WVFRC Story

Willamette Valley First Responder Chaplains (WVFRC) was founded in 2018 by Chaplain Dean Aithwaite, who previously served in the military and fire service, and has been serving as a First Responder Chaplain since 2015. Understanding the complex issues surrounding our First Responders, and seeing the need to build a professional team of culturally competent Chaplains to directly serve First Responders first, WVFRC work began on WVFRC in 2017, forming our Board of Directors in March 2018, with our 501c3 nonprofit organization approved by the Federal Government in March 2019.

Our Chaplains serve the hearts and minds of First Responders by providing confidential, holistic support for the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual needs of our First Responders and their families. To that end, we continually train, educate and equip our Chaplains to the accredited standards of the Federation of Fire Chaplains (FFC) and the International Conference of Police Chaplains (ICPC), with continued training through the Oregon Chaplains Academy, the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation and shared trainings with other chaplaincy groups.

In addition to serving Law Enforcement and Fire Agencies, our Chaplains serve Corrections/Jail Officers, Parole & Probation Officers, Dispatchers, Medical Examiners, Emergency Room & Intensive Care Unit nursing staff, ODOT Incident Response specialists and extend our care and services to tow truck operators.

Our services naturally extend to caring for the public when they experience crisis events such as house fires, traumatic incidents and fatal accidents. Our Chaplains serve alongside Law Enforcement in the deliverance of Death Notifications where we provide compassionate care for our neighbors experiencing crisis and journeying through grief. Oftentimes we find ourselves extending into years of relationship following this tragic appointment.

The foundation for increasing wellness and resiliency in our First Responders and their families begins with genuine and purposeful relationship. This is accomplished by riding in the passenger seat of patrol vehicles or jump seats in Engines and Medic Units, by training alongside First Responders, serving on-scene for critical incidents and ultimately by living life out family to family - hosting BBQ’s and dinners, playing sports and enjoying recreational activities together. Our Chaplains become a part of their very unique world and when trust is fully established and find themselves invited into a very special family.

We serve all people of all faiths, or no faith, of every choice of life and style. We do not evangelize or proselytize, we are simply there to love and comfort, and give the critical care needed using our training in Critical Incident Stress Management and Crisis Intervention. While our faith is not projected onto anyone we serve, we truly believe we are called and enabled through God who strengthens us, to serve in such difficult and painful places, and we automatically bring divine comfort into the center of the crisis by our calling. If anyone initiates the conversation on faith, we willingly converse as with all conversations, though Chaplains do not initiate such conversations.

In order for the community to better understand and care for First Responders, we train individuals and groups on how to better relate and understand First Responders they engage with in their private or group setting. Given how crisis does not discriminate and comes to us when we least expect it, we work with local groups, businesses and schools should they experience crisis events affecting them directly.

We do not bill for our services, thus we rely fully on donations to fund our operation. If you feel called to become a Financial Partner you can give online at our website; www.WVFRC.org, where you can also find our mailing address.

If you have questions or suggestions, please email us at; info@WVFRC.org. We will gladly share greater detail of the work taking place, and answer your questions.