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is a Vidalia man – it’s always good to have Vidalia boys taking it home with us. Please welcome him to our department,” Sikes remarked.
Vidalia Mayor Doug Roper thanked Holland for his service, and Assistant Chief Tillman addressed the Council to install Pastor Franklin Williams as the Department’s new Fire Chaplain.
“As fire chaplains, our work is not limited in the area of fire departments, firefighters, communities, nor the victims of the devastating effects of fire – we strive to help ease the suffering of our fellow human beings wherever our paths shall lead. However, as a basis of our work, we have chosen the fire service,” Tillman emphasized.
He quoted John 15:12, which states that people should love one another has God has first loved them, as Tillman explained that loving others is exactly what a chaplain is called to do.
Tillman listed several responsibilities of a fire chaplain, such as supporting the emotions of firefighters, which could be anything from grief to stress to personal challenges. He said that fire chaplains must be able to be in high-stress situations, such as fires and accidents, and work well with people. “I’ve had the chance to actually lead someone to salvation before they [passed away] at a scene,” he explained.
He continued, as he shared that fire chaplains should visit firefighters and their families in the hospital, notify firefighters’ family members if a firefighter gets hurt or loses their life, assist in the funeral arrangements of fallen firefighters, support families in memorial services, attend department events, and maintain a strict confidentiality regarding personal information shared.
“And one [responsibility of chaplains] that is very, very big to me is critical incident stress debrief because we experience a lot of bad things. I could go into a laundry list of things that have woken me up in the middle of the night, but having someone that I can turn to and can pray with me, talk to me, and allow me to talk it out [helps],” Tillman emphasized. “You also have to maintain relationships with firefighters – you do that and you do it well, Mr. Frank.”
Tillman then turned to address the new chaplain. “By accepting this cross, you wear it as a symbol of our faith and our trust, believing that God will accomplish His works through you,” he told the chaplain.
To commemorate the event, Tillman gave Williams a special coin. “It says, ‘Putting on the whole armor of God. Pray always.’ And it talks about the different parts of the armor,” he told Williams. “May God richly bless you in your faith as a chaplain. To God be the glory – in Jesus’s name, amen.”
Tillman pinned Williams with a special chaplain’s pin to finish Williams’s formal installment into the position. The Council thanked Williams for his service and wished him well throughout his future work with the department.
PINNING THE CROSS – Vidalia Assistant Fire Chief Robert Tillman (right) pins a cross on Pastor Franklin Williams (left) during Williams’s installment as the Department’s Fire Chaplain.Photo by Makaylee Randolph
