Jason Tharp
Division Chief of Community Risk ReductionJason Tharp started his career in the fire service in 2006. He is a certified TCFP Master Structural Firefighter, Instructor III, Fire Officer IV, Incident Safety Officer, Wildland Firefighter, Advanced Fire Investigator, Driver Operator – Pumper, Driver Operator – Aerial, and Fire and Life Safety Educator II as well as an EMT Basic.
Chief Tharp holds a bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management Administration from Texas A&M-San Antonio. He also graduated from the Fire Service Chief Executive Officer program at Texas A&M TEEX Mays Business School, and the Texas Fire Chiefs Academy from the Texas Fire Chiefs Association. He started as a volunteer firefighter for the West I-10 Volunteer Fire Department at Station 1 in 2006 and worked his way up to Station Captain and Department Safety Officer in 2010.
In 2014, Chief Tharp was hired by HCESD 48 for the Day Crew as a part-time firefighter. In July 2018 he became the Lieutenant of Community Risk Reduction. A year later, Community Risk Reduction became an official division of the department, and he was promoted to head the division as Division Chief of Community Risk Reduction.
In March of 2020, Chief Tharp was nominated and awarded the Lone Star Achievement award by the Texas Fire Chiefs Association. Along with his role at HCESD 48, he is also a full-time District Chief for Eastex Fire Department (HCESD 10) in Northeast Harris County.