VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Getting more mental health resources to first responders is a top priority for Virginia Beach city leaders.
For years, volunteer chaplains with the Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) have supported police officers, and now that program is available to firefighters on a fuller scale.
“The chaplains are invaluable to us,” said police deputy chief Reo Hatfield. “They provide wellness to our officers. They also provide comfort to our citizens in times of tragedy.”
From fires to car accidents and violent crimes, firefighters rush to help with a wide variety of emergency calls.
“The stress levels do build up and they accumulate, and you never know which event is going to trigger someone to have a bad response to it,” said deputy fire chief Kenneth Pravetz.
Pravetz said chaplains have come out at the request of firefighters, but now those chaplains will spend more time at the firehouses on a regular basis.
“As we expand the program they will be riding with crews, spending time together,” Pravetz said. “Sit down for dinner, have casual conversations, and it will just expand it to more relationship building.”
With 12 years of experience as a chaplain, Steve Gray said relationship-building is vital for healing.
“We get to know them, we befriend them,” Gray said. “Then they open up to us and tell us about those things that are troubling them, because that is what we are there for and they understand that.”
Gray said every time he helps an officer or firefighter work through their trauma, it sticks with him.
“Being a part of, hopefully, being there to help that person get to a point when they are not at their wits end,” he said.
One day, Gray hopes to see chaplains dedicated to the Virginia Beach EMS program.
“Our motto is 'Love and compassion with a ministry of presence,'” Gray said.
Leaders with the Virginia Beach Police and Fire Departments said both organizations have peer support programs to help their first responders get through tough days.