Fire Chaplain Program

         Chaplain Brian Noble

It is an honor to work with emergency services personnel. These dedicated men and women of the Sagle Fire District have made it their purpose to respond to crisis situations. Whether it is a medical call, a fire or hazardous material call, these heroes answer the call and rush to the rescue. When they arrive on scene they help the injured, perform rescue operations, put out fires, and protect the public from further harm. It takes highly skilled, motivated, and courageous individuals to do this job.

Purpose

The purpose of a Fire Chaplain is to be a ministry of presence to the fire department personnel at the fire station and on the scene of an incident. While the firefighters take care of the structure fire or an accident, as Chaplain I assist the non-injured individuals and families connect with resources in our community such as the Red Cross, insurance companies, and churches. As Chaplain, my task is to be an extra set of eyes and ears on scene to make sure the families stay safe and are taken care of.

I enjoy spending time with the fire and EMS personnel and watching their training and day-to-day activities. This helps me understand them and assist them when they have a need to talk. My goal is to enable them to be emotionally and spiritually secure even in the midst of a chaotic event.

Availability

A Chaplain must be available to help victims of tragedy in a follow-up capacity. Chaplains are on call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. I have been trained in Crisis Counseling, Stress Management and Critical Incident Debriefings. A Chaplain is trained to bring comfort and consolation to persons involved in critical incidents, natural catastrophes, and/or incidents dealing with death.

Pastoral Background

I have been an ordained minister for 13 years and presently pastor Sandpoint Assembly of God church. With this background I am able to provide spiritual guidance and counseling to those who ask for it. A Chaplain works with people facing a family crisis, on the job crisis, or during any critical incident. The Chaplain does not replace a person’s pastor or spiritual leader. If the person has a spiritual leader or is in need of a professional counselor then a referral will be made.

Community Service Activities

I have been a Chaplain from 1993 to present and currently serve as the Chaplain for Sagle Fire District and Bonner County Sheriff’s Office (also Jail Chaplain); I have attended numerous training, but I am specifically trained through CTA – Police and Fire Chaplain Training Academy out of Tacoma, WA; CISM – Critical Incident Stress Management; and Certified Conflict Coach and Mediator (Peacemakers).