Q: I would like to become a fire chaplain. How do I go about obtaining this position with a fire department?
A: The chaplain for a fire department may be clergy or a lay person, male or female, clergy or firefighter. The chaplain is one who takes on the role of providing spiritual and other support to those in the fire service and those affected by emergency crisis. Although there are many different levels of service, the chaplain is normally one who is appointed to the office by his or her fire department or other emergency service agency and has been endorsed by his or her own denominational authority, church, synagogue, or other religious organization. The chaplain ministers to the needs of people from all religious backgrounds without proselytizing for his or her own affiliation.
In some places the fire chaplain is a local pastor who volunteers his or her time to minister to the particular needs of the firefighters in that community. Another location might have a firefighter who is living out a call of his or her faith by serving as chaplain to the other firefighters in the department. Many chaplains are volunteers, some receive reimbursement for their expenses, and others may be paid part-time or full-time by the fire department or by an outside agency. Some raise their own funding much like independent missionaries, relying on local churches and groups to provide money.
When firefighters respond to a burning building and focus attention on saving life and protecting property, the fire chaplain responds alongside but is focusing on ministering to the needs of the firefighters and the needs of the crisis victims. Victims of an emergency crisis may be the family who has just been burned out of their home, or the scared and confused spouse of a heart attack patient. They could be the mother of a teenager who just committed suicide or the frightened children whose parents are being transported to the hospital after a traffic accident. Firefighters are trained and able to deal with the varied emergency crises of our modern world. Fire chaplains are equipped and called to deal with the people being affected by those same events.
Models for the ministry are as varied as fire departments themselves. Some are quite simple, with a single chaplain volunteering to serve a single department. Others get much more developed with several chaplains serving multiple agencies on a rotating basis under the direction of a team coordinator. Information on different models and how to start a chaplain program are included in this material. Basically the fire chaplain is a spiritual presence in the world of fire department and emergency services. For more information, please check out our Training Manual.
If you are interested in being a fire chaplain for your local fire department, your first and most important step is to reach out to the fire department by contacting the fire chief and setting up a meeting to speak with him or her about the needs of their department for a chaplaincy program. From there, you will be able to determine what your next steps should be.
Q: I would like to know when and where your training for basic fire chaplains classes are held.
A: All of our training can be found on our calendar of events.
Q: How do I purchase a training manual?
A: You can purchase a training manual through our online shop or by mailing a check or money order. For more information visit the Training Manual section of our website.
