“The police officers and firefighters who ran headlong into harm's way on Sept. 11 and lost their lives didn't die because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. They died because there was a highly dangerous situation and they went charging forward into it anyway.”

American politician and veteran, since 2017

Brian Jeffrey Mast is an American politician and veteran, serving as the U.S. representative for Florida’s 21st congressional district since 2017. He is a Republican and has represented an area that includes the Treasure Coast and the northern part of Palm Beach County, formerly numbered as the 18th district before redistricting. Mast is best known for his work in Congress and for his military service before entering elected office. His public role has centered on representing his district in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he speaks for a coastal South Florida constituency.