What Is a First Responder Chaplain?
A trained, faith-based support professional who goes where first responders are — and all services are completely free.
All Rising Lions services are 100% free — to the department and to the individual. No cost. No strings.
More Than a Pastor. A Partner in the Field.
A first responder chaplain is a trained, faith-based support professional who serves police officers, firefighters, paramedics, EMTs, dispatchers, corrections officers, and other emergency personnel.
Unlike a traditional church pastor, a first responder chaplain goes where first responders are — to the firehouse, the precinct, the scene of a critical incident, or the hospital bedside.
Chaplains build relationships before a crisis hits, so when the worst happens, there is already a trusted presence ready to walk alongside the people who carry the weight of our communities.
What a First Responder Chaplain Does
Crisis Response
Respond alongside first responders after traumatic calls, line-of-duty deaths, or mass casualty events — providing immediate emotional and spiritual support.
Emotional Support
Offer a confidential, non-judgmental presence for personnel dealing with stress, grief, burnout, or the weight of what they have seen on the job.
Peer Connection
Build ongoing relationships with crews so trust exists long before a crisis arrives. Chaplains are regulars at the station, not strangers who show up only in tragedy.
Family Support
Extend care to the spouses and children of first responders, who carry their own unique burdens and are often overlooked in traditional support systems.
Memorial Services
Officiate or assist with funerals, memorial ceremonies, and line-of-duty death observances — honoring the fallen and supporting those left behind.
Spiritual Care
Offer prayer, scripture, and faith-based counsel for those who want it — without imposing it on those who do not. Chaplains meet people where they are.
Why First Responders Need Chaplains
First responders experience trauma at rates far exceeding the general population. Studies show that more first responders die by suicide each year than in the line of duty.
The culture of toughness that makes them effective on the job can also make it hard to ask for help. A chaplain bridges that gap — someone who shows up, sits with them, and does not need anything in return.
Chaplains are not therapists, and they are not there to push religion. They are there to be present — a steady, trusted voice in the middle of chaos and grief.
of first responders develop PTSD or depression
more first responders die by suicide than in the line of duty
of first responders report experiencing a traumatic event on the job
How Rising Lions Serves
Rising Lions First Responder Ministry provides chaplaincy and peer support to fire, EMS, law enforcement, dispatch, corrections, and federal agencies across the United States.
Our chaplains are trained, vetted, and embedded in the communities they serve. We respond to critical incidents, walk alongside personnel through personal crises, and build lasting relationships with departments nationwide.
Every service Rising Lions provides is completely free of charge. There is no cost to the department, no cost to the individual, and no strings attached. We are here because this work matters — not because of what we receive in return.
All Services Are Completely Free
No cost to the department. No cost to the individual. No strings attached.
Rising Lions is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit ministry. Our work is funded entirely through donations and partnerships — never through fees charged to those we serve.
Request a Chaplain for Your Department
Whether you are a department chief looking to establish a chaplaincy program or a first responder who needs someone to talk to, we are here. Reach out today — there is no cost, no commitment, and no judgment.