Personnel

Deputy Chief Matthew Ward is a Sabine Parish native and graduate of Many High School Class of 2000. He is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving onboard the USS John F. Kennedy and at Naval Air Station Meridian as an aircraft handler. Upon completion of active-duty military service in 2009, he and his wife, Amanda, and their daughters moved back to the Sabine Parish area. Deputy Chief Ward joined Central Sabine Fire District in 2012. He has served the Fire District and its Citizens as a Firefighter, Battalion Chief, and now as the Deputy Chief/Chief of Operations. He has worked as a professional firefighter since 2010 and is currently a Captain at Fort Johnson Fire Department. Deputy Chief Ward is a graduate of Upper Iowa University, with a Bachelor’s of Science in Public Administration. He is certified as a Fire Officer 2, Fire Instructor 2, Fire Inspector, Airport Firefighter, and holds multiple Driver/Operator certifications. He also holds certifications as a Rope Rescue/Confined Space Technician, Hazardous Material Technician, Dive Rescue, Critical Incident Stress Management, and as an Emergency Medical Technician-Basic. Deputy Chief Ward stated: “I take great pride in being able to serve the residents of Sabine Parish and our department’s personnel. I have enjoyed seeing the growth of our department because of the hard work put in by our team. This growth will allow our department to continue to provide exceptional service to the communities we protect.”

Marcus Lovitt is our Battalion Chief. He is married to Sue Lovitt and attends Mt. Zion Baptist Church. Mr. Lovitt has been a member of Central Sabine Fire since 1992. Mr. Lovitt served as the captain of Mt. Zion until he was appointed as the Battalion Chief. This last year, due to health reasons, he's had to step back and watch as others handled the scenes. Mr. Lovitt is all about helping others in their time of need and giving back to the community. Firefighting is a passion that he is proud to have and he is proud to be a part of Central Sabine Fire. Mr. Lovitt is certifed as a Haz Mat Technician through the Louisiana State Police and acquired his Firefighter II at  Texas A & M.

Chris Rainer is our Training Chief for Central Sabine Fire. Mr. Rainer has been an active member of this department since 2010. He joined at just 17 years old. He was appointed as Training Chief in 2022 and has worked for many professional fire departments such as City of Natchitoches and now Fort Polk Fire Department. Mr. Rainer is married to Lexi Rainer and together have four children. He is a member of Many Church of the Nazarene. Chief Rainer  has multiple certifications in the rescue field including: ARFF, Vehicle Extrication, Dive Rescue, Instructor I, Confined Space Rescue, Tree Rescue, EMT and Hazardous Materials Technician. Mr. Rainer has held two in house Fire academies for our department as well as a Driver Operator class. 

Chief Rainer stated, "I take great pride in being the Training Chief for my department. I strive to provide each member of our department with the best training possible."

Chief Rainer also stated, "It has been an honor serving the people of Sabine Parish for the last 13 years. I look forward to many more!"

Lexi Rainer is our Chief of EMS for Central Sabine Fire Department. Lexi has proudly served with Central Sabine Fire since 2015 and has been an EMT since 2016. As Chief of EMS, Lexi is dedicated to improving emergency medical services and ensuring that the citizens of Sabine Parish receive the highest quality pre-hospital care possible.

In addition to her role with the department, Lexi is a certified Stop the Bleed Instructor and serves on the Sabine Parish Ambulance Board, where she continues to advocate for training, growth, and progress within the EMS community. She takes great pride in helping move emergency services toward a stronger future through education, preparation, and teamwork.

Outside of the department, Lexi is a Pre-K 3 teacher and enjoys serving her community in multiple ways. She is a member of Many Church of the Nazarene and is married to Chris Rainer. Together, they have four children: Brylee, Coby, Kayla, and Cyrus.

Lexi believes that serving as a first responder is more than a role — it is a commitment to care for others, support her community, and make a lasting difference in the lives of the people she serves.