My brother priest, Fr Erick serves as chaplain for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. This past week he offered a blessing prayer for all police officers. The above photo shows Fr. Erick with his comrades. I shared that I received an invitation to offer blessing prayers for first responders in my community in Bethany, New York at their annual appreciation gathering on February 6th. This will be my blessing:
Firefighters and EMTs embody courage, sacrifice, and selflessness as they place their lives on the line to save others. Their work is physically demanding, emotionally taxing, and often dangerous. As believers, we are called to lift up these heroes in prayer, asking God for protection, strength, and guidance as they serve our community. In praying for them, we entrust their safety to God and ask for His grace to sustain them as they carry out their critical work.
Heavenly Father,
I come before You to lift up the firefighters and EMTs in our Bethany Volunteer
Fire Department who risk their lives to protect and serve. Lord, I thank You
for their courage, dedication, and willingness to face danger for the sake of
others.
“The Lord will keep you from all harm—He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore” (Psalm 121:7-8).
Father, I ask for Your divine protection over each firefighter. Guard their hearts and minds as they face dangerous situations. Keep them safe from harm, and guide their steps as they work to save lives and property. Lord, bless their families, who also make sacrifices so that these brave men and women can serve their communities.
Grant them physical strength, mental resilience, and emotional peace. Lord, let Your presence surround them in every emergency, and may Your wisdom guide their decisions. I pray for unity and support among their teams, and may they always know that their work is valued and appreciated by their community.
Thank You, Lord, for these heroes and for Your faithfulness in protecting and sustaining them. May they find strength and peace in Your presence every day. Amen.
Bethany Fire Department “first responders” include firefighters, emergency medical technicians, volunteers, critical incident and chaplain. Kind pray for the safety of these volunteers:
GLENN ADAMS
LYLE BOUNDY
STEVE BRECKENRIDGE
BRIAN BRITTON
DEBBIE DONNELLY
TIME EMBT
JASON EVERETT
JEFF FLUKER
SANDY FLUKER
JAKE HOWLAND SR
JACOB HOWLAND
CARL HYDE JR
GREG JOHNSON
PEGGY JOHNSON
BRITTANY JOHNSON
KAITLYN JOHNSON
GEORGE LARISH
TIM { TJ } LEWIS
TODD MOGENHAN
CHRISTOPHER PAGE
JIM PHILLIPS
TERRY SMART
GAIL SMITH
JOHN SZYMKOWIAK
WILL THURLEY
SCOTT THURLEY
WAYNE WALKER
WALTER WHENHOL
JEFF WOLAK
VICKI WOLAK
LILLIAN SZYMKOWIAK
HUNTER SZYMKOWIAK
JENN HOWLAND
MAELYNN HYDE
DIANE FOWLER
FR MATTHEW KAWIAK 🙂