Steve Lofty, a Polk County native, has dedicated his life to serving his community.  He completed the master’s program at the St. Louis School of Medicine in Forensic Investigation and has served his county for over 40 years volunteering and working in multiple capacities as a first responder.

At a young age, Steve joined the West Polk Fire Rescue and has worked to help the community since then. In 1986, Steve owned and operated Alert Care EMS which serviced both sides of Polk County. In 1998, Steve was named Deputy Chief of West Polk Fire Rescue and served in that position until 2008 when he became Fire Chief of the West Polk County Fire and Rescue (WPCFR) where he still serves. Steve is the Director of the Polk County Civil Defense and has also been the Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director for Polk County since 2010. Steve served as Medical Examiner Investigator for Polk County from 1999-2018 and has also served as chairman of the Polk County 911 Emergency Communications Board since 1992.

Steve serves as organizer to the ten volunteer fire departments across Polk County, assisting them with all of the necessary paperwork and requirements to maintain their status as a department. He looks for any and all grant possibilities to promote and protect his community with as little cost as possible. He volunteers as the Americans with Disabilities Act compliance officer for Polk County, partnering with local businesses and the school district to ensure all buildings are compliant with fire marshal codes. 

Additionally, Steve teaches and leads local Emergency Vehicle Operator Courses (EVOC) and fire safety training. He does all of this while still finding time to participate in a local school event where children have the opportunity to see and touch a WPCFR fire truck and dream of becoming a firefighter one day.

Serving over 20 years as Chief of the WPCFR, a volunteer run organization, Steve has consistently implemented innovative ideas to protect the Polk County community. He has helped the organization grow from a handful of members to the over 100 volunteers on the force today, recruiting volunteers to go through rigorous training to become dedicated members of the fire and rescue teams. Steve also diligently helps others gain certifications and skills that help protect his local community. Without Steve’s dedication and devotion to his community, Polk County would not have the quality of resources they do today.