By SEAN BOSTON
Hutch Post
PRATT, Kan. — Pratt County Fire and Rescue chaplain Shaphan Staats has been recognized as the June First Responder of the Month.
The award, presented by Eagle Media and PrairieStar Health Center, came as a surprise to Staats.
“I was really surprised,” Staats said. “I knew something was up, because they said make sure you’re here around 3:30, but had no idea what it was. Most of my family was here, two of my boys were here, and my wife, and so it was pretty cool.”
The nomination came from his daughter, Danielle Lambert, who joined the presentation by FaceTime. Staats said hearing her words read aloud made the moment especially emotional.
“They did,” Staats said of hearing the nomination. “Yeah, and started to get teary there for just a little while.”
Lambert wrote that her father deserved the honor for three reasons: his willingness to give up a “normal life” to be on call, his bravery and his work as both a first responder and chaplain.
“This first responder is my dad, and I have 3 reasons why he should win,” Lambert wrote. “The first reason is because he has had to give up a ‘normal life’ to be on call and ready for any situation he is called to. He has had to get out in the middle of the night, miss time away from family, etc.”
Lambert also wrote that her father has shown courage through difficult calls and continues to serve because “all he wants to do is help people.”
“The third reason he should be chosen, and the most important, is that he is not only a first responder, but he is the Chaplain of Pratt County Fire and Rescue,” Lambert wrote. “This means that not only does he carry the duties of a first responder, but also the duties of a chaplain. His job is to care for his comrades as well as the people he goes to help from calls.”
For Staats, the nomination meant even more because it came from one of his children, who has seen the time and commitment that emergency service can require.
“A lot of times when you’re a parent or a dad, you do things that take you away from family, things like this,” Staats said. “For her to realize that it is an important thing for our community, for her to be unselfish in a way like that, where she recognizes the importance of it and the things that I do for the community, and not to be focused on my kids all the time, it was pretty cool.”
Staats has served with Pratt County Fire and Rescue for nearly four years. He said he became the department’s chaplain after another member recognized his faith background and suggested he would be a good fit for the role.
Staats said he talked with his wife, prayed about the opportunity and decided to accept the responsibility.
“They approached me and said, ‘Hey, we need a chaplain. What do you think?’” Staats said. “I talked to my wife about it, prayed about it, and I thought, ‘Well, it’s a need, and I’m there,’ and so I just kind of accepted it.”
The chaplain role does not always involve a formal day-to-day routine, Staats said. Much of the work comes through being available, praying for crews and victims, and checking in with first responders after difficult calls.
“If we get a call, somebody’s in trouble,” Staats said. “I immediately try to stop what I’m doing and just say a prayer for the potential victims of the call, and then just pray for the guys and the gals that go out, that they would be safe and be protected and that they would be able to do their job.”
Staats said he also reaches out to firefighters and emergency responders after tough calls to make sure they know he is available.
“I always reach out to guys after we’ve had a tough call,” Staats said. “Just say, ‘Hey, I’m available. If this call hits you funny or hits you hard, shoot me a text or whatever, and we’ll get together and we’ll work through it.’”
In addition to his volunteer role with Pratt County Fire and Rescue, Staats works full time as assistant emergency manager in Pratt County. That position also allows him to support emergency scenes and help connect people with resources during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
Staats said some of the most rewarding parts of his work come through supporting crews on scene and helping families after fires, crashes or other emergencies.
He recalled one situation involving a family from Kentucky traveling through Pratt County after vacationing in California. The family was involved in a crash, and while everyone was OK, their vehicle was totaled. They needed help getting a rental vehicle and securing car seats.
“I was able to just kind of contact some agencies around town, people that I knew, and we were able to get them car seats and get them to Wichita, where they could rent a vehicle and get home,” Staats said. “Things like that really float my boat, so to speak.”
The role can also be difficult.
Staats said Pratt County’s location along U.S. Highway 54 brings a heavy flow of traffic from across the country. Some calls involve travelers passing through. Others involve people first responders know personally in the community.
“We’re in a small community, and 54 highway has a lot of traffic, and people from all over the country traveling through it,” Staats said. “Sometimes we know the people firsthand that were involved in an accident or a situation. Sometimes those calls can hit pretty deep and hit pretty hard.”
Lambert wrote that her father is often the person who stays with mourning families, prays for them and helps care for their needs during those moments.
“I think my dad is a hero and I hope you see why,” Lambert wrote.
Staats said he was grateful for the recognition, especially because it came from his daughter and reflected the support of his family.
For him, the work remains about helping others, whether that means supporting fellow first responders, praying for those responding to a call or standing beside families when they need someone most.