Who's your Chaplin?

[BChew]

Does any department have an ordained priest, minister, or anyother professional clergy serving as a chaplin.

If so, do they participate as regular members, or just assist in chaplin duites. What duties do they do for you.

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Bruce Chew, FF/EMT-P
chew143@juno.com

[nsfirechap]

Thanks for the posting of your question. I have been the Chaplain for the North Star VFD in North Pole, Alaska for a little over a year. I spent 20 years in the Air Force, spending most of my time in Fire Protection.
I am not an "Ordained" Clergy, but since retiring from the Air Force I have been active in full time ministry as a missionary to a Christian TV/Radio station. I have taken advanced training in CISM/CISD.
My primary duties are as Chaplain, but since I am a Nationally certified Fire Officer 1, Fire Instructor 1, and HAZMAT Technician I have "assited" when needed. But...all department members know what my primary duties are. SOmetyimes this means running the REHAB area, sometimes comforting family members of patients or fire victims, sometimes just being there for department members that are going through crisis'.
If you would like to learn more about my program check out www.alaska.net/~nsfsa/CHAP.HTM or
e mail me @ nsfirechap@yahoo.com
Look forward to hearing from you and seeing the posts.

[pompanofd]

OUR CHAPLAIN WAS APPOINTED ABOUT 6YRS. AGO BY OUR CHIEF (WHO IS A BELIEVER)HE HAS A BADGE & CAN RIDE ANYTIME HE WANT'S.
HE IS CURRENTLY RUNNING OUR FELLOWSHIP GROUP THAT MEETS EVERY OTHER WEEK. HE IS AN ORDAINED PASTOR & WORKS AT FIRST BAPTIST OF POMPANO BEACH FLORIDA. HE IS TRULY A BLESSING TO OUR DEPARTMENT. BE SAFE & GOD BLESS..........

[ResQRev]

I am currently the chaplain of the Center Moriches, NY FD and Patchogue NY EMS.

I am an ordained Lutheran Pastor and serve a congregation of about 400 people.

I am also a certfied interior firefighter, and NYS EMT-D.

I know of at least 5 other ordained chaplains in Suffolk County who are also active fire fighters.

We also have departments in our county where they utilize ordained chaplains, but the chaplains are not active firematically. (i.e. they would come if special called, but normally do not respond on alarms, etc..)

I also know that FDNY employs several full time chaplains, as well as has quite a corps of 'volunteer' chaplains. I believe the requirement (among others) is that the chaplain be an ordained pastor/priest/rabbi by a recognized religious body.

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Rev. John G. Fleischmann
Director
Suffolk Co. NY CISM Team

[C-12]

I serve as Chaplain of our city's Police and Fire departments as well as serving as a Catholic Priest in a parish with in the city. We have pretty well defined areas of responsibilty for specific incidents i.e. fires, serious mva, hostage situations, officer down calls, but most of the responsibilties center around providing pastoral care to department members and their families just as one would do in a church/parish.

If a can help further contact me back

Be safe
Fr. Jim Seymour
Chaplain
Lawrence Fire Department

[waltercorrigan]

Hi All,

I know it's been a long time, but I thought we could resurrect or update the thread. I was recently asked to become the Chaplain of the Seward (Alaska) Volunteer Fire Department. I'm also undergoing firefighter training, since we're a small department and all are needed. So far, in the last two weeks I've been on eight calls from a boat fire to a boat sinking (we have a new fireboat this year) to last night's call for a search for a missing three-year old (he came home this morning at 7:30 a.m. after sleeping in the woods all night, thanks be to God! I'm also a Navy veteran, and ordained Permanent Deacon in the Catholic Church and a Search and Rescue Pilot for the Civil Air Patrol. My son is a Captain on SVFD, my daughter is a probie and my daughter-in-law is a firefighter/engineer on the same department. My wife isn't fond of fires, so she's on the Ambulance Corps as an EMT III.

Deacon Wally Corrigan

[MEck51]

We have the minister that works for the church across the street. He is a great guy that knew one of our members and came over one day to offer his services, just not sure that he was ready for all the confessions our place needed. Anyway he doesn't ride with us much, but when he does he does the photo work or will help with minor outside needs.

[chaplaindc]

Hi,
I am an ordained pastor with a fulltime church.
I volunteered with the Belleville, IL Fire Department on Sept. 16, 2001 as I participated in a community prayer service and met up with our Chief. After agreeing to be the first Belleville Chaplain, I went online and found the Federation of Fire Chaplains and joined. Later I also joined the Tennessee Federation of Fire Chaplains to avail myself of their excellent training. I now have nearly 150 hours of training including CISM Group and CISM Peer/Individual. I've also become certified through the Association of Trauma Service Specialists and have joined the Southwest Illinois CISM Team.

I spend time whenever possible with our firefighters, including riding my motorcycle with them in an annual 9/11 remembrance ride. I have purchased my own scanner and respond whenever I hear a call for a structure fire or an auto accident with injuries. The department issued me turnout gear and I've purchased Class A's and several department shirts/sweatshirts, etc. I find it helps to let the firefighters know you really do want to be a part of their team.

I'd be happy to talk to anyone about the Federation of Fire Chaplains, etc. You can reach me at hopech@peaknet.net.

Chaplain Darrell

[ChicagoFF]

We have a catholic priest, a rabbi,and and a protestant minister on the payroll. They only do chaplain stuff - no firefighting.

[ptfd19]

Our Chaplain joined the department after he accepted appointment to a local church. He came in already having his 240 hour FF and certified as an EMT-Basic. He runs all calls just the same as anyone else, but is also available for "Chaplain services" as needed.

[TadNVFD5]

I guess I am in the minority... I am the Chaplain for Nokesville Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad. I volunteered for the position and was elected almost 3 years ago and am not ordained. I am probably a royal pain in the butt for my own Reverend. I contact her for advice periodically. As chaplain my duties for the most part are a benediction at company meetings and functions and coordinator of a department funeral (heaven forbid). I have expanded my role and have become the CISM point of contact for the department.

We work alongside county career personnel and they have ordained chaplains and professional CISM counselors. Their services are available to all the county's volunteers and I have facilitated realtionships with them to act as additional resources for those situations which I am not prepared to handle.

[brianmckee]

First of all.. hello to all, recently I have had a heavy heart. Just returned from New Orleons, and that experiance was at times overwelming, I needed this in a way that I couldn't share in such a short message. When I arived home at church on sunday the sermon was about THE NUDGE. I felt that nudge just prior to my deployment to New Orleons, and on monday durring our buisness meeting I volunteered, and was appointed to the position of our dept chaplin, we need prayer in our community outside gods house. I realize now more then ever my purpose. I am just getting my feet wet and feel a little nervous but I am well assured of any help needed will be

[brianmckee]

[QUOTE=brianmckee]First of all.. hello to all, recently I have had a heavy heart. Just returned from New Orleons, and that experiance was at times overwelming, I needed this in a way that I couldn't share in such a short message. When I arived home at church on sunday the sermon was about THE NUDGE. I felt that nudge just prior to my deployment to New Orleons, and on monday durring our buisness meeting I volunteered, and was appointed to the position of our dept chaplin, we need prayer in our community outside gods house. I realize now more then ever my purpose. I am just getting my feet wet and feel a little nervous but I am well assured of any help needed will be offered through the eyes of the lord.

[waltercorrigan]

It's good to see that this thread has come back to life. I'm still in the initial stages of setting up our chaplaincy and defining our boundaries. Having been voted on by the volunteers was the first big step after being requested by the chief and officers to be the chaplain. I've done a lot of research at the Federation of Fire Chaplains and will join that organization as soon as my chief gets off top dead center and writes a letter of appointment that I can send to my bishop for his endorsement. Once that is done, I'll have the necessary paperwork to become "official." I'm working now on my 40 hour course and simultaneously working on FF1. I respond to all calls for which I'm in the area and visit with the volunteers whenever I've got the time.

I spent twenty years in the Navy, mostly flying fighters (F-4's, for those who remember them), and firefighters have a lot in common with fighter pilots, they just fly lower and slower, but they're all into the "adrenalin rush."

In Christ,
Deacon Wally Corrigan
Chaplain, Seward Fire Department
Seward, Alaska

[firefighterbeau]

We have a minister on the FD, carrys a pager, and attends like a regular memeber when he can. Another one of our ministers in town went through EMT-B and is an active memeber of our ambulance squad.

[Dave1983]

Ours is the head of the local Episcopal (?) church and also one of our volunteer FFs. He was a volly on Long Island before moving to Fla. He spent some time at ground zero and I think gave last rights to a couple of the brothers.