What does a Fire or Police Chaplain do? 

As a Chaplain, I am on call 24 hours per day.  I am dispatched at the request of fire fighters, paramedics, and police officers to handle a variety of crisis situations

Death of a Loved One

• Comfort and support family members following the death of a loved one or close friend
• Assist next of kin in the process and arrangements required following the death of their family member.
• Bring clarity and understanding of what is happening and will happen in the first few hours following the death of their loved one.  This includes what the paramedics are doing and have done, what police are doing and will need to do, what role the medical examiner will play, and be a go between for family members and first responders
• Provide death notifications to family members of a deceased person
• I respond to residences, family care homes, public settings, businesses, and motor vehicle accidents, and a variety of other settings

Major Fire or Natural Disaster

• Assist victims in dealing with the loss of a loved one, loss of property, and loss of housing.
• Assist victims in finding emergent housing and getting personal needs supplied
• Grief and loss counseling for emotional support in the aftermath of a disaster
• Protect victims from media exploitation

Fire Fighters, Paramedics, and Fire Personell

•  Fire Station visits during non emergent times to build relationships and be available to help fire staff in a variety of support services
• Take over with family members as a Fire department representative allowing Fire Personell to return to service when they have completed all that they can do. 
• Be a trusted clergy member that the Fire Department staff can turn to for spiritual guidance, support, counseling, wedding ceremonies, funerals and memorials, and for questions that might arise that are spiritual or religious in nature
• Assist Fire Department staff in the debriefing of fire fighters or paramedics that have been exposed to an extremely traumatic call
• Sit with and support those that are present during a prolonged CPR or resuscitation of a loved one or close friend.  This also allows the Fire Department team to focus their attention on the needs of their patient 

Police Officers

• Build relationships with individual officers through ride-alongs during service times
• Take care of those that are present following a death so that police officers can focus their attention on their investigation, documentation, and communications with the Medical Examiner. 
• Take care of family members or close friends that might be present or arrive at the scene of a motor vehicle  accident where a serious injury or death has taken place. 
• Assist police with or perform death notifications to loved ones of a deceased person. 
• Be available for support and guidance for officers who have been exposed to a very traumatic scene

Funeral / Memorial Planning and Officiating

As a Chaplain, we are commonly asked by family members of a deceased person to assist them with planning and officiating a funeral or memorial service.  Because of the relationship established at the time of the crisis, this is often a great help to family members who do not have a pastor or clergy person.