A fire chaplain may be clergy or lay person, male or female, or a firefighter. The chaplain is one who provides spiritual and emotional support to those in the fire service and those affected by crisis.

Normally the chaplain is appointed to the office of chaplain by his or her fire department chief or other emergency service agency. To receive this appointment, one usually needs to have been endorsed by his/her denominational authority, church, synagogue or other religious organization to the chaplaincy ministry. The fire service chaplain ministers to the needs of people from all religious backgrounds. In some cases, the chaplain is a local pastor who volunteers his/her time to minister to the particular needs of firefighters and the community. In other cases, a firefighter feels the calling to be a chaplain to other members of his/her department. Some chaplains receive reimbursement for their expenses, others are part-time or full-time as chaplain. Some chaplains raise their own funds as an independent missionary, relying on local churches and groups to provide funding. Others fund their chaplaincy entirely from their own pockets, with no outside funding whatsoever. Most fire chaplains are volunteers.

When firefighters respond to burning buildings and focus on saving life and protecting property, the fire chaplain responds alongside the firefighters focusing on the spiritual and emotional needs of the firefighters and crisis victims. Victims who have been burned out of their homes and lost everything, need the support of a chaplain. A frightened and confused spouse of a heart attach victim, needs caring support from a chaplain. A mother of a teenager who has completed suicide, needs the compassionate care of a chaplain. Just as firefighters are trained to deal with the varied emergency crises, the fire chaplain needs to be trained and equipped to deal with people being affected by traumatic events. A chaplain is different from a pastor in that the chaplain is a “spiritual “presence across denominational and faith lines, not a “religious” presence of his/her own faith group.

Basically, the fire chaplain is a spiritual presence in a world of fire department and emergency services. One of the titles of a bishop is “servus Servorum Dei” which means a servant of the servants of God -that’s basically what fire chaplaincy is all about, serving those who serve.

If you are interested in becoming a fire chaplain, your first and most important step is to understand a “calling” from God to this ministry to serve others. The next step is to reach out to your local fire department chief and set up a meeting about the need for a chaplain in the department. Check out the website www.firechaplains.org and download the booklet, “How To start a Chaplaincy Program,” The booklet will give you a good birds-eye view of the chaplaincy and how to start a program. Suggest that the chief browse this site, www.louisianafirechaplains.com for additional information about how the chief and his/her department may need a valuable asset as a chaplain. The Resource page on this site also gives you a brief and more detailed sample of developing a chaplaincy program.

No. Many of our best chaplains are lay person chaplains. Those who experience the call as a fire chaplain, should undergoe the FFC Essentials of Fire Chaplaincy class, join the FFC and their state chaplain organization, take classes in Incident Command, NIMS, CISM group and individual Stress Intervention classes, do on-going training. Fellowship and networking with other chaplains can be a valuable asset to a fire chaplain. One chaplain calls the fellowship of fire chaplains as “the gathering of the eagles.” It cannot be emphasized enough the importance of the fellowship of other chaplains.

However, if you are not ordained, an endorsement to the chaplaincy ministry from your pastor, rabbi, head elder or overseer is required, and should be mentored and accountable to the ordained person. There are needs for chaplains of various faith groups, traditional or non-traditional.

A chaplain, ordained or not, should get the best training he/she can afford, and hold to a very high standard in serving those who rely on us. Get in the Essentials class as soon as it is available to you. Check the Training Events page on this site for next Essentials class.

Training requirements are determined by each Fire Department. While there are general suggestions and guidelines, check with your department first to find out what training the department would like you to receive.

With the above said… Fire chaplains have various levels of training. Some have PhDs. Others have very little formal education. The FFC and LFCN will help you get the needed education and training to be an effective fire chaplain. A basic training (16 hours) and Advanced Chaplaincy (130+ hours) are available to those who are interested in becoming a chaplain in the fire service. A fire chaplain should have at least the Essentials of Fire Chaplaincy (basic level 16 hour training) and the Essentials of Firefighting or Firefighter I/II Certification before making runs with a fire department. Some states require that the chaplain have the Basic Firefighter Certification. There are many other training opportunities available to you: International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, FEMA and others (See Links page on this site).

We at LFCN utilize the FFC Essentials of Fire Chaplaincy training for our fire chaplains. Over 30 plus years, the Federation of Fire chaplains has developed a 16 hour intensive, fundamental, basic fire chaplain training that is recognized as the Standard of Training for fire chaplain training world-wide. The Essentials training involves learning about the history of the chaplaincy, who the chaplain is and what he does and does not do, how to start a chaplaincy program, how to minister to firefighters and crisis victims, how the chaplain operates on the emergency scene, an introduction to CISM, how to do a firefighter funeral, firefighter injury and death notification, and other important subjects needful for a fire chaplain: HIPAA, PSOB and EAP.

Experience has taught us that the face-to-face environment of the FFC Essentials training is an unparalleled opportunity to get the best knowledge and skills a fire chaplain needs to be an effective fire chaplain. The Essentials training is led by a certified instructor who has had the basic training, 130+ hours of advanced training, completed a Train-The-Trainer Workshop and has done three student-teacher experiences under a Level 4 Trainer.

The Essentials is the training upon which all other fire chaplain training is built. We normally offer this training once or twice a year in our state.

Go to www.firechaplains.org and check out their calendar of events. Check out this site www.louisianafirechaplains.com on Training Events for classes offered in Louisiana and the South Central Region. Check out www.icisf.org for CISM events they are offering across the country. Check out www.fema.gov for the many offerings through their Independent Study Institute. Check out our links page for other organizations which offer training.

Yes and no. You can purchase a copy of the FFC Training Manual and familiarize yourself with the information in the manual, or download the Fire Chaplain – Who We Are and What We Do (see on Resource page of this site) as a primer to prepare yourself for attending the Essentials of Fire Chaplaincy class. However, over 30 years of experience we have learned that the essential knowledge and skills you need to be a good fire chaplain, is best done through classroom learning in a face to face environment. The Essentials classroom experience is unparalleled in getting knowledge, developing skills and building relationships so valuable to a successful chaplaincy. Therefore, to get credit, you must attend the sixteen (16) hour class in a Regional class or a Pre-Conference Institute in conjunction with the international Conference of the Federation of Fire Chaplains. You may purchase a Training Manual (print copy or by USB stick) via www.firechaplains.org or by mail at Federation of Fire Chaplains, P. O. Box 567748, Dallas, Texas 75356

FEMA has a great selection (including NIMS courses) of training for fire chaplains via www.fema.gov. If you are a Red Cross volunteer you will find some great disaster training classes at no additional charge.

To be a member, first reach out to us on our “Contact Us” page. You may fill out the form, email us, call, or send a letter. Once you have spoken with someone from LFCN and you have already been appointed a Chaplain by a fire agency, you will send an endorsement letter from your Fire Chief (or head of department) and an endorsement letter by your religious affiliation to the LFCN address listed on our contact page. You will complete an application which can be found at the bottom of this page. Upon completion of application, annual dues will be due. The benefits of being a member of FFC and LFCN are manifold. Being a member of LFCN gives you an opportunity to keep in contact with those serving along side you in your own state. LFCN holds meetings, sponsors training events, etc. Being an FFC member is a brotherhood of chaplains from around the world. The Annual Conference of the Federation is one of the most valuable benefits of being a part of these organizations – it is a time to strengthen your network, “talk shop” with experienced chaplains, get world-class training, visit old friends and make new friends for life. The value of being a member of both FFC and LFCN cannot be overrated. It is well worth the investment of $145.00 for initial year and $120.00 a year thereafter to be in this fellowship.

As of January 2022, dues for members are $20.00. These dues help reduce training costs, cover communication, etc. This way, every donation the organization receives can go straight to training chaplains and helping first responders.

You can choose to solely be a member of the LFCN.

With this said, we highly encourage anyone who is an LFCN member to also be apart of the International “parent” organization, the Federation of Fire Chaplains.
The initial dues for the FFC are $125.00 which includes all of your set up, training records, maintaining your transcript) and then are $100.00 annually thereafter.

All dues are due by January 1 of each year.

Working closely with FFC and other organizations we provide training for Louisiana chaplains to equip and sustain an effective chaplaincy – Essentials of Fire Chaplaincy training, CISM Group and Individual Crisis Intervention, Pastoral Crisis Intervention, Prevention and intervention of Suicide, Grief follows Trauma and many other subject which are needed in the chaplain’s tool kit.

ABSOLUTELY! Membership with LFCN…

– provides standing in a professional organization recognized by the FFC and most other fire service organizations nationally and internationally.

– provide identification through a photo ID membership card

– provides a membership certificate (suitable for framing)

– LFCN patches, window decals, challenge coins, and a magnetic car sign is available to purchase to identify your private owned vehicle on a scene.

– both basic & advanced chaplaincy training by FFC, LFCN, ICISF and others available in state and out of state at reasonable tuition costs.

– provides benefits for your department to save money by having chaplains trained close to home.

– easily accessible questions for firefighter funerals, death notification, and others from Honor Where Honor is Due – Louisiana Fire Chaplain Flying Squad team.

– a training library of written, audio, audio-visual, video, and other resources from the FFC website www.firechaplains.org and our Resource page

There are in fact two levels of membership:

Professional Membership:

-Chaplains who are appointed to the chaplaincy by a fire department chief;
-Who are endorsed to the chaplaincy by their faith group affiliation;
-And are currently serving as a fire department chaplain on active duty.

Associate Membership:

-Chaplains who are appointed to chaplaincy by fire chief, but lack ecclesiastical endorsement from their faith group affiliation;
-Former chaplains who are not currently serving in that capacity;
-Retired fire chaplains who are interested in maintaining fellowship with chaplains;
-And individuals or groups who have an interest in and supportive of chaplaincy.

To begin- Membership is conferred upon receipt of your membership application, letter of appointment, endorsement letter and dues.

You may download and print the Membership Application Form below (coming soon, a digital form. Sorry for any inconvenience in present day though). Fill out the form.

Then acquire both an appointment and endorsement letter (examples are on the resource page under “Members”.

Once you have:
-Application
-Appointment Letter
-Endorsement Letter
-Dues (may also be paid in the payment portal under membership)

You may mail in your application form to the address listed in the form.

LFCN will confirm the receipt of your documentation and membership will be conferred with an ID and Certificate.