Chaplains strive to ease lot of firemen, police

As the department chaplain, he said that being raised on a fire truck's aerial ladder is the fun part of a serious job.

Father Gulley, pastor of St. Mary's parish in Amsterdam, has been the fire chaplain for 20 years. He is now the spiritual guide to four battalions of firefighters with a total of 37 members.

Putting out fires

"There are great personal strains on firefighters that take away from their family lives," the priest said.

For example, firefighters often need to be away from their families overnight. He admires the "great spirit" of the firefighters and praised their capacity to give and share.

Last September

"To go down there and join the brotherhood was a great honor for this man, but a great strain, too," said Father Gulley, who provided emotional and spiritual support for the distraught fireman.

Father Gulley himself was deeply shaken by 9/11. Since he was stationed in New York City for a number of years, he had visited the Twin Towers and remembers the way they swayed at the top.

When he heard what was happening in September, "I felt like a pile of cement," he said.

In his blood

Acting as the fire chaplain was an extension of skills he acquired years ago. As a teenager, he spent time riding with his father and grandfather for the Stephentown Volunteer Fire Department.

Father Close has been a volunteer firefighter for 32 years. He is also a certified emergency medical technician, a position that has come in handy over the years. When he was the chaplain of Glens Falls Hospital, for example, a code was called for a patient in cardiac arrest. The priest was nearby, so he ran to the scene and began chest compressions that saved the patient's life, surprising all the doctors.

In support

"We're a link to spirituality in the midst of all that [the firefighters] do," Father Close said.

Several incidents stand out in his mind from his time with the Albany Fire Department. One event that hit hard occurred when a pedestrian was accidentally struck by a fire truck that was backing up.

Many of the firefighters on duty that day tried to hide their grief, but one turned to Father Close for help in working through his pain. The fact that the incident was accidental did not take away his sorrow.

Pitching in

"It was fully involved and beginning to endanger other buildings. My fire training just kind of took over, and I started pulling hose lines," he said.

He remembers how startled the firefighters were to see the chaplain, dressed in full turnout gear, doing their work.

"They understood that I was willing to get my hands dirty. They weren't expecting this from a priest," Father Close said.

Qualities

"They're ready at a moment's notice to do what's needed," he said.

In Father Close's opinion, the terror attacks on Sept. 11 stand as a prime example of firefighters' devotion.

"Many of the firefighters on Sept. 11 were not on duty, and they just went," he said. "Some paid the ultimate price."

Like a family

"Police and fire departments are very special people. I'm very proud of them, and I consider them a very special family," he said.

For him, being a police chaplain means supporting officers in difficult times. Father Lefebvre realizes that it can be excruciating to keep a professional face on when job-related tasks get ugly.

Behind the badge

"Of course, he had to be very professional, measure the skid marks and so forth," said the priest. "Then he had to come in with a camera to take pictures of the scene. All of a sudden, through his lens, he sees, on the floor, two baby shoes."

The officer was overcome with emotion as he was reminded of his own children, Father Lefebvre said.

Tough on outside

"You've been there with them, and you see what they see," Father Lefebvre explained. "They're exposed continuously to human misery, social strain, marital difficulties. They have problems like the rest of us. They're always looking for someone that can understand their role."

One time, an officer woke up his wife in the middle of the night, distraught over a work-related problem. He said, "You're the only person in the world I can trust."

His wife suggested a visit to a second person: Father Lefebvre. Afterward, she told the priest that her husband's expression of trust meant more to her than all the times her husband said, "I love you."

(09-05-02) [[In-content Ad]]