I guess I have begun officially delving
into what kinds of things I can be doing as fire department chaplain. Yesterday I spent a long time trying to get
the various lists I have accumulated compiled into one easily accessible
document. I also inserted fire fighters’
names onto a form I use for church so I can keep up with their birthdays. Ultimately I’d like to have their families’
birthdays as well, but I suppose that will take a while. I started asking to be friended on FaceBook
by the guys I could find, and that seems to be going well. That looks like it will be my best source of
a picture of each one so I can learn to recognize them when I see them. That would have been helpful the other day in
WalMart when two guys recognized me. I
kind of enjoy knowing who I’m talking to, though that has never stopped me
before. I hope they will be patient with
me and keep telling me names. After all,
I am just that old guy who is trying to help, and you know how old guys are
about remembering stuff ……
One thing that I learned at the conference
was that I need to become familiar with the fire department language. Apparently it is like being in a foreign
country when you spend time around the department. One of the chaplains recommended two books to
me that give a good picture of the terminology used. I’m going to try to order them as soon as I
can. Interesting titles: Report from
Engine Company 82 and I Love a Fire Fighter.
I also need to learn the names of the different tools and trucks and
work assignments. I have already picked
up on a few of the unusual ways they refer to things as well. I’m not sure who to ask, but it would be very
interesting to find out the history behind those unique utterances.
Another project that I will start work on
as soon as I get my business cards is connecting with local clergy as the
chaplain. I hope being a pastor myself
will give me a little insight into how I might be received by them. At least I’m not asking them to do anything
more than they already have on their plate.
That always makes a difference for me.
I just need to develop a network of clergy to call in case one of the
fire fighters specifically requests a particular denominational or other
religious connection. It’ll be good to meet
the police department chaplain as well as any chaplains that might be working
with the hospital. I know they cut their
program way back after Hurricane Ike, but they do still have a pastoral care
office. I’ll put it on my list. Oh, and someone who can speak sign language
in case that comes up.
And then comes the paperwork stuff. Probably the first document I’ll work on is
getting each fire fighter to fill out a personal information packet that
includes the information we will need in case of a line of duty death. Tough thing to talk about, but sounds like it
would be extremely helpful to already have that information in place for things
like who to contact and what special needs might exist that we would have to
deal with.
I talked to one of the fire fighters the other
day about an issue that is apparently widespread among departments. It involves the many different traditions
associated with fire department funerals.
At issue is how to differentiate between recognition for one who has
retired, one who is an active fire fighter but dies while off duty, and one who
actually dies in the line of duty.
Sounds like a valid concern, but it is apparently left up to individual
departments to decide. That will be one I
need to get some honor guard feedback on as well as see what the chief
thinks.
Among the other things on my ever-growing
list are: find a history of the Galveston Fire Department; develop a map of
concentrations of cultural groups in the city along such lines as ethnic,
racial, and religious; take a CPR class; take the online classes on critical incidents
at the FEMA website; get some fire fighter New Testaments; eventually offer a
Bible study at one or more of the stations … it goes on and on. So, it would seem that I am excited about the
possibilities for ministry here. Indeed.
Psalms 89:1 says, “I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make
your faithfulness known through all generations.”
Father, thank you for the ministry
possibilities with GFD. Please cover
whatever efforts I make with a healthy dose of your Holy Spirit. I sure need it. Amen.
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