Meet Doug Dekker, Director of Emergency Services at 1-800-BoardUp (1-800boardup.com/store/omaha) of the Omaha Metro Area.

Tell us a little about your business. – 1-800-BoardUp provides customer/victim services after a fire or other emergency once the emergency itself has been managed by first responders. We help citizens start on their road of recovery. The immediate help we provide can be anything from securing their home/property to providing victims with toothbrushes, diapers, other personal needs, assisting with finding a place to stay or even getting needed medical attention for their pets.

Additionally, our association with Belfor Property Restoration allows us to assist victims all the way to completion of their journey to their new normal after their emergency.

What has been your most important achievement professionally? – I was a first responder for 39+ years. I spent time as a police officer and career firefighter/paramedic. My last 14 years at the fire department I was a captain in charge of a shift.

At my fire department retirement party I was asked the same question. The answer today is the same as that day. At the end of every 24 hour fire department shift, all of the men and women I supervised during that previous shift went home. Maybe tired or sore but they still went home. No one I supervised was ever seriously injured or died under my watch.

Tell us a little about your family. – My wife, Cheryl, and I met when we both were police officers in Norfolk. 40+ years later we are still together. We have three children, all sons. All are first responders. We have a firefighter/paramedic on Omaha Fire, a conservation officer/game warden in South Dakota working out of Rapid City and a firefighter/paramedic on Grand Island Fire. All three are married and between them we have six grandchildren.

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? – Anything with my grandchildren.

Who inspires you? – My wife. She is smart, intuitive and the most giving/caring person I know. I would not have been able to do a tenth of the things I have done in my life without her love, guidance and unwavering support.

If you could choose only one descriptive word to be remembered as, what would it be? – Caring.

If you could choose any other profession to be successful in, what would it be? – That answer has changed over the years. Today I would be full-time day care provider to my grandchildren! Selfishly, spending more time with the grandchildren would be great. I would also want to help out my kids and their spouses because of how expensive daycare is for them.

What is your favorite TV show? – The original NCIS.

What is your favorite local Omaha restaurant? – Summer Kitchen Café in La Vista. While not a restaurant but Graley’s Creamery and Confections in Papillion has the best homemade ice cream ever!

If you could have dinner with one famous person from the past or present, who would it be? – While not famous, except to me and my family, I would love to have dinner one more time with my parents.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? – (402) 686-9618 | 1-800boardup.com/store/omaha