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August 2, 2003
Serve A Public Servant- A Way For Churches To Reach Out To
Emergency Workers
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Wendy Norris, President
Firefighter Ministries
Thursday, July 17, 2003
281-335-5434
Houston, TX – Firefighter Ministries, Inc. (FFM) has formally
announced today the inception of a new program called Serve A Public Servant.
This new program is focused on churches and helping them learn how to reach out
into their communities and into their own church bodies to encourage and comfort
local public servants such as firefighters, EMTs, police officers, and military
personnel.
It’s been nearly two years since the attacks of
9/11. For several months following that tragic day, most of the attention of
the country was focused on emergency workers. These public servants were
suddenly applauded for their heroism, their strength, and their dedication.
Local communities in vast amounts displayed encouragement, support and prayers
to these heroes. It is unfortunate that it took such a major event for these
individuals to be cared for in such a manner because they served before 9/11 and
their service continues on. As time has passed, and the remains of the World
Trade Center have long been cleaned up, these local servants have become almost
forgotten.
Because public servants still continue to work
within their communities saving lives, protecting property, they are still at
risk. Police officers and firefighters are still dying on the job in record
numbers. On-the-job injuries are frequent and emotional hardships such as Post
Traumatic Stress, depression and anxiety from witnessing horrendous acts run
deep. Now more than ever, these individuals need the support and the
encouragement of their local communities.
During times of hardship, individuals tend to
turn to their church or their chaplain for advisement. It is our hope that
churches will have a sound plan in place to minister to the special needs of
emergency workers during times of distress. It is also our hope that churches
will also have a plan in place that regularly encourages and reaches out to
these individuals. Having a program in place will help alleviate some of the
emotional issues, feelings of abandonment, and feelings of seclusion that
accompany this line of work.
Firefighter Ministries, Inc., a nationally
recognized organization that assists in the spiritual, physical, and emotional
well-being of emergency service workers, has put together the Serve A Public
Servant program to help churches develop a plan of encouragement. The Serve A
Public Servant program will explain how to put together the program, how to
operate it, how to recruit people to help and ideas for encouragement. To
obtain a copy of this plan, please visit our website at
http://www.theultimatefirehouse.com/serveapublicservant.htm.
Firefighter Ministries would like to encourage
ministers and church members to think about this vital program. The heart of
Jesus’ ministry here on earth was servant-hood. Being a public servant is one
of the highest of callings of servant-hood today. This job calls for these
individuals to place themselves into the most demoralizing of situations and
calls for them to be willing to lose their life for another. They are asked to
do their job without expecting a thank-you, and most of the time they don’t even
get that. It is time that we reach out and thank these servants for what they
do. It is time for us to serve those who serve others.
For more information on Firefighter Ministries
please visit
www.theultimatefirehouse.com.
Also on Jems.com
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September 9,
2003
Contact:
Wendy Norris, President
Firefighter Ministries, Inc
Phone: 281-335-5434
Email:
fnffm@yahoo.com
Website: www.firefighterministries.org
Injured
Emergency Workers are the Focus in a New Study
Houston, TX-September 9, 2003—Firefighter Ministries, Inc.
(FFM) has formally announced today that they will be conducting a 12-month
comprehensive study that will focus on firefighters and EMS personnel who have
been injured in the line of duty. This will be a national study. The mission of
the study is to gather statistics regarding the financial, emotional, and
physical effects of a line of duty injury. The purpose of the study is to assess
the needs of those injured. At the conclusion of the study the information will
be compiled and shared with interested departments and organizations to help
assist them with addressing these important needs.
Through its Phoenix Project, Firefighter Ministries has
been working with and assessing the needs of those who have been injured in the
line of duty since 1999. The focus of this work has been on the social aspects
of being injured and on the emotional and physical recovery of the injured.
Frequently, Firefighter Ministries has learned that many emergency workers are
being left to personally pay the health care bills that are accrued after an
injury. Firefighter Ministries has also learned that nearly every injured
emergency worker has felt that support from his or her department was severely
lacking. There are many departments that are not adequately prepared to handle a
serious injury on a financial level, on a policy and procedural level, and on a
personal level.
Firefighter Ministries would like to help improve how
emergency service workers are cared for after an injury. In order to help us to
clearly identify the needs FFM will be conducting an official study for a
twelve-month period, running from September 2003 through September 2004. During
this time, FFM will be collecting information regarding finances, medical care,
psychological care and departmental support after an injury. After the study has
concluded, FFM will provide suggestions on improvement in the methods of care
for the injured, education programs, and an extensive support structure for
those who are dealing with an injury.
Firefighter Ministries would like to invite firefighters
and emergency medical services personnel, whether volunteer or paid, who have
been injured in the line of duty to participate in this study. Those who are
interested in participating can visit our website:
http://www.theultimatefirehouse.com/injured_firefighter.htm. Private
information such as name, contact information, or department name will not be
required to participate in this study.
Firefighter Ministries is a nationally recognized 501 C 3
organization that cares for the social/human needs of emergency service workers.
Since 1998, FFM has been helping emergency service workers meet the challenges
of living and working as a public servant.
For additional information please visit:
www.firefighterministries.org or call 281-335-5434.
# # #
September 10, 2003
Governor of Texas Appoints Wendy Norris, President of Firefighter Ministries, as
Presiding Officer and Advisor for the new Star of Texas Award, Fire Committee.
A message from the president,
Wendy Norris:
In early June, Helen Johnson,
Executive Director for the Texas State Fireman's & Fire Marshal's Association
nominated me for a position on a new committee that the Governor of Texas had
put together. This new committee would oversee the development and the
dispersing of a medal of valor for injured or fallen firefighters in the State
of Texas. This new panel is called the Star of Texas Award and will have
three committees: police, fire, and EMS.
It was such an honor for me,
especially as an injured firefighter, to be nominated for such a position.
This would give me one more opportunity to serve and care for those who really
need to be encouraged: the injured and the families of the fallen.
Yesterday (9/9/03), I was
contacted by the Office of the Governor and was offered a position on the fire
committee. The biggest blessing of this was the Governor asked if I would
serve as the Presiding Officer of the committee. He had reviewed the story
of my injury, how I took that horrible event and turned it into something good,
and he looked at my work since that time and decided that I would properly
represent the reason behind the Star of Texas Award. To say the least, I
was honored to even be nominated. To have the Governor know my story, know
my struggles, know my sacrifices, and then acknowledge that brings tears to my
eyes. I have been truly blessed.
It means so much to me to have
the support of organizations like the SFFMA and to have so many people believe
in me and the work that Firefighter Ministries does. Thank you. It
is my promise to continue providing excellent service to emergency service
workers.
Sincerely,
Wendy Norris
President, Firefighter Ministries
From SFFMA:
SFFMA
nominee Wendy Norris has been appointed by the Governor to serve in the
Governor's Advisor position for the Star of Texas Panel. He has also asked
her to serve as Presiding Officer for the Fire Committee section of the Panel.
This group is charged with the responsibility of developing guidelines for the
State of Texas Medal of Valor for Line of Duty Deaths in the emergency services
in the State.
We're very proud to have a representative on this very important Panel. Wendy is
the President and CEO of Firefighter Ministries.
**************************
OFFICE OF THE
GOVERNOR
Rick Perry
Post Office Box
12428
512-463-2000 (Voice)
Austin, Texas, 78711
711 for Relay Texas
For Immediate Release
Contact: Kathy Walt or Gene
Acuña
Sept. 10, 2003
512-463-1826
Gov.
Perry Appoints Nine to New Committees
to Honor Officers, Emergency Workers
AUSTIN – Gov.
Rick Perry today announced the appointment of nine individuals to three advisory
committees to help design and select recipients of the new Star of Texas
Awards. The awards were established by the 78th Texas Legislature to
honor peace officers, firefighters and emergency medical first responders killed
or seriously wounded in the line of duty.
Members of the
Peace Officer Star of Texas Award Advisory Committee:
- Bruce Mills
of Austin, who will be the committee’s presiding officer, is chief of public
safety at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and a former assistant chief
of the Austin Police Department. He received a bachelor’s degree from St.
Edwards University and a master’s degree from Southwest Texas State
University, now known as Texas State University at San Marcos.
- Humberto
Barrera of Houston is a deputy sheriff in the Harris County Sheriff’s Office
and president of the Mexican-American Sheriffs Organization. He attended
Houston Community College and earned his master’s peace officer certification
from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education.
- Christine Nix
of Waco is a sergeant with the Texas Rangers, and she served in the U.S. Army
Reserves from for 23 years. She also was named a Cancer Hero for Scott &
White Memorial Hospital. Nix received a bachelor’s degree from Hardin Simmons
University and is working on her master’s degree at Sam Houston State
University.
Members of the
Emergency Medical First Responders Star of Texas Award Advisory Committee:
- Billy Parker
of College Station, who will serve as the committee’s presiding officer, is a
program supervisor and educator with the Texas Engineering Extension Service
at Texas A&M University. Parker has 25 years of experience as a first
responder, and he is also a member of Texas Task Force One, an elite search
and rescue unit.
- Heather
Claeys of Austin is a special operations paramedic with the Austin-Travis
County Emergency Medical Services. She is also a volunteer with the Susan G.
Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Claeys
received her associate’s degree in paramedicine from Angelina College in
Lufkin.
- David King of
Nacogdoches is vice president of manufacturing and human resources for
Foretravel and has served as a volunteer firefighter and on the Nacogdoches
County Hospital District EMS Auxiliary. He is board chair for the East Texas
Blood Center and on the board of the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center. King
received a bachelor’s degree from Stephen F. Austin State University.
Members of the
Firefighters Star of Texas Award Advisory Committee:
- Wendy C.
Norris of Clear Lake, who will serve as the committee’s presiding officer, is
president of Firefighter Ministries. She has served as an industrial and
volunteer firefighter and was critically injured in the line of duty. Norris
received an associate’s degree in fire science from Solano College in
Fairfield, Calif.
- Jay Peacock
of Cleburne is the deputy chief for education services for the Fort Worth Fire
Department, where he has served for almost 27 years. He also is a member of
Texas Task Force One. Peacock received a bachelor’s degree from Dallas
Baptist University and is working toward a master’s degree.
- Robert Ojeda
of San Antonio is chief of the San Antonio Fire Department, where he has
served since 1973. His father was a San Antonio firefighter killed in the
line of duty in 1975. Ojeda received an associate’s degree from San Antonio
College and a bachelor’s degree from Southwest Texas State University.
The first Star of
Texas Awards will be presented on Sept. 11, 2004, and will become part of the
state’s annual events in memory of who died in the 2001 terrorist attacks on the
World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
Office
of the Governor
###
October
19, 2003
Bucks Against Burns
Firefighter Ministries is
introducing a new program this year entitled “Bucks against Burns” where
hunters can raise monies for local fire departments and burn charities.
This new initiative is
being introduced following last years tragic death of Caitlyn Orr, who died as
a result of injuries received in a house fire in a Boston suburb, and is
designed as a turn key operation, where hunters anywhere can help their local
fire related charities such as burn centers, burn camps or even fire
companies.
“I was overwhelmed with
helplessness following Caitlyn’s death” explains the programs founder Joe
Jordan. “Everyone was suffering, her family, her friends, even the
firefighters who responded so heroically trying to save her. I was sitting in
the woods trying to hunt when it occurred to me that we had to make some good
come of it. After 5 minutes back in camp, everyone was excited about it and
offering ideas, so we decided to give it a try”.
A frantic phone call was
placed from a hunting camp in MA to Firefighter Ministries President Wendy
Norris in Houston TX. “I thought it was perfect. Combining their passion with
their pain to provide the opportunity to help others definitely helps with
their healing process as well” explains Norris.
Hunting- Helping- Healing
has become the slogan for the project, and it is available absolutely free to
anyone wishing to participate and help their community as well as themselves.
Additional information is available at the website
www.bucksagainstburns.org
<end of press release>
If you would like additional
information feel free to contact Joe Jordan at 443-829-6827 or Wendy Norris at
281 333-3130
Additionally if you would be
interested in helping us disseminate the information on this program and would
be interested in co-branding or taking it over in total we would certainly
discuss that as well.
# # #
August 2004
FFM President Invited to be Team
Journalist for Harvard Students Studying CPR in Space at NASA
The President of Firefighter
Ministries, Wendy Norris, who also serves as a Senior Correspondent for 1st
Responder Newspaper, was invited to be the team journalist for a group of
Harvard students studying CPR at NASA. The students came to the Johnson
Space Center in Houston, Texas to spend ten days researching the effectiveness
of CPR in a weightless atmosphere.
Wendy spent time with students learning about their project, which they hope
will help NASA advance their protocol on CPR in space. Wendy and the
students also spent time visiting with astronauts and flight surgeons as well as
touring NASA, including mission control and the Neutral Buoyancy Lab --where the
astronauts train for spacewalks.
To read more about this study,
please read Wendy's article, CPR in Space?, at
www.1strespondernews.com
# # #
Chris Wilson
Public Information Officer
Firefighter Ministries
Cell #: 281-799-9810 Pager #: 281-562-2502
Firefighter Ministries & Federation of Fire Chaplains organizes relief for
emergency workers
Houston, Texas - Firefighter Ministries, an organization
devoted to protecting and promoting the spiritual, mental and physical
well-being of emergency workers everywhere, has partnered with the Federation of
Fire Chaplains to set up a fund to help the families of Firefighters and EMS
workers who have been devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
Hurricane Katrina will undoubtedly go down as one of the
most destructive natural disasters ever. The death and destruction is
unimaginable to most. This disaster will become one of the largest relief
assistance efforts ever coordinated in our history. Every television and radio
station that people turn is talking about the hurricane and the aftermath of the
storm. The lives lost, the citizens left displaced and homeless; it is
incredible. But there are those that have been rarely mentioned except within
the fire service family. Even before the hurricane made landfall, the emergency
workers had prepared for the worse. Most of their families had evacuated the
area while the majority of the workers stayed behind for the simple fact that it
was part of their job. But you will not hear them complain about staying behind.
But no one, outside of those in the fire service, has mentioned the fact that a
lot of these workers will also loose everything.
This is why the Firefighter Ministries and the Federation
of Fire Chaplains have organized a relief effort. While these Fire and EMS
workers selfishly work to assist others in need, all the time also thinking
about their families, their own homes and property have been damaged or
destroyed.
Firefighter Ministries extends out thoughts and prayers to
the victims of Katrina. Our partnership with the Federation of Fire Chaplains is
solely to assist the families of firefighters and EMS workers who have been
devastated by the disaster. For those willing to donate, you may go to
www.firefighterministries.org and click on the “Network for Good” icon or
send checks to: Firefighter Ministries, PO Box 925, Friendswood, TX 77549.
Either way, please make sure that you specify that the donation is for Hurricane
Relief. Donations can also be made through PayPal. Send payments to
ffm@firefighterministries.org. Donations of gift cards from places like
Wal-Mart, Lowe’s, Home Depot, CVS, Walgreen’s, Target, etc will also be
accepted. These will also be distributed to the emergency workers. Please send
the cards to the address listed above. All donations are tax deductible.
For more information:
Go to the Firefighter Ministries website:
www.firefighterministries.org
Or contact:
Ed Stauffer, Executive Director- Federation of Fire
Chaplains
Office- 254-622-8514
Wendy Norris, President – Firefighter Ministries
Office: 281-996-8149
Chris Wilson, Public Information Officer – Firefighter
Ministries
Cell: 281-799-9810
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