Mayor John Whitmire has named Brian Mason Deputy Director and Emergency Management Coordinator for the City of Houston’s Office of Emergency Management, where he will be responsible for overseeing the city’s emergency preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. Mason also serves as the Executive Director for Houston Transtar, the southeast Texas region’s transportation and emergency management center. 

Mason has previously worked in Safety Management for the Houston Airport System and as a Program Manager and BioWatch Jurisdictional Coordinator for the Department of Homeland Security.

With 24 years of diverse experience in emergency response, crisis and emergency management, homeland security, industrial hygiene, health and safety, and environmental remediation, Mason has established a widely respected reputation for leadership and strategic vision.

He most recently helped lead the response and recovery during the May Derecho and Hurricane Beryl. His experience with emergency response spans incidents of major national significance, including multiple hurricanes, two Super Bowls, the STS 107 Columbia Shuttle Recovery, the BP Texas City Explosion, and the Deepwater Horizon Gulf Oil Spill.

Mason holds a Bachelor of Science in Aquatic Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Texas State University and an Associate of Arts and Sciences from Richland College, which underpin his professional competence.

Mason’s professional excellence is further underscored by his receipt of the 2021 American Public Works Association, Texas Chapter Exemplary Services to Public Works, and the 2020 American Public Works Association, Texas Chapter Professional Manager of the Year, Emergency Management awards.

Mason replaces Thomas Munoz who was appointed Chief of the Houston Fire Department.