Answering the Call: Establishing Louisiana’s First EMS-Created Certified Chaplain Team

On August 19, 2025, a significant milestone in the well-being of emergency medical responders was achieved when the Louisiana Rural Ambulance Alliance (LRAA), in partnership with Ace4EMS and Team Jesus International, hosted the organization’s inaugural EMS Chaplains Level One Certification Course. Held at the ACE4EMS training facility in St. Gabriel, LA, and led by Dr. Michael Allen, this event brought together 24 participants from across Louisiana who successfully completed the training to become Certified EMS Chaplains.

The participants represented a wide cross-section of the emergency response community, including LRAA members, EMS professionals, and emergency managers. Their shared goal: to provide crucial mental, emotional, and spiritual support to EMS professionals who respond to disasters and crises throughout the state.

LRAA’s longstanding participation in large-scale statewide disaster response operations has highlighted the immense pressures that emergency medical responders face, especially during prolonged disaster deployments. Responders are often called to serve their communities even as they themselves might be personally affected by the same disasters. The emotional toll of witnessing catastrophic damage, supporting distraught residents, and potentially losing personal property can be overwhelming.

Having witnessed these impacts firsthand, I recognized a critical gap: the lack of organized chaplain support within Louisiana’s EMS industry. This realization inspired a mission to build a network of Certified EMS Chaplains—a resource for agencies in crisis, for long-term deployments, and for responders who need support as they serve others.

Through collaboration with Dr. Michael Allen and Pastor Matthew Allen of Team Jesus International, we successfully launched this certification initiative and provided the first wave of chaplain training. The success of the initial course was evident, and with a second course already scheduled for August 30, the vision is expanding. My goal is to see a Certified Chaplain in every EMS agency statewide and develop a network equipped to offer Critical Incident Stress Management when agencies are affected by crisis.

Ultimately, by empowering EMS professionals with chaplaincy skills, we are building a resilient support system for those who give so much of themselves in service to others. The foundation laid this August is just the beginning of a stronger, more compassionate future for Louisiana’s emergency medical responders.