Where are you from? Well, I live in Jackson now but originally, I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I studied at Montana State in Bozeman and I’ve been in this area since 2002. I was with the United Methodist Church when it was here but then I moved back to Montana for 10 years. My family stayed, and I came back in 2014.

What do you do in your free time? Well, I’m retired now, but I enjoy photography, fly fishing…I enjoy spending time with my family since I was away from them for those 10 years. I still do weddings and funerals, as well.

What do you do for work? I have been a pastor for almost 30 years.

How long have you been a part of JH Fire/EMS? I think my first stint was 2002/2003, and then when I came back I began again in 2014/2015. 

How would you describe your role in the department? I’m there as a chaplain, for spiritual support and spiritual guidance, not only for the firefighters, but for their families and victims as well. 

How did you come to have this position? I have been doing chaplain work with fire deps in Montana and here for the better part of 20 years now. I’m actually still considered a chaplain at the Twin Bridges fire department. Chief Willy Watsabaugh brought me on with Jackson; we knew his family through our sons playing basketball together.

Do you have future goals in the department? Just to be a presence, that’s my goal, to be there when I’m needed. One of the other things I do, whenever there’s a LODD (line of duty death) anywhere in the country, I write to that department on behalf of JH Fire/EMS that we stand with them in their grief, and if there’s anything we can do, holler at us. I’ve done that for 5 or 6 years. 

What is your favorite or most satisfying part of what you do? Just being a part of the team. That and participating in the Wyoming Fallen Firefighter Memorial, I have been a part of that now for the last 6 or 7 years. But just being a part of the team…the family if you will. 

Is there anything that is particularly challenging? No, to be honest. This is what I do. This is my vocation. I do not do counseling, that I can’t do. But I can refer to counselors through the TIPS (Teton Interagency Peer Support) program. 

Do you have any advice for members of the department to help upkeep their spiritual and emotional health and wellbeing? Don’t be afraid to reach out. That’s what I’m here for, that’s what TIPS is for. Make that step, make that call. Everything is held in confidentiality. That’s the biggest thing: reach out. 

What is the most valuable trait for someone to have in emergency services/prehospital medicine? Compassion. Professionalism. I don’t know if you can put one ahead of the other. They are equal in my mind. 99.9% of the time, you are not seeing people having their best day, and that’s where compassion comes in. Maybe the other word would be empathy.