Washington County Fire District 2 - Recognition Pictures

INFORMATION	COMMUNITY	VOLUNTEER	APPARATUS	PERSONNEL	GALLERY	IN MEMORIAM	CONTACT

RECOGNITION

Congratulations Steve Brodehl - 2009 Federation of Fire Chaplains (FFC) North American Chaplain of the Year!

11/03/09- When fires, accidents or traumas occur, everyone knows to call 9-1-1. Trained District #2 firefighters and volunteers will respond to quickly deal with the physical aspect of that emergency. But, what about the emotional toll caused by a horrific event? Who responds to care for citizens on what is likely the worst day of their life? The chaplains do. And, the man who has been at the core of Washington County Fire District #2’s chaplain program is Steve Brodehl. Steve is dispatched to every working house fire, major auto accidents, and traumatic incidents where citizens may need emotional support.
Steve has been involved with the fire service since he was a 16 year old junior member of the Parkdale Fire Department. He is chaplain for both Washington County Fire District #2 and the Hillsboro Fire Department.
Steve trains regularly with the dozen or so other fire chaplains across Washington County. Their training includes not only how to deal with the citizens’ needs, but how to interface with the medical examiner in fatality cases, how to work with citizens at crime scenes where law enforcement investigators want to preserve the integrity of evidence, and how to help bridge communication gaps at what are normally chaotic scenes.
An ordained minister in a non-denominational Christian faith, Brodehl says a chaplain’s priority is emotional support. “We focus on bringing personal stability first and connecting citizens with church only if they request it,” he said. His dedication and professionalism on the largely volunteer job was recognized in October by the Federation of Fire Chaplains who bestowed upon Brodehl the “Fire Department Chaplain of the Year” award. The award was presented at the organization’s annual conference in La Quinta, California. Nearly one-thousand members make up the North American organization.
In addition to helping citizens, Steve see’s to the emotional needs of the firefighters and regularly visits the stations to check on the crews, particularly following a difficult call.
“We’re there to help them deal with the stresses of the job and the occasional tragic call that just doesn’t make sense,” Brodehl said. “The loss of a child always affects us. It is particularly difficult when you arrive on scene and the deceased is the same age as your own kid. ”
But the work isn’t always about tragedy. “The best moments in my memory are those when a firefighter tells me he wants me to perform his or her marriage ceremony,” said Brodehl. “That scores a 10 in my heart! But, not far behind that is when I can help turn a person’s sense of hopelessness into a glimmer of hope. That’s when I know I’m doing my job well.”