James Mason
Assistant Fire Chief

James Mason joined the Des Moines Fire Department on January 9,1978. Originally assigned to Fire Station 2, he then attended the 66th Des Moines Fire Department Recruit Academy. After the Academy he returned to Fire Station 2 and was later assigned to Fire Station 7. He was promoted to Engineer assigned to Fire Station 1 on April 4, 1988 and then to Lieutenant on August 19, 1991. After two assignments in the Fire Academy as an Instructor he returned to Fire Station 1.

Jim was promoted to Captain on April 25, 1994 and assigned to Fire Station 2. He was then promoted to District Chief of Training on March 8, 1999 and transferred to District Chief of Hazardous Materials on June 3, 1999. Interim Assistant Fire Chief since June of 2002 he was promoted to Assistant Fire Chief on March 17, 2003.

Mason has specialty training in Hazardous Materials Operations, Confined Space Operations, Incident Command and Incident Management, and extensive training in Weapons of Mass Destruction.