Spring Break
Chaplains turn into EMT riders
Matt Miller/Religion News Service
Issue date: 9/21/08 Section: Divine Intervention
"There is a benefit in talking to someone who has been there, someone who understands," Pine said. Such understanding is most needed after calls involving children, he said.
"When kids are involved, it's always very, very hard," Pine said. "Most of our people have kids of their own. When they come back from one of those calls, you see the looks on their faces and know they need someone to talk to."
During the height of a call, the chaplains will mostly stand back. They will be expected to get equipment, Kish said, and to help calm patients, inform and counsel families and pray with them if asked. "There is no expectation that they'll be providing (medical) care," Pine said.
Chaplains, who will have special uniforms, will ride with crews in the evenings, which Pine said are among the busiest times for calls.
The ambulance effort will mark the second time Kish and Rau have donned uniforms for community service; both are veterans of a police chaplaincy program Kish organized that operates with two local police departments.
"It seems that God has put us at all the points of pain in the community," Kish said.
"When kids are involved, it's always very, very hard," Pine said. "Most of our people have kids of their own. When they come back from one of those calls, you see the looks on their faces and know they need someone to talk to."
During the height of a call, the chaplains will mostly stand back. They will be expected to get equipment, Kish said, and to help calm patients, inform and counsel families and pray with them if asked. "There is no expectation that they'll be providing (medical) care," Pine said.
Chaplains, who will have special uniforms, will ride with crews in the evenings, which Pine said are among the busiest times for calls.
The ambulance effort will mark the second time Kish and Rau have donned uniforms for community service; both are veterans of a police chaplaincy program Kish organized that operates with two local police departments.
"It seems that God has put us at all the points of pain in the community," Kish said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 5
Taliesin MacAran
posted 9/23/08 @ 3:18 PM EST
Although I am not of their faith, I would welcome any of these Chaplains to ride along on my ambulance and would turn
to them for counseling if I needed it. (Continued…)
jimmyone
Jimmy Crouch
posted 9/25/08 @ 10:09 PM EST
I think what you are doing will benefit your community greatly. Here at Medic One Jakarta we are trying to set up the same type of program - providing "Emotional First Aid". (Continued…)
Greg T.
posted 9/25/08 @ 11:42 PM EST
I would be incredibly uncomfortable at the seemingly enforced spirituality of that situation. Faith, approach to life and death, spirituality or lack thereof is one of the most personal things we have in life, and to imply that we should staff rapid-response counseling personnel on ambulances seems to me to codify a specific variety of religious coping method. (Continued…)
kday
posted 9/26/08 @ 4:27 PM EST
I would welcome a chaplain on my truck. For those who are not "spiritual", it is a choice to accept their support or not. It doesn't sound like they are pushing their faith on anyone, but being available if someone needs or wants to talk, or even pray. (Continued…)
txmedic
txmedic
posted 9/26/08 @ 4:42 PM EST
I would welcome a chaplain on my truck. For those who are not "spiritual", you are not obligated to accept their service, it is an option. It doesn't sound like they are pushing their faith on anyone, just making themselves available to those who may want someone or need someone to talk to or even pray with. (Continued…)
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