The Wheeling Fire Department has established a Chaplain Corps, it announced this week. It includes four clergy members dedicated to supporting firefighters and the community during moments of crisis, loss, and high-stress incidents. The corps strengthens the department’s commitment to the emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being of its personnel and the residents they serve.

The Chaplain Corps can be mobilized for difficult calls, major emergencies, and times of community grief. Each chaplain is trained in programs connected to the International Association of Firefighters’ mental health services, the City of Wheeling’s Employee Assistance Program, Critical Incident Stress Management, and the department’s therapy dog, Delta. Their presence brings an added spiritual and human-centered element to the department’s overall support network.

The four corps members are:

– The Rev. Devin Ames, Lutheran Church — Ames serves four Lutheran congregations in the Ohio Valley. His background includes work as an Emergency Department Chaplain and training with the Ohio County Crisis Intervention Stress Management Team. His experience supporting first responders in Minnesota shaped his passion for fire service ministry.

– Fr. Joshua Saxe, St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church — An Episcopal priest and Archdeacon for Community Resilience and Disaster Response, Saxe brings emergency-management experience from wilderness search and rescue work in Morgantown. He also helped develop a mobile health unit in southern West Virginia that played a critical role in regional COVID-19 response efforts.

– The Rev. Deb Dague, United Methodist Church — Dague has deep roots in emergency services, beginning her career as an EMT in 1986 and later becoming a National Registry Paramedic with Firefighter I and II certifications. Her background includes volunteer and paid first-responder roles, hospice care, and extensive CISM training.

– The Rev. Kenny Hardway, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) — A longtime Upper Ohio Valley resident, Hardway has been closely connected to the Wheeling community for over a decade. His ministry focuses on supporting local families and public-service workers, drawing him to serve alongside the fire department to strengthen community care.

The department said it is proud to welcome the Chaplain Corps to the department, saying their shared experience in crisis care, emergency response, and community ministry ensures that firefighters and citizens receive compassionate support when it matters most.