CROSS LAKE, Maine — The North Lakes Fire and Rescue department has announced that Fire Chaplain Lon Cyr has received certification from a recent course held in Lisbon, Maine.
The intense two-day course was given by the fire chaplain from Texas, and was the first of its kind in Maine in over 10 years. Topics included dealing with a line-of-duty death, active listening, “active situation diffusing,” denomination and cultural diversity and many others. The event also provided an opportunity to network with other fire department chaplains around Maine and Texas.
Cyr has been a firefighter for 28 years and is also a member of the Region 5 Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Team.
“I am eager to bring back what I have learned to help the members of my department, as well as any other department in the region that I could assist,” he said.
North Lakes Chief Darren Woods said, along with Cyr, Madawaska chaplain George Sullivan attended the course. Due to the large geographic area, North Lakes has two fire chaplains, Cyr and Steve Belanger.
“We are proud of what Lon has been able to accomplish and look forward to using those skills to ensure that the many needs of our 43 volunteers are met,” Woods said.
Cyr lives in Caribou with his wife, DeAngela, and has two daughters, Lacy and Freem.
