Fighting for Clean Air: Veteran Intern Brian Hess Champions Air Quality

In Austin, protecting our environment is both a shared value and an ongoing effort. One of the many ways the City of Austin supports a healthy community is by helping keep our air clean.

Clean air is essential for people to live, work, and thrive. It also supports the health of our natural environment and the animals that depend on it. While air pollution affects everyone, some groups, including children, older adults, pregnant people, and those with heart or lung conditions, face greater risks.

Austin’s Air Quality Program partners with the Capital Area Council of Governments to raise awareness and take action across the region. Together, we work to keep Central Texas's air quality clean by promoting fuel efficiency, sustainable transportation, and other strategies that reduce pollution. One of our main shared efforts includes expanding air monitoring.

Fine particulate matter, or tiny particles in the air, comes from sources like vehicles, construction activity, power generation, and even seasonal dust transported from the Sahara Desert. These pollutants are linked to respiratory issues and cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes.

That’s where local air monitoring makes a difference.

Brian Hess joined the City of Austin through the Veteran Internship Program, a partnership with Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood) in Killeen, Texas. From day one, Brian brought a strong sense of purpose, organization, and collaborative spirit to his work.

During his time with Austin Climate Action and Resilience, Brian helped expand Austin’s community-based air monitoring network by partnering with Austin ISD to install PurpleAir sensors at schools and community sites across the city. These monitors provide real-time data that helps residents, educators, and decision-makers better understand local air quality conditions.

Brian didn’t just complete the task—he also helped improve the process. He developed a clear, step-by-step standard operating procedure for future staff and interns, covering everything from aesthetically pleasing installation techniques and ensuring monitors are securely mounted, to connecting sensors to Wi-Fi and the Purple Air map. His work will continue to support the program long after his internship.

“It is truly amazing to be a part of Austin’s Air Quality Equity Initiative. There will be an enduring difference in Air Quality across all our communities and neighborhoods, from the work that was done here by a collaborative team across many organizations that truly care about the future and health of current and future generations,” Brian said of the experience.

During his four-month internship, Brian installed PurpleAir monitors at the following locations:

• Graham Elementary (coming online soon) 

• Noack Sports Complex (view sensor data)

• Garza Independence High School (view sensor data) 

• Sanchez Elementary (coming online soon) 

• AISD Service Center (view sensor data) 

• Kealing Middle School (coming online soon, pending an outlet repair) 

Through efforts like Brian’s, Austin continues to build a more informed, resilient, and equitable approach to air quality. His contributions are a powerful example of how local action, dedicated individuals, and creative partnerships can make a lasting impact.

For more information about air quality in our region, visit our web page or head over to Air Central Texas. Remember to check the local air quality before heading outdoors. Explore PurpleAir’s real-time air monitoring map of Austin.