An Analysis of the Impact of Spirituality on a Firefighter's Resiliency
Subsequent Statement of Responsibility
Flynn, James T
.PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION, ETC
Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.
Regent University
Date of Publication, Distribution, etc.
2020
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Specific Material Designation and Extent of Item
167
DISSERTATION (THESIS) NOTE
Dissertation or thesis details and type of degree
D.Min.
Body granting the degree
Regent University
Text preceding or following the note
2020
SUMMARY OR ABSTRACT
Text of Note
This study of the Monroe, North Carolina Fire Department is to determine if spiritually will impact the coping skills of the firefighters to become more resilient when they encountered traumatic experiences on the job. The city has one hundred firefighters and administrative staff serving a population of 35,000 citizens within a thirty square mile area. Through this research study, a seminar with an emphasis on spirituality was conducted for the firefighters with a follow up of interviews to determine if spirituality had an impact upon the firefighter's resiliency. A specific survey instrument has evaluated their understanding of spirituality. Additionally, the author has interviewed thirty-five firefighters with specific questions about spirituality to make a comparison with their survey answers. This has determined personal faith has a dramatic impact on their life. From personal observation of each fire station's shift, each shift has their personality when faced with a traumatic event. Traumatic events consist not only of house fires but horrific vehicle accidents or medical emergencies requiring the fire department's assistance. This research study on the spirituality of the Monroe Fire Department has included a seminar to inform specific coping mechanisms, emphasizing a "spiritual toughness" component, to help enhance a firefighter's resiliency. This study included the Coping Resource Inventory, a sixty-question survey, to measure the sixty-two firefighters attending the seminar their emotional and spiritual well being. The author followed up by interviewing thirty-five firefighters in evaluating their CRI spirituality scores to the author's one to five scores as it related to resiliency. The results concluded firefighter's resiliency depended upon a strong faith or spirituality before the seminar and remained the same after the seminar.