Thomas Harris was appointed as the Director of the Office of Response for the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency in June of 2023. He has served as the Plans Section Chief for multiple severe weather and Tropical events as well as for the COVID-19 Pandemic and the City of Jackson Water Crisis.
The Office of Response provides the core, coordinated state of operational response capability needed to save and sustain lives, minimize suPering, and protect property in a timely and effective manner in communities that become overwhelmed by natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or other emergencies. The Office of Response is comprised of Operations, Field Services, the Mutual Aid Program, and the UAS Program; and is responsible for generating state information, warning, and alerts, coordinating response ePorts, and staffing the State Emergency Operations Center.
Thomas has nearly 10 years of Emergency Management experience beginning as an Exercise Officer before moving to the Southern Region Bureau Director in the Office of Preparedness prior to his appointment in the Office of Response.
Thomas has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Mississippi. He is from Jackson, Mississippi and has recently moved to Brandon, Mississippi with his wife and three sons.
