About Us
Chaplaincy Program Mission Statement:
The Fire Chaplaincy Program will provide a ministry of service that responds to the needs of the fire department, the individual firefighter and their families along with the private citizens of all religious backgrounds during emergency and non emergency fire and medical incidents as well as community events in which the Bernalillo County Fire Department has a vested interest.
Chaplaincy Program Outline:
The chaplaincy program will be directed by the senior chaplain. The senior chaplain will be responsible for the development and leadership of the entire chaplaincy program. He will answer directly to the Deputy Chief of Operations.
The Senior Chaplain will recruit paid and volunteer chaplains in order to fulfill the mission of the Chaplaincy Program.
The chaplaincy program will serve the department in five general categories. This service model is expressed in the five pillars of service:
Service to the Members of BCFD:
The First Pillar of service will be for the specific needs of the service members of the Fire Department. In order to meet the many needs of over 250 personnel, it will be necessary to appoint a single chaplain with the responsibilities specific to each service member. This chaplain will be known as the service member’s chaplain. See the service member chaplain’s roles and responsibilities section for specifics on the chaplain’s duties regarding this pillar of service.
LODD/CISM Programs:
The second Pillar of service will be for the specific needs associated with the Line of Duty Death and Injury (LODD/LODI) program as well as the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Program. This program will be overseen by the LODD/CISM Chaplain or designee, either appointed by the Senior Chaplain or by the Chief of Fire and Rescue. See the LODD/LODI Program description or the CISM Program description for specifics regarding this pillar of service.
Community/Public Service:
The third pillar of service will greatly enhance our service to the public. So often our service to the public ends after we have rendered much needed emergency aid to the public. Whether it be in response to the public’s need for the extinguishment of a structure fire, the tragedy of a car accident, or the distress of a medical emergency, the public need for aid and care doesn’t end when the fire is out, or those injured have been transported to the hospital or the resuscitation efforts have been rendered. In fact these emergencies are just the beginning of another very real need for care and support. In order to further answer the call to our community after the initial emergency services are rendered, the chaplain(s) will serve as a liaison from the fire department to the community we serve. As well as serving during emergency call situations the chaplain(s) will help in representation of our department during community events and building a rapport with the community. See the community service program for chaplain’s roles and responsibilities section for specifics on the chaplain’s duties regarding this pillar of service.
Family Wellness:
The fourth tier will be for the family wellness of the department members. The Senior Chaplain or designee will oversee this Pillar of service. The chaplain(s) will minister to the specific needs of the service member’s family. So often the needs of our service member’s family are overlooked. The BCFD is committed to all of its members and their families. In order to better serve the specific needs that are unique to the care and maintenance of a family, be it financial assistance, marriage enrichment, family support groups, family emergencies, family planning, insurance needs, etc., the chaplain will answer this call. See the Family Wellness program section for specifics on this pillar of service.
On Call/Shift Chaplain:
The fifth tier of the chaplaincy program is meant to have a chaplain available on call for emergency response support to on duty crews, and public needs for each shift respectively. The desire is to have an assigned chaplain for A, B, and C shifts. Until we have enough chaplains to fulfill this need, the chaplain will modify his schedule in order to spread themselves out for each shift as best he/she can. The Shift/On Call Chaplain will be toned out as designated in the chaplain notification section of this document. The Shift/On Call Chaplain will also be available during the shift for calls and any other need that would warrant a response or intervention. The Shift/On Call Chaplain will have a vehicle and pager as well as radio and be assigned a station and serve a 24 hour tour with their respective shift. See the Shift/On Call Chaplain’s roles and responsibilities section for specifics on the chaplain’s duties regarding this pillar of service.
