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Chaplains turn into EMT riders

Abstract:
Chuck Kish was driving near Carlisle a few months ago when he came upon a traffic accident scene that was a fatal crash. "I saw an EMT walk over to one of the bodies. They lifted the corner of the tarp and he turned away," Kish recalled. "I'll forever remember the look on his face. I thought, 'he needs a chaplain.'"...

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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.
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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".
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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.

Further, emergency situations are stressful. They are sometimes horrifying, and yet, it seems to me that trying to incorporate the reflective analytical phase into the traumatic situation itself is only increasing the number of people exposed to the trauma.
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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. I have been on scene where parents have lost a child and would have probably welcomed this service.

Keep up the work God has put on your heart to do. I often pray for the people we are dispatched out to before we arrive. And will pray silently for them once we are on scene. Serving Him in EMS! -- Texas Medic
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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.

I have been on scene where parents have lost a child and probably would have welcomed this service.

Keep doing what God has placed on your heart. I often pray for those we are dispatched out to, and will pray silently for the patient again once on scene. Serving Him in EMS! -- Texas Medic
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