Scotty Douglas “Doug” Deckard was born July 27, 1965, and no one knew what a hero he would become. As a teen, when most boys are out doing teenage boy things, Doug began serving his community. He took a job at a local grocery, and his favorite thing was delivering groceries to the elderly.

Doug also joined the Quitman Fire Department at the age of 16. Doug grew to love his community and served diligently for the people. He was the water and sewer manager for Quitman for many years. He said once that he had been in every house in Quitman in some capacity—water, sewer, plumbing inspector, fire, or EMS. He served as Quitman EMS Director, Quitman Fire Chief, Cove Creek Fire Chief, and Cleburne County Search and Rescue Director. He worked as an EMT for the ambulance service when it was through the hospital and was a longtime volunteer for Quitman EMS.

Doug served on the AEMTA Conference Planning Committee, as a board member for the Arkansas EMS Foundation, and with Arkansas Interpolarity Committee. He was a HAM radio operator and the state representative for Hyteria radios. Chances are, if you talked on a radio in Cleburne County, you were hitting a repeater on one of Doug’s towers. Deckard Enterprises took care of a majority of the radios, radio programs, and consoles for Cleburne County.

Doug dedicated his life to helping others, and he never complained. He was a father to the younger firemen and Unkie Doug to all the kids. Doug loved children, and they all adored him. He taught them about fighting fires, about having a giving heart, and how to shoot a rubber band farther and harder than anyone else.

Our hero was killed on April 30, 2017, while assessing storm damage. You will forever be missed and will always be in our hearts.