Chaplain

CHAPLAIN’S MESSAGE

By Charles M. Vance
(WINTER 2008 EDITION OF TN FIREMAN PAPER)
As I begin my article the holiday season is fading into the past (with the exception of the bills to be paid). The Super Bowl is upon us and will be history as you read this article. Valentines Day will have been added to the list of holidays in the past. I do hope you remembered that special someone in your life with a special gift on Valentines. I always have thought of February as the love month because of Valentines. Easter will be approaching early this year. It seems to me and maybe yourself that events such as holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. come and go too quickly, especially as we become older.
The seasons of the year are ever changing and that is a good thing. We are all encountering changes in our daily life style to adapt to our society.
The fire and emergency service is no exception. There are never or will never be two emergency calls the same. Each fire and emergency service person must also prepare themselves for the ultimate and most devastating catastrophe event. Being trained and prepared will enable all of us to better accept the changing and complex world we live. It will give each of our communities the satisfaction of knowing that when we pull upon the scene, we are gong to give 100% and therefore our citizens can be more secure in a safe and healthy environment.
With changing events in our lifestyle also comes choices. We as responsible fire & emergency personnel, each occasion we respond to an emergency incident have to deal with making choices. Those choices must be laced with moral and physical responsibility, dedication, commitment, loyalty, knowledge and courage. This is in part the inner core or heart of a firefighter or emergency service person.
Probably the easiest part of my career and the most dangerous was the actual emergency incident scene in which hands on were required. This is in part to the hours - weeks - months years and decades of up to date intense training and experience. As your career progresses, perhaps you are in the process of updating your knowledge skills. It will pay off in each call you respond. The safety of your person is most vital in doing your job. The job we do is dangerous enough and with the correct PPE-SCBA and intensified training it hopefully will get you home to your loved ones. The National Fire Academy has a slogan "Everyone Goes Home." I pray that there are no line-of-duty deaths in 2008.
I am saddened to write about the line-of-duty death of Theresa Maria (Kauffman) Lynn, 38 years young. Theresa was a member of the Luminary-Frostbite Volunteer Fire Dept. As she was responding to an emergency call in her personal vehicle, there was a one-vehicle accident and she died. Theresa leaves behind two teenage sons - Ronald and Joshua Kauffman, parents, Chuck & Effie Kauffman.
Paul Trumpore, Knoxville F.D. Chaplain and Executive Director of Tennessee Federation Fire Chaplains; Roger Bray, Chaplain of Pikeville F.D.; Lloyd Harvill, Chaplain of Highway 58 V.F.D; Brian Brantley, Chaplain of Blount County Fire & Rescue and myself were invited by the Luminary-Frostbite V.F.D. to help. This took place within a matter of hours from the time of the accident. The Chaplain team remained until after the funeral which was held Christmas Eve.
These people were very gracious to allow us to help and we all feel so humble at working with these folks and the entire community. The Luminary-Frostbite V.F.D. is on top of a beautiful hill overlooking Pikeville, which is a part of the Sequatchie Valley. As Chaplain of TFA and TFC, I extend on their behalf our wish for the family and the Luminary-Frostbite V.F.D. comfort and piece of mind at which only God can give.
As a refresher to all of our firefighters, if you ever have need to call Paul Trumpore or myself to help you with a LODD, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are a 5-member team through the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation called the "Local Assistance State Team" (LAST). Our purpose is to only offer you our assistance and it is not take command. We are only available at your invitation. It is a very traumatic and emotional time for a fire department immediately following and during a LODD and funeral.
In 2007 in the State of Tennessee we had 3 line-of-duty deaths. They were Shane Daughetee, Highway 58 V.F.D.; M. L. Hopper, Tennessee Division of Forestry; and Theresa Maria (Kauffman) Lynn, Luminary-Frostbite V.F.D.
In this issue there is information about the Tennessee Firemen's Association annual conference to be held in Townsend where a Memorial Service (Saturday, May 31st at the banquet) will be conducted with the assistance of The Tennessee Federation of Chaplains memorializing all of our line-of-duty deaths of 2007 and also all deaths of fire and emergency service personnel who had died in 2007. This is the only state wide Memorial to honor our line of duty deaths and the families of these individuals will be invited as our guests.
I do hope you will try to attend this Memorial Service and Banquet along with joining us during the entire conference.
DON'T FORGET TO BUY A BRICK - MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO THE TENNESSEE FALLEN FIREFIGHTER MEMORIAL - WE NEED YOU!!
I LEAVE YOU WITH THIS MESSAGE:
"I expect to pass through this life but once. Therefore, if there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do for another human being, let me do it now, for I shall not pass this way again. ----William Penn

(Fall Edition 2007)
It is hard for me to realize that this year is very fast approaching its end. The events for the fire service this past 10 months has been filled with various activities for both paid and volunteer firefighters and emergency service personnel.
As Chaplain, I have been involved in many of these events. One such major event just was completed at the Tennessee State Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy. The TUFF Challenge – had a beautiful day and plenty of competitors not to mention the several hundred plus spectators and the many volunteers who helped with this event. There were also many vendors who supported this great event.
A great deal of not only thanks but also gratitude from all should go to Karen Alexander for her leadership, dedication and devotion to bringing all of this together. Karen is a very compassionate person when it comes to the reality of having a firefighter memorial for all of our fallen firefighters in the near future. We are making progress and it is with your continued help we will build a memorial sooner than later. At this time I do not have an actual count on the final balance although I would think we are close to $75,000. BUY A BRICK!!!!!!
If you have not ever been to the TUFF Challenge, we all hope you will send a team and bring a friend to work with us on having the best TUFF Challenge ever next September 2008.
This past year has brought happiness, joy and sorrow. There have been many new fire recruits added to our fire service. There have also been several deaths. Let us continue to remember those fire and emergency personnel who are not with us any longer and especially remember the families of these faithful stewards. I pray and hope that each of our new fire and emergency service people will go home safe and also a prayer for the veterans as well.
TFA’s President, Jim Whaley, was at the TUFF Challenge and we had a few minutes to talk about the conference in Townsend in May 2008. He and the Alcoa Fire Department are preparing for the best conference yet. Let us all do our part in helping them reach their goal by attending the Conference. There may be a one-day registration for the banquet on Saturday night after which we have our Fallen Firefighter Memorial. Make plans to attend the entire Conference. Hopefully we will have many first time attendees as well as those who have been faithful to attend for many years.
I hope everyone will please use discretion in the choices they make concerning their well being during the holiday period. I wish for everyone the best of health – happiness – prosperity and love. Let the adversity, which we all encounter be a challenge to strengthen us to avoid temptation.
As we continue to live our life each day, hopefully we will live it as one who is responsible and must give account of those responsibilities. If our life came to an end today, how would our story sound? If our story is exactly how we would like it, continue on persevering. However, if there are changes we need to make, let us begin making them today. Its not too late, and we will never regret living for Jesus especially when our story is read on judgment day. Let us quit seeing the faults in others and focus attention on our own misgivings. Our judgments of others many times go without merit or facts. Only based on rumors – hear say – gossip. Let us open our eyes to see our own weaknesses, for we can learn so much about ourselves. This trait will help in obtaining a higher degree of understanding about our fellowman.
Being a firefighter or emergency service worker requires more than the technical skills of the hands on in getting the job done. It requires a patient, dedicated and compassionate understanding of one’s self and his fellow man. Striving to accomplish this task is a goal we should all try to attain.

I LEAVE YOU WITH THIS MESSAGE.

One day a man walked through the streets of his neighborhood, with God by his side. They saw a little girl who was shivering in a thin dirty dress. Her face was tear-stained and the hopeless look in her eyes was heartbreaking. She looked hungry…so hungry.

As they passed her, the man became angry and asked God, “How could you allow this ? Why don’t you do something about it?” God didn’t say anything for a while. An then God answered: “I DID do something about it – I MADE YOU.”