Chaplin's Corner

News from the Chaplin

March Prayer Breakfast

March 7, 2010 - Everyone is invited to the Norman Fellowship of Christian Firefighters Prayer Breakfast on Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at 7:30 a.m. The new location in which we will meet is "Hasslers Restaurant", located at 333 S. Porter Ave.

Please drop by for breakfast while we discuss some upcoming events and end with a devotion and prayer.

---

October Message from Your Chaplain

October 29, 2007 - I would like to let you know how much I appreciate the opportunity to fulfill the position as your Chaplain. My desire is to honor God through serving you. I realize that a Chaplain is a new concept on the Norman Fire Department and many of you may not realize the benefits that can be obtained from a Chaplaincy program. I am still learning the different ways of how I can serve you and the training that I am attending is very valuable to help this program develop.

I want Joel and Kelly to know that my heart and my prayers reach out to them in their loss of their son Colt. I have no way to measure this sorrow but pray for God to comfort and strengthen them. I was very impressed with the family of the Norman Fire Department and the way they responded to their loss, thank you.

We are starting a Fellowship of Christian Firefighters Breakfast. This will be the first Tuesday of each month at the Sunny Side Up café at 428 W. Robinson. The first meeting will be Nov. 6 at 7:15 am. We will eat breakfast, discuss upcoming events and end with a short devotion and Prayer. Everyone is invited, please attend.

There will be three days of training for the department offered on duty, November 26th, 27th and 28th. Each station has been assigned a time period. During the training we will be talking about stress management and understanding how to deal with emotional care at emergency scenes.

We will also discuss the start of our CISM Team and new members for our Honor Guard. Please have contact information ready for the family members you would like the department to contact if you were to be seriously injured or killed while on duty. We need to be prepared so the Department will handle your family appropriately.

Always fill free to contact me for any need you or others may have.

In His Service,
Chaplain Gary Doty - Ph. 570-6080

---

August Message from Your Chaplain

August 18, 2007 - I just wanted to touch base with you and tell you what’s been going on. I want to apologize for taking so long to get to each station to meet you, but I will be by soon.

I have been in contact with Chief Bailey and discussed the organization of a CISM Team. I feel that the time and effort that this will take will be very beneficial. Having a CISM Team may not sound like something that is needed, but I am convinced that the program will help prevent serious problems in fellow firefighter’s lives, and the results can be invaluable.

Firefighters can have more influence on each other when they are in need, than any counselor or psychologist. Young firefighters watch the older ones to see how they should react and deal with the stress of being an emergency worker. We need to be educated on what we teach them. The hours we work and the things we see can easily be handled in a destructive way. This results in divorce and alcohol or chemical abuse. We need to recognize this and make changes that result in a more healthy way of dealing with our minds and emotions.

The training we offer gives you tools, which can be used to deal with any type of stress, whether it is daily stress, or stress resulting from a critical incident. I would encourage every firefighter to attend the classes. Soon I will be posting dates that they are offered in this area. Right now we need firefighters willing to help organize the team. If you feel you would like to be a part of the team please send me an e-mail and let your chief know. After we organize and develop a policy, we can begin to respond out after significant incidences. I think you will soon see how much it helps and how fulfilling it can be. Please consider being apart of the team.

In HIS service,
Chaplain Gary Doty

---

Update Information

July 23, 2007 - I wanted to say hello, and let you know I will be trying to get by each station on all shifts as soon as possible to meet you. This week, however, I am cooking for 125 youth at Falls Creek. My phone will be checked regularly, leave a message and I will get back with you.

As soon as I am back from Falls Creek I will be contacting some of you for input on new policies. This week came at a time that I could be working on new projects that I have been anxiously wanting to start with the Department. However, I committed to our church several months ago to be a cook.

One of the projects that I want to start soon is a CISM Team, please contact me if you are interested in being a part of this team and are willing to go through the necessary training to do so. I would also like to meet with the Honor Guard and look into developing policies.

If there are other thoughts you might have give me a call or send me a email. Remember, I am here to serve and to help you and your families. May this service make a better Department for the citizen and the firefighters.

In His service,
Chaplin Gary Doty

---

Message from the new NFD-IAFF Local 2067 Chaplin
(from Chaplin Gary Doty)

July 19, 2007 - I would like to take this time to introduce myself and thank you for allowing me to serve as the Chaplin of the Norman Fire Department. My name is Gary Doty. I am 47 years old, and as of January 1 2007, I have retired as a Lt. from the OKC Fire Department. I had completed a little over 25 years of service and retired after having surgery on my knee. While serving with OKC, I was very active with the CISM Team as training coordinator and shift coordinator. While Chaplin Wilson was serving in Iraq over a three year period I coordinated the team and covered some of his duties.

In 1995, I began my training in CISM and completed five courses with the ICISF. Since then, I have continued my training and attended two World Congresses on Stress, Trauma and Coping. Recently, I’ve been taking courses in Chaplin training and school crises intervention. In April of 2005, I was ordained as a deacon, and in July 5, 2007, I was ordained into the ministry. Over my career with the Fire Department, ministry and helping people became very important to me. As Chaplin Wilson asked me to be more and more involved, I felt a calling to become a Chaplin. I was not sure when or where, but as he became aware of my retirement, he explained that the Chief of Norman Fire had approached him about needing a Chaplin for the NFD. I spent several months in prayer and seeking counsel from a few friends on the department and from some pastors I new from the area. After considering my experience as a firefighter, my training in CISM and wanting to minister and help people, the Chaplin position feels like the position that God has created me for. I hope that all the tragic incidents that I have been apart of will have prepared me to be an asset to the men of this department. I pray that in some small way I can serve every man and woman on this department. Maybe, over a period of time, I can help someone find a way to have a new perspective over a troublesome situation, and find them help during their trials.

I’m very excited to have the opportunity to serve this department. I hope to get to know each member and become a friend. I have a lot of thoughts on different policies and procedures I would like to initiate. I would like to start a CISM Team and make stress management classes available. I would also like to have a policy on death notifications and how to deal with a firefighter’s family if they are seriously injured. I want a notification procedure for when departments’ family members are admitted to the hospital, or for the death of a family member. The Chief is working on a policy for Employee Mental Health; it is very important to have. I will be working with the Chief on what duties and activities he will want the Chaplin to do. I hope that you will feel free to call on me at any time- day or night. I will start visiting fire stations trying to get to know you. I wish nothing but the best for the department and each employee. My prayer is that I would bring honor to God and the NFD through my services as Chaplin.

In His service always,
Chaplin Gary Doty

Contact Information:

• Mobile- 570-6080
• Email- garyddoty@yahoo.com