/Rescue family. Duke and his handler, Mikey Bramlett, made history as Gilmer County Fire/Rescue's first Search and Rescue K9 team. Together, they helped establish the foundation for the K9 search program that continues serving our community today. Duke and Mikey trained countless hours together to earn the certifications necessary to become a dependable search and rescue team. That training was put to the test on real missions, where they were responsible for several successful searches that located missing individuals and helped return loved ones home to their families. For Duke, the mission was simple: finding people. And he did his job exceptionally well. Duke was always ready to work. When the call came, he and Mikey served our community with professionalism, dedication, and determination. Whether training, responding to a search, or simply spending time around the station, Duke became a fixture at Gilmer County Fire/Rescue for many years. But Duke was much more to us than a working dog. He was part of our Fire/Rescue family. He brought a lot of smiles to a lot of faces, and those who had the opportunity to work around him knew just how special he was. Although Duke's watch has ended, his legacy continues. His son, K9 Axel, is now one of Gilmer County Fire/Rescue's two active Search and Rescue K9s, carrying forward the bloodline and legacy of the dog who helped start it all. Alongside Axel is K9 Havoc, the youngest member of our K9 program, who continues training and working to earn his place in the proud tradition Duke helped establish. From one K9 team to the next, Duke's impact on Gilmer County Fire/Rescue will continue for years to come. Our hearts go out to Mikey and the entire Bramlett family. We know that Duke was not simply Mikey's working partner, he was a member of their family. We are grateful to them for sharing Duke with our department and our community for so many years. Thank you, Duke, for your service. Thank you for the searches, the long hours of training, the lives you touched, and the families you helped make whole again. You served Gilmer County well. Rest easy, Duke. Your mission is complete, but your legacy lives on.
