In The News

Guest post: A good shepherd should always smell like the sheep….

March 3, 2015

by: Rev. Doug Farmer Chaplain, Lowcountry Firefighter Support Team I am often asked by my fellow clergy who serve in parish ministry what public service chaplaincy involves. Working with law enforcement agencies invariably entails calls to unexpected death scenes; homicide, suicide, traffic fatalities, and other industrial accidents. Providing assistance in making death notifications and doing ride alongs with the officers are also valuable elements of this ministry. Chaplains who work with EMS/Fire Service are presented an opportunity to develop more personal relationships with the department members which can lead to some very important opportunities to assist department members during difficult professional and personal life situations. Working with firefighters and/or family members, or helping couples through difficult times are the bedrock of a successful chaplain ministry within the Fire Service and EMS. So the obvious question is “What makes a good Fire Service/EMS Chaplain”? The answer is that there are as many types of fire chaplains as there are fire chaplains who serve in the position. However, there are some basic approaches to Fire Chaplaincy that we can identify. One approach would be the “banquet chaplain”. They are the chaplains who only show up to give the invocation or benediction at retirement dinners, promotion ceremonies, or graduations. The firefighters may have never seen them before and may never see them again, unless there is a line of duty death or other funeral in which the chaplain participates. Their participation is always appreciated by the firefighters, but a personal relationship with the chaplain is very seldom the norm. A second approach which is common in many smaller or more rural departments is the “preacher/chaplain”. These men/women have been called to teach and preach and seek to fulfill their call to proclaim the gospel, most often as a church pastor. Occasionally, a problem arises in their chaplain role if their preaching skills are not counterbalanced by their listening and counseling skills. If department members feel they are being preached at or to, they can become very guarded around the chaplain as they don’t want to say something that will cause the chaplain to “preach” to them about some behavior, language, or story they have shared. Again, the chaplain’s participation is appreciated, but personal relationships can be difficult to establish if this perception is present. Most Fire Service members who are blessed to have a chaplain with whom they have a personal and working relationship would describe the desired category of fire chaplain as a trusted, calming, supportive, representative of God who provides a non judgmental, listening, ministry of presence. While personality traits vary with individuals, either an outgoing personality or an approachable and pleasant persona are usually the traits of these successful chaplains. Regardless of the approach to fire chaplaincy, several basic parameters are indicators of acceptance and effectiveness with the “boots on the ground." First, if possible, some background in public service is a real benefit. Former Fire Service, Law Enforcement, EMS, or Military service indicates an understanding of the culture and norms and the values held dear by the department members. If the chaplain has never been in public service, a willingness to come to training sessions, to ask questions and learn the apparatus, to understand the cultural differences and norms within the firehouse, and having an open and approachable personality will go a long way toward being accepted as worthy of the title fire chaplain. There is a very old axiom which says, “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” Once the boots on the ground perceive how much you care, the invitation to become an “insider” will most likely be extended. Throughout society today, fewer and fewer people describe themselves as regular church attendees or members of a large, mainline denomination. Spiritual but not religious (SBNR) has become the phrase used by many who profess a belief in a “higher power”, but do not regularly attend church services. As a fire chaplain, we are called to be a “minister in the workplace”. In the firehouse, we are afforded an opportunity to visit with those who are strong in their faith, those who profess to have no faith, and those who are SBNR. A casual dinner table conversation to explore who the firefighters are, their backgrounds, and their family stories will offer (for the chaplain who listens) insight into what it is that gives meaning and purpose to their lives, how they seek and find joyful and fulfilling experiences in their lives, and how this translates to their daily living and relationships with friends, coworkers, and especially other family members. Sometimes just being a quiet witness who offers a fully present, listening and nonjudgemental presence, opens the door to deeper conversations about life, faith, expectations, and so much more. Being able to meet people on the road they are on and developing an understanding of what they seek to give meaning and purpose to their lives can be an important step toward developing a personal relationship that will be so important in difficult times, and may open the door for better understanding and personal growth. When a firefighter chooses to trust the chaplain enough to share the most difficult moments in their professional, and more often, personal lives, the chaplain should always recognize the incredible gift of trust they have been given. If the chaplain can help them find their own inner resources, offer them guidance when asked to do so, or help refer them to professional emotional and behavioral health assistance, the chaplain has strengthened that trust bond and has been fully engaged in the ministry to which they have been called. It is not an easy task, but one which a good chaplain feels compelled, and called, to pursue. A good chaplain also understands that information given in confidence must not be divulged, even if the request to visit with the firefighter originated from a company or chief officer. Confidentiality is non negotiable! (danger to self or others being an exception) As a Fire Chief, I hope you will develop a protocol to identify the chaplain who will serve your department well. I hope when you appoint your chaplain that you empower them to serve the needs of everyone on your department, regardless of any worldly label, and encourage them to be a true shepherd who seeks to smell like their sheep. If done well, the sheep always recognize their shepherd’s voice.

Rev. Doug Farmer, a Kentucky native, is a United Church of Christ minister and serves as a volunteer chaplain with the Lowcountry Firefighter Support Team and the South Carolin Firefighter Assistance and Support Team (F.A.S.T.). He teaches basic and in-service courses throughout the Lowcountry for numerous local police, fire, and EMS agencies, as well as the crisis negotiator network. He is a retired Senior Special Agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. As an ATF Special Agent, he specialized in explosive investigations and taught at law enforcement agencies and academies throughout the United States in the areas of bombs and explosives, firearms, and weapons of mass destruction. He and his wife, Cile, are blessed to have four sons and one daughter as well as six very special grandchildren.