When I came on as the chaplain manager for Hillsboro Fire & Rescue a couple of years ago, I told the chaplains I saw them not as volunteers but as professional chaplains who volunteer their time. This was a new concept for them; some didn’t buy into it and left the division for other things. But I treat them as professionals and expect our officers and firefighters to treat them the same way.

The idea of a professional volunteer is not new. My training captain introduced me to the concept of the professional volunteer firefighter when I was with the Santa Clara Fire District in Eugene, Oregon. It comes down to this. About 70% of the nation’s firefighters are volunteers. Only 30% get paid to do this thing we love. The crazy thing is that volunteers must train and certify to the same standards as paid firefighters. And on the scene of an emergency, the public has no idea who is full-time and paid and who’s a volunteer. The requirements to be a Firefighter I and II, EMT Basic, or Paramedic are the same either way. Being paid should not be the standard for professionalism.

Recent research shows that 95-98% of public safety chaplains who aren’t hired to fill another role do this thing we love for free. Considering what we see and deal with, that’s impressive. I have had two paid public safety chaplain positions, but such positions are rare. Previously, I volunteered as a Santa Clara Fire District chaplain for ten years. But what’s the difference, besides time devoted to this vocation and being paid or not? I hope the public gets the same service. They deserve our best.

So, what is the professional volunteer public safety chaplain? Well, first, let's change that up a bit. They are "professional public safety chaplains who volunteer their time." That's the heart of the concept. It's not about the money but about how we view ourselves and what we bring to the profession. Or, in this case, bring it to the vocation.

The designation of “professional volunteer chaplain” may seem paradoxical, given that “professional” often connotes paid labor. In contrast, “volunteer” implies offering services without expecting monetary compensation. However, “professional volunteer chaplain” can represent the intersection between professionalism, voluntary service, and spiritual caregiving. This term typically denotes an individual who, though not recompensed financially, nonetheless approaches the role with the professionalism expected of any paid chaplain.

Their professionalism is seen in their commitment to a standard of excellence, adherence to ethical guidelines, and responsibility for ongoing professional development. Professional chaplains are skilled in fostering interfaith dialogue, managing crises, and providing pastoral care. They display expertise and competence comparable to those of their paid counterparts.

Professional public safety chaplains who volunteer their time provide spiritual, emotional, and sometimes crisis support to public safety personnel and the communities they serve. These chaplains are often integrated into public safety departments and agencies to offer counseling and ministry of presence, deliver invocations at ceremonies, provide comfort and care for physical needs in times of crisis, and assist with critical incident stress management. They might also liaise between the public safety departments and the community, particularly in tragedy or disaster. In other words, they are fully part of the department, not an appendage or “those guys” we occasionally call on when bad things happen.

Key aspects of being a professional public safety chaplain who volunteers include:

1. Volunteer Commitment: Despite being professionals, these chaplains choose to volunteer their time without financial compensation. Their motivation is often rooted in a calling, vocation, or a desire to give back to their communities.

2. Professionalism: They maintain high professionalism and adhere to ethical standards, with a commitment to undergo extra and continual training which might include theological training, crisis intervention, counseling techniques, fire and police operations, basic medical training, and understanding public safety personnel’s unique challenges.

3. Spiritual and Emotional Support: They provide spiritual care that respects the diverse faiths and beliefs of the individuals they serve. This can include prayer, religious rites, connections to the larger faith community, or simply being a compassionate presence for struggling people.

4. Crisis Response: They are often called upon after a traumatic event or during a crisis to offer practical support and guidance to personnel and victims.

5. Confidentiality: Respecting the confidentiality of those they counsel is paramount. So is creating a safe space for people to share their thoughts and feelings.

6. Community Engagement: Chaplains may also engage with the community, participating in public events, educational programs, and memorial services, fostering a bridge between public safety agencies and the public.

7. Resilience and Self-Care: Given the often-challenging nature of their work professional public safety chaplains must also focus on their well-being and resilience, engaging in self-care practices to maintain their mental, emotional, and spiritual health.

In essence, being professional public safety chaplains who volunteer their time is a role that combines compassion, professionalism, and a deep commitment to serving both those who protect and serve the community and the community members themselves during their most vulnerable moments. There should be no difference between a chaplain who does this and gets paid versus one who does not.