Russell Myers, DMin, BCC
EMS Chaplain, Allina Health Emergency Medical Services
I serve as chaplain in support of frontline EMS providers – paramedics, EMTs and dispatchers. In this paid position the focus is on support to the 700+ employees of Allina EMS. My two colleagues and I are integral part of the team, taking both a proactive and reactive approach. Proactively, we ride along with ambulance crews on urgent and non-urgent calls, building relationships. We initiate follow ups with crews following critical incidents and other high-stress situations. Reactively, we are available for support when requested, for both work- and non-work-related issues.
This year marks 29 years of service with Allina Health, based in Minneapolis, MN. I served as hospital chaplain for 22 years; the last eight of those years I was half-time at the hospital and half-time at EMS. The chief of our EMS agency asked me to join his team and I have been in this position since 2008. In 2021 I released my book, Because We Care: A Handbook for Chaplaincy in Emergency Medical Services.
Chaplains connect at our Private Facebook Page!