Every day we perform a trust fall with members of our community. Most of the time, we don’t really know we’re doing it. We trust that the driver on the opposite side of the road will stop at the stop sign; we trust that the bridge we cross every day on our commute to work has the infrastructure to support us; we trust that our house will stay warm and lit. That’s what it means to be in a community. We trust that the community operates with good intentions, and that—most of the time—folks don’t really mean us harm.
People in public service positions are often the ones performing the invisible work that we trust will always be performed, with or without acknowledgement.
Derrick Marfitt is one of those folks.
Emergency Management Director
As the rain, hail, and ice has buffeted Dent County over the past few months, Marfitt has performed remarkably as Dent County’s Emergency Management Director. During disasters, he opens and maintains the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), based out of the Dent County Fire Protection District (DFPD). The EOC is where leaders around the area, such as commissioners, aldermen, and mayor, can go to formulate a plan to head off disasters, like the flood in November.
Not only that, but whenever there’s a significant weather threat predicted to hit the area, or an impending disaster is incoming, Marfitt sits down and logs into the WebEOC to report damages and how the county has been affected, dropping everything to do it. The WebEOC is also where he can request resources to come into the county. During the flood event, MoDOT, Dent County, and the City of Salem all ran out of blockades, so much so that MoDOT vehicles had to be used to mark roads as impassable. The WebEOC is what he used to request more blockades from other counties, who weren’t nearly as affected by the storm. It’s an essential resource for coordinating assistance and resources across Missouri to come into or out of Dent County.
The most challenging crisis to manage so far has been the flood of November, shared Marfitt—the amount of paperwork for which requires time and dedication, on top of previous paperwork the county is in dire need of catching up on. During November, he estimates that 65% of Dent County’s roads were majorly damaged, if not totally. At one point, recalled Marfitt, there were 18 families stranded on their properties, unable to get in or out. He commended the Road and Bridge department for prioritizing those roads and making them passable within two days, enabling emergency vehicle access.
The preliminary estimate provided by FEMA of flood damages facing just the county, not including the City of Salem, MoDOT, or Montauk State Park, was approximately $6.68 million dollars. As a class three county, Dent County doesn’t have the funds to make the damages of the storm disappear overnight with a wave of its hand. The storm damages aren’t just costly—without outside financial assistance, like from FEMA, fixing the damages would have taken the county nearly a decade or more.
Marfitt emphasized that every road in the county suffered damages—be it asphalt, chip and seal, or gravel. One brand new bridge that had just recently been built is now completely gone. The force of the water even moved the water under that bridge, causing the river to pick up its bags and move 30 feet away from where it used to be.
When it comes to natural disasters, Marfitt stressed that it’s nobody’s fault—it’s an act of God. He further highlighted that, being two months away from the flood, the county has come a long way in getting its roads back to somewhat normal. He reminded that some of the roads and damages took longer than others to repair as representatives from FEMA needed to see it firsthand—a requirement for funding eligibility the county desperately needs.
Marfitt’s background and public service journey
But the role of Emergency Management Director isn’t the only hat that Marfitt wears. He began with serving the Dent County Fire Protection District while in high school as a junior firefighter back in 2008. After graduating high school and turning 18, he graduated with an EMT license and was promoted to a regular firefighter. Several years later, he was promoted to lieutenant and then, three years ago, promoted to captain. In August 2025, he will have been with the fire department for 17 years.
In 2012, Marfitt began working for the Sheriff’s Office, starting off in dispatch before continuing to the academy. In April 2014, Marfitt received a deputy position at the Sheriff’s Office. Back in June, he also received the opportunity to pick up the canine unit. Early January 2024, he was promoted to corporal.
Marfitt’s climb upward on the public service ladder has been consistent over his career, a testament to his dedicated work ethic.
Marfitt also assists his best friend and longtime work partner, Canyon Goodbar, with his business outfitting emergency vehicles with much-needed equipment, such as radios, lighting, and sirens. Their business, Scenic Rivers Vehicle Outfitters, has grown from assisting the Salem Police Department to outfitting vehicles for many surrounding agencies, ensuring emergency workers everywhere have the tools they need to save lives.
He relayed that his leading motivation and drive comes out of his love for family and community.
“I never want to leave Salem, I never want to leave Dent County,” said Marfitt. “I absolutely love the area. I think it’s a tremendous area to live, and I want some place that I can guarantee a better future and a safe environment for my kids.”
As for what draws him to emergency services, he shared that it’s his desire to improve the community.
“It may not be the best, but I’m going to do the best of my abilities to make it a place that anybody would want to move to,” Marfitt said.
Marfitt’s family history of public service has also played a significant role in shaping his career. His uncle retired as a chief officer for a fire department in Florida, while his aunt was a firefighter and paramedic for NASA.
“We’ve got a servant’s heart,” he said.
He attributes his nonstop work ethic to his mother and her example when he was growing up. As a single mother, she raised him and his sister while working multiple jobs and putting herself through school. Her example taught him the importance of perseverance, setting goals, and working hard to support his family, better himself, and better his community.
He emphasized that it's not the hardships he’s faced that has defined his experience in public service but the impact he can have on others. The gratitude he receives during difficult moments as a firefighter, or, as a deputy, doing the best he can to assist folks during their worst days—that’s what makes what he does worth it. For him, his purpose is about improving life for his community, in whatever ways he can.
“I thank each individual agency for allowing me the opportunity to be in my spot,” emphasized Marfitt.
He further expressed his deep gratitude for his family for their unwavering support and encouragement, especially during stressful times when they remind him of the value of his work and its positive impact on the community. He credits his mother for instilling in him the importance of perseverance and hard work beyond the 40-hour work week.
To keep up with Derrick Marfitt in his role as Emergency Management Director, including updates keeping the county up to date on incoming weather, follow the Facebook page Dent County, MO Emergency Management at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555662417216.
