Fire Chief Loyd Hutzel has been fighting fires since 1990 and has been in the top spot at Morning Star Fire Department for a year. Under his direction, the department, comprised of himself, one part-time firefighter and 34 dedicated volunteers, has engaged the community by utilizing social media outreach to garner support and bolster resources to better serve its 65-square-mile territory in eastern Garland and western Hot Springs counties. The strategy has worked; the department has been “blown away” by the response of the public to posts, receiving comments from all over the country. Morning Star Fire Department also recently wrapped up its most unique assignment to date on the set of the movie Turnbuckle, which was filmed in and around Hot Springs.
How did you get into firefighting in the first place?
I was working for a man who caught his place on fire, and it took 30 days to get the [underground] fire put out. When the fire department left, I went with them.
What is the history of the Morning Star Fire Department?
Morning Star Fire Department was established in 1976; we started out with one truck parked in a borrowed garage. Today, Morning Star has five stations, five Class-A pumpers, a pumper tanker, three tankers, two brush trucks, two rescue pumpers, one service truck and a 100-foot aerial truck. This year marks 50 years of proudly serving the community in eastern Garland County and western Hot Springs County.
Besides responding to emergencies, what kinds of other things do you typically work on?
We train every Thursday to keep all of the firefighters up to standards, and our more advanced classes are usually done on the weekend. We also have several outreaches with local schools and preschools to teach fire safety. We take other opportunities to reach out and provide meet-and-greets to display our trucks and equipment at different public functions in the county.
What did the “day to day” look like for you all on the set of Turnbuckle?
We were there about three weeks, and we had two roles while being there — one being safety while they were blowing stuff up and causing fires. The other [was] being in the movie as firefighters and responding to different situations on the set in the movie.
What was it like being on a film set?
It was pretty neat; they treated us like family. For me, the most memorable moment was when they blew up a car.
How has the money you made from filming benefitted the fire department?
We were able to purchase a $13,000 TNT Extrication Combination tool that was battery powered. We actually used it within the first 24 hours of receiving it.
The monthly “Diamonds” feature shares the lives and views of a diverse roster of proud Arkansans who are doing amazing things and are outstanding representatives of the Natural State. To nominate someone, email dwain@aymag.com.
SEE THE FEATURE BELOW AND IN OUR AUGUST 2026 ISSUE OF AY MAGAZINE
