Driver Engineer Michael B. Douthitt

July 21, 1958 - July 13, 2007

Driver Engineer Michael Douthitt, a 23-year veteran, began his career with then Broward County EMS in 1984 as a paramedic. During his time of service, he was acting Battalion Chief throughout the county, supervising paramedic crews. In the early 90’s, Broward County EMS merged with Broward County Fire and, in 2003, merged with the Broward Sheriff’s Office Fire Rescue. Driver Engineer Michael Douthitt was assigned to Squirt 17 with the 32nd Battalion.

Throughout his career, Douthitt received numerous letters commending his services from residents and visitors of Broward County. He was an avid fan of sports, and his favorite teams were the Dolphins, Marlins, Hurricanes, and Panthers.

On July 2, 2007, during "A" Shift, Squirt 17 responded to a fire at a mobile home overhaul operations in Pembroke Park. Shortly after returning to the station Douthitt felt ill, went home, and was subsequently hospitalized after a first-degree heart block. After spending two days in the cardiac unit, Douthitt was released from the hospital. On July 13, 2007, while having lunch with his wife, Ruth, Douthitt went into cardiac arrest. His wife initiated CPR and called 9-1-1. The efforts continued en route to the hospital, where Douthitt passed away.

Driver Engineer Michael Douthitt is survived by his wife, retired Firefighter/Paramedic Ruth Douthitt, and two adult children Shelby and Andrew.