Emergency Ministries

The passion and work this group does is truly amazing.

I live in the small Aransas County that took a direct hit by Hurricane Harvey. It was wonderful to see Emergency Ministries in our small communities. They visited Rockport, Fulton, Port Aransas, and Aransas Pass. We were the hardest hit by the direct force of Harvey. Not just by rain but all the tornadoes. I had the please of meeting some wonderful people in this group as my husband and I were trying to deal with what we went through. THANK YOU will never be enough. GOD BLESS each of you for what you do for ALL.... Not just the First Responders but all that you come in contact with.

Great ministry doing God’s work ! This ministry is so needed for all first responders.

This is such a great non-profit. This is a non- profit where your donations can help Firefighters, Law Enforcement, EMS, 911 Dispatchers. Emergency Chaplain Group has Chaplains that are specally trained to help First Responders and their families to overcome emotionally charged issues like: cirtical incident stress, PTSD, suicidal tendencies, depression, anxiety, substance abuse and marital counseling. Another great thing about Emergency Chaplain Group is that all their Chaplains are required to have worn the badge( Been a First Responders himself).

This is a GREAT organization that I have personally had to call out to the field to help with first responders and family’s during emergency situations. Great people great service and a great resource.

After 33 years in Emergency Services, I took the most horrific murder call of my career, which left me traumatized. The Emergency Ministries PTSD support group was a life saver for me while struggling and going through such a debilitating time in my career and life. They are still only a text or a phone call away for continued support and prayer. They helped me during a time that I was very lost. Their chaplains were also there for me In a moment's notice during the passing of my stepmother and the passing of my mother almost back to back within one year. There are not enough Godly examples and organizations that do what Emergency Ministries do. Thank you. BH

I don't know what I would do with out the support that I have received from Skip and the rest of the Pastors at Emergency Ministries.

I have met people who have been helped by the chaplain ministry. They tell me how thankful they are that the Chaplains were there to help. Let's keep supporting them.

Emergency Ministries has blessed our community with assistance to our firefighters, police officers, paramedics, emergency room staff doctors/nurses and countless family members of these individuals by providing time and resources as needed. I have personally seen this organization spend hours upon hours meeting physical, emotional and spiritual needs of men and women who witness horrific events every single day. These are men and women who have put their lives on the line in our community running toward danger as others are running in the opposite direction. Emergency Ministries does exactly what their mission statement states, "In the most critical time of need, they help you (meaning our first responder heroes), then we (EM Chaplains) help them. THANK YOU EM FOR ALL YOU DO!

In my 17 years in chaplaincy and recent retirement as an Army Chaplain, it is an honor and privilege to be associated with Emergency Chaplain Group. The team of Chaplains that Skip has assembled are upmost professionals and highly qualified to give support to our First Responders. What an honor and privilege to work alongside these professionals.
As a Board Certified Chaplain it is my calling to be there for the 1st responder after they have been there for you. Please consider supporting this ministry through your prayers and if your resources allow, through financial support!

Emergency Ministries is involved with the first responders that are the everyday heroes in our community that see the worst that life can throw at them. Emergency Ministries is involved everyday is the spiritual and physical needs of these people. An extremely dedicated group of people.

Emergency Chaplain Group (aka Emergency Ministries) is a team of incredibly dedicated first responder/ordained Ministers who not only talk the talk - they have all walked the walk.

When I first met Skip, I was blown away with what the group does, and the entire issue with which they struggle. I immediately recognized that the organization was truly helping solve a very under-appreciated and widely unknown problem in our society.

People are mostly aware of the issues with PTSD facing veterans, but very few realize that first responders deal with a wide range of very difficult emotions after seeing brutal crime scenes, accidents, homes and families destroyed, and the like. Without anyone to support them and help them, we'd have no one to depend on when we need their help. Emergency Ministries makes sure they have the support and help they need to keep showing up for the job and helps them cope with the horrors it can sometime bring, making them ready to respond when our call for help comes in.

It was easy for me to decide to have my company partner with Emergency Ministries to help them raise funds to expand their operations and serve even more communities.

I strongly urge other companies to do something similar to what COPilot has done - simply donate a portion of your sales to them monthly. It costs relatively nothing compared to the good that the organization does with the funds.

Emergency Ministries is an incredible organization. The chaplains have all worn the badge so they understand what it is like to be a first responder and to experience the things we see. They also understand the stresses and life balance issues that come with the job. There seems to be (finally) a growing awareness in the country of the impact of PTSD on first responders; hopefully, this will allow Emergency Ministries to touch and impact even more lives.

Great organization . They are there for the first responders in there most critical time of needed. These chaplains come along side of the first responders on siene if needed. Another great thing is all there chaplain have been or are first responders themselves.

This organization is highly involved in the life and death situations of all first responders. I have seen firsthand the effect that they have had through their ability to reduce stress and PTSD as a result of the circumstances in which first responders find them self involved. Emergency Ministries is called to the scene when the first responders are experiencing these critical incidents and are following up with visits, phone calls, providing counseling to the first responders and their families, and even performing the funerals for those who were killed in the line of duty. This organization deeply blesses and improves the lives it touches!

I'm a psychotherapist that volunteers with Emergency Ministries when they do critical incident stress management debreifings for first responders. I can't emphasize enough how important this service is to first responders that have participated in horrific events during the course of their job.

The man God placed in charge of this phenomenal organization truly is the epitome of the phrase, "This little light of mine, I'm going let it shine". Not only does he exhaust his own life to save others.... He TRULY "saves" lives for our Daddy God. I couldn't be more sincere and proud to call him my father!!!!

Love this group and not only what they stand for but the sacrifices they make to take care of the ones who need it the most. Great group to donate to, volunteer for and pray for. Thanks everyone for ALL you do. You are appreciated

Helping those who help others is Skip's calling. He's one in a million! Skip is so committed to First Responders through Emergency Ministries. Skip's dedication to the men and women this ministry serves is amazing.

Great organization. When I found the website, I realized that there is hope for 1st responders that have been through tragic experiences.

Just by sitting down and speaking with this group at our station made a big impact and helped us gain a sense of peace after one of our fellow firefighters committed suicide. I was not aware of this organization before that day, but I am glad now to support such a needed ministry. Far too often Firefighters are left to deal with the aftermath of a traumatic event alone and this Ministry reaches out and shows God's love to us in our most desperate time of need. Thank you!

I was a FF in need of grief counseling due to a family member death. They came and meet me the same day I called. Chaplin Tom was great!

This organization is unique as far as I know in that every chaplain on staff (both paid and volunteer) must have "worn the badge" before being allowed to serve with them. Therefore, their credibility in unassailable in the First Responder Community. They have indeed "been there, done that, got that t-shirt". This is an organization of integrity that deserves both our financial and daily prayer support!

Emergency Ministries is a one of a kind organization that helps those who protect us. They provide a safe place for everyday heroes like police workers, fire fighters and emergency response professionals to turn to in their times of need. They provide counseling for those who see the worst of humanity, support to keep marriages and relationships in tact and help keep us safe by keeping our heroes out on the streets. This organization is filled with individuals dedicated to helping and serving others. They go above and beyond the call of duty day in and day out.

Awesome group of people to work with. This group is an asset to emergency responders that are dealing with tough times in their lives whether it is job related or personal emergency ministries is there.

During emergency or critical situations it is always helpful to have people involved who are trained counselors and have compassion. The weight that these wonderful people carry, is not a light or easy one. No one wants to have to notify a family that their loved one has deceased. No one wants to have to listen to the terrible and sometimes grotesque scenes that emergency personnel have to be exposed to. This ministry is on hand to assist in these ways and many more. They are built on compassion, understanding and professionalism. I volunteer and assist when I can in hopes of never having to face them, but with compassion and empathy for those that do. Support this ministry through prayer and if your resources allow, through financial support!

Emergency Ministries is a great organization that is very helpful. The group is there for fellow friends and brothers that are in need of help, or just someone to talk to. Personally, I havnt had to use them. But, from stories I have heard from people who have talked with them, I wouldn't even hesisitate to call them. Thanks for all y'all do!

This is an organization that assists the Emergency Response Community when we need help. They are our "Spiritual-Emotional 911".

This is a great organization for a great cause. This organization has personally helped me through tough times. I a lot to Skip and his team. Skip and his team put in countless hours to help emergency responders as they do what they do. This charity goes above and beyond to make sure that all emergency worst responders have a way to get help. Thank you Skip for all that you do.

Upon doing training for CISM with some of their volunteers, our group was discussing a certain scenario. As the conversation continued the chaplain was quick to notice a certain response in me. And in a very professional manner began working with me. I left training having my own healing experience and hands on training. A burden I had carried for many years thinking I had handled and passed. Has now truly been put in clearer light and understanding, and had put me at a whole other level of peace with those events. I am an EMT, who was married to Police officer who was a LODD, and there were issues with a dispatcher. Lots of PTSD in this little group of 3. I am thankful for Emergency Ministries help and am now working on becoming part of this special group of people. I cant say enough about them or the service they provide. I have been in the EMS field for 17 yrs.

Our organization contributes a substantial sum annually due to the value Emergency Ministries provides our staff. We promote EM as a member service, we present it to our staff in our Orientation of new members/employees. Chaplain Straus has even attended these orientations and shares the services Emergency Ministries provides in greater detail.

In a recent Orientation class for 16 new full-time firefighters of which most came from the Gulf Coast Area but others came from other parts of Texas and one from Florida, those firefighters commented about how they were impressed by how our organization takes care of its people and that providing the services of Emergency Ministries was unbelievable and they thought it had huge value and they had never heard of it before.

I reached out to them for help and Emergency Ministries has helped guide me in the right direction . Emergency Ministries has also provided me the tools I needed to go forward with my studies and my mission to help the brotherhood in the fire dept.

What an awesome Ministries!!!!!!
I know by personal experiance what this Ministries can offer to the First Responders and the community.
It had just been a couple of months that I finished my school with the Church of God Chaplains Commission so I could become the Chaplain for Klein Fire Dept. the rest of my training will have to be OJT and the Holly Spirt speaking through me, they can't teach that at school, when we had a Fire Fighter die due to illness in the Dept. I had the husband who is also a Firefighter and friend ask me if I would do her funeral with Fire Fighter honors. I was honored to do it , but there was just one problem . This was going to be my first funeral and not only that, she was a good friend and we had also responded to fires together which was going to make it even harder to preform the funeral. I had to make sure everything came out perfect, and not mess this up . So the big question is where do I start ? Well I called on a good friend I had met a few months earlier (Skip Straus) with Emergency Minstries and asked for his help, he didn't even have to think about it twice, he send a couple of his chaplains to start helping me prepare and then he also stepped in to help me plan and coordinate the funeral. He stood by my side through the whole thing. I could't have done this alone. I ask myself how does a First Responder agency exists without a Chaplain or the support of Emergency Ministries. I am forever in debt to Skip with Emergency Ministries he did not care if our Dept belong to his Ministries or not. EMERGENCY MINISTRIES ANSWERED THE CALL !!!!!

This organization is a true blessing to our EMS organization. Day or night we can call on them when our crew members are dealing with the aftermath of a bad call...or even dealing with a personal issue outside of work. I don't know what we would do if we didn't have Emergency Ministries to call upon for assistance in these times...in the world of EMS it can sometimes be hard to find someone to talk to privately and confidentially who actually understands what you are talking about in relation to a call.

I have served on the board of Emergency Ministries for 10 plus years and have witnessed a tremendous need to support our first responders. Emergency Ministries provides a much needed service to first responders...a service that many of them don't even realize they need. First reponders see so much trauma that it effects the quality of their lives in a very personal way. This is where Emergency ministries and Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) comes in to play. Without a healthy method for debriefing, stress that first reponders experience builds up. Anyone who has ever experienced stress understands that eventually that stress has to be released. This release can take many different forms, even to the point of becoming life threatening. By applying proven techniques such as CISM, Emergency Ministries provides a much needed service to first responders and their families. Emergency Ministries is just beginning to reach new heights and needs your support more than ever. Visit www.emergencyministries.org to learn how you can help those who help you.

I am a public servant in the EMS services. I rely on this organization as a support for times of need during a crisis situation. I also keep their site handy to share with others. They do a great service!

Having been Chairman of the Board for this ministry for a time, I know the organization from the inside out. I know the founder well, I trust the team of chaplains that he and the board has equipped to provide chaplaincy and support to first responders, who need it.

I highly recommend this non profit.

Elaine White

I am so glad that God has put this ministry in my life. They are letting Gods light shine in the time of darknes. I know God is working in all first responders so keep up the good work.God bless

Emergency Ministries serves first responders and thei families. Emergency Ministries supports and assists those who experience such traumatic events they would have to be edited if on TV and tells them, " You are not alone and these experiences do not define you". Families, that is something that we have overlooked as a part of the responder in the past. What affects one most frequently affects the family. Invaluable, immediate, and indispensable is the work of Emergency Ministries.

Skip Struass is a legend among chaplains. I have personally witnesses his huge heart for people who are experiencing crisis in their lives. Beyond that Skip and his staff are sincerely dedicated to sharing their knowledge of the craft and making other chaplains better.

This organization is phenomenal! Supporting emergency personnel spiritually and aiding us to better care for our patients emotional and spiritual needs. One of the chaplains taught a course at an ems conference a few years back about delivering bad news to the family/friends of a patient.. It forever changed my outlook on my responsibilities as a paramedic.

Thanks

Ministering to EMS and Public Safety - Saving lives every day can be stressful! Everyone knows that the everyday heroes in our community see the worst that life (and death) throws at us. Who supports those who watch over and protect us?

Over the years, as a bereavement educator and advocate for the emergency service professionals, I have been very impressed with the ministry that Skip Strauss and his chaplains share with others. Passionate and driven are two words that come to mind. He has been a mentor and is always ready to give of himself when others are in need; no matter what their crisis may be. I strongly support Skip Strauss and Emergency Ministries. Peggy Sweeney, the Sweeney Alliance, Kerrville, TX

My husband started this ministry over 13 years ago! We are proud to serve our everyday heroes.... www.emergencychaplain.org.

Great ministry. This ministry truly supports the fire service.

Founded in 1998... we have been around a long time. I am the founder and a donor to the organization. We currently serve almost 4000 EMTs, Paramedics and Firefighters, providing critical incident stress management services and Chaplaincy care.