Illinois Corps of Fire Chaplains, Inc Orientation

Illinois Corps of Fire Chaplains, IncIllinois Corps of Fire Chaplains, Inc

Orientation


What is Holistic Care?• People are by nature physical, emotional

and spiritual* beings (*beliefs and values systems)

• We as emergency responders have a responsibility to serve and protect the whole person

• Chaplains serve this purpose by specializing in emotional and spiritual care


What is a Fire Chaplain?

• Cares for the emotional and spiritual needs of personnel,

families and community in crisis situations

• Understands and trains in fire service culture and operations

• Not shift based, available 24/7 on assigned days


Commitment to the

Fire Service.

Always ready

All the time


• Emergency Responder and member of the Fire Service – ‘one of us’

• Committed to serve and protect along side firefighters

• Trains to provide a Standard of Care for personnel and community


• Dependable, faithful, spiritually driven

• Not primarily a religious advisor – not faith specific

• Chaplain communications are private and confidential


Really, though…What does a chaplain do?


Psychological First Aid

• We walk with people in the midst of crisis

We then place them in the hands of their own support systems and needed care.


5 Points Of Service

1. Firefighters and Staff2. Command3. Families of Personnel4. Victims of Emergencies and

Disasters5. Fellow Chaplains


Chaplain Duties• Visits stations and shifts• Responds to structure fires, deaths and

critical incidents• Makes hospital and home visits• Prayerful support of needs• Performs weddings, blessings and funerals• Attends meetings, invocations, events• Participates in training


Chaplains are here for you…

when you feel like you’re REALLY STUCK


When you need to unload


Job Stress? Problems At Home?

Cutbacks in the Ambulance Departmenthave slowed response

times.

Yes Dear.


Or when things just go wrong…


Chaplains Train To Provide An Effective Standard of Care For Those We Serve Together


Basic Training

• PPE & Fire Ground Safety/Operations• Incident Command System (NIMS)• Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)• Pastoral Crisis Intervention• Line of Duty Death and FD Funerals• CPR and First Aid• Departmental Training Opportunities


Advanced Training

• Suicide Intervention and Postvention• Disaster Response Deployment Preparation• Grief Following Trauma• Stress Management For Emergency Responders• Family Education• Public Safety Officer Benefits• Communication and Team Effectiveness• Terrorism: Psychological Impact and Implications


Salvation ArmySalvation ArmyEmergency Disaster

Services

• Preplanned resource• A Partner to MABAS chaplains• Offers CISM Training (ICISF) at a

discounted rate through grant funding• Deploys Chaplains to Disaster

Response• Provides Canteen and Rehab Services


CommunicationsCommunications

Determine what method works best for your department• Pager

• Cell Phone• Dispatch Tone-Out

• 2 Way Radio

In order to help In order to help

Chaplains must know Chaplains must know

when, where and howwhen, where and how

to respondto respond


Why do we work with MABAS?

SO THAT WE CAN…• Recruit, organize and train chaplains for

effective service in departments and communities.

• Establish MABAS Division Chaplain Committees

• Establish policy for responding to large scale incidents

• Create a effective standard of care on a local, state and national level


The Division Chaplain The Division Chaplain CommitteeCommittee

• 3 Positions• Chaplain Coordinator• Chief Liaison• Training Officer– Policy Development includes» Duties and Training » Committee Guidelines» Task Force Response


Sounds like a good opportunity. Sounds like a good opportunity. How do we get started?How do we get started?

1. Go to your Fire Chief or MABAS.org and get a listing departments in your Division

2. Call each dept and ask for their Chaplain’s contact information

3. Invite all Chaplains and Chiefs together and discuss the program

4. Request help from the ICFC if needed5. Work toward forming a Chaplain Committee

within your MABAS Division


Professional Organizations For Professional Organizations For ChaplainsChaplains

• Illinois Corps of Fire Chaplains (ICFC)www.ilfirechaplains.org

• Federation of Fire Chaplains (FFC) www.firechaplains.org


How do I become a How do I become a MABAS Fire Chaplain?MABAS Fire Chaplain?

• Contact your local department Fire Chief and volunteer

• Talk to other MABAS chaplains about this ministry

• Contact the ICFC www.ilfirechaplains.org

GOD BLESS YOU AND STAY SAFE!

Documents

Illinois Corps of Fire Chaplains, Inc Orientation