The first day of winter weather hit hard and so did these two vehicles! While sitting in a caring citizen’s van who stopped to help and while waiting on a loved one to arrive, one of the drivers emphatically declared, “I can’t believe how many responders are here, how fast they arrived, and how well … Read More
This is a portion of what it means to serve as an emergency responder chaplain. The ministry of presence means being with citizens or responders in the difficult situations. It’s caring, guiding, listening, resourcing. While I was not on the scene for this situation, I was promptly contacted by someone who personally knew the victim. … Read More
“Thanks for being here.” I hear this phrase quite often from responders on scene, especially in the midst of the more graphic, harsh situations. Last night, I heard this comment from several law enforcement officers as we stood in the middle of Highway 93, a few miles south of Whitefish. It was late at night, … Read More
“While Kalispell sits surrounded by beautiful mountains and pristine water, a harshness exists in our midst as tragedy occurs regularly, and at times brutally.” -Chaplain Drew Buckner While sitting in my office yesterday, I was somewhat startled to hear responders dispatched to a homicide. Besides the fact that we still live in a smaller community, … Read More
When an experienced responder calls me on a Saturday to inform me of a REALLY bad motor vehicle accident, I know that I should assess my immediate plans in light of needing to go to the emergency room. He mentions that the hospital chaplains might already be involved, but he wants me to know just … Read More
I was unavailable to help on Sunday during the fire, but I arrived at the church building around 8:00 a.m. the morning after. My hope was to visit with the priest as he would likely feel its impact in a significant way. Upon arriving, community leaders who are a part of the congregation were visiting … Read More
Life is chalked full of hard questions. Some of these questions arise because of overwhelming circumstances. While these questions are not commonly verbalized to me, I firmly believe they are stirring inside of people connected to traumatic situations. Since early December 2018, I have consoled and conversed with citizens and responders who have been engaged … Read More
When I arrived on a scene this past weekend, a common aspect of traumatic situations occurred yet again. Because a pre-teen had been found dead in bed, I was dispatched to a local residence. I arrived and met his parents in the living room. There were the normal introductions amidst tears, including difficulty with even … Read More
Aftermath: the consequences or aftereffects of a significant unpleasant event. How are the parents of an infant who unexpectedly died? How is the dispatcher who fielded the traumatic call? How is the truck driver who was hit head on by a driver who crossed over the center line causing his own sudden death? How are … Read More
Suicide has been a persistent problem in Montana — and it’s getting worse. The state saw 25.9 suicides for every 100,000 residents in 2016, nearly double the national average. U.S. Centers for Disease Control Darkness. It’s more than a physical lack of light. It can describe the state of one’s existence when all hope has … Read More
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