Steve Carna
I am thankful to be a Member of the Members Support Team, and I am a Chaplain for the Columbus Division of Fire. I am here for you and want to provide hope, support and encouragement for you. The first 40 years of my life were filled with struggles in multiple areas of my life, lots of imbalance and very little peace, joy or contentment. In 2013, I asked for help and received support and guidance from family, friends, from EAP and from a Christian counselor. In 2014, I became a born again Christian and with God's help through Biblical guidance and counseling I feel very physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, financially, and spiritually healthy and balanced. I enjoy spending time with family, working to serve others, reading the Bible and Learning through God's Word my purpose in life. I continue to grow more and more filled with joy, peace, contentment, and confidence and I am very thankful for the opportunity to help support, guide and encourage anyone that is in need.
Harlan Henderson
I became a Chaplain/Peer to serve and give back to the men and woman of CFD. I personally have benefited from a community that has been safe for me to share and do life with and that's what I desire to give back. I enjoy exercising, music, cooking, my family and of course laughter.
Brandon Lauck
I have been given the opportunity to serve as a peer/Chaplain. I said yes to both opportunities because I have seen firsthand what can happen when someone goes beyond the status quo of “well that’s the job” mentality. I have also seen what this job can do to those of us who ignore the difficulties and trauma we so often encounter on any given day. Someone once told me that we all have our own cup, and each cup gets filled at different rates by varying situations/circumstances. We never know how fast our own cup will fill up, but we do know that once it’s full everything starts spilling over! I said yes because every life matters. That’s why we get on the trucks! But we are also called to love and care for one another. Outside of work, I am currently leading a firefighter Bible study in my home as well as serving as a High School Youth Group leader. I enjoy spending time with my wife and three children, playing basketball, and serving on various mission opportunities.
Joe Lorenz
I was excited and grateful when I was given the opportunity to serve as a Peer. Sharing life and hope with many Division members has brought a deeper fulfillment than just the skills and experiences of the career itself. An even greater sense of fulfilled purpose came when I became a Chaplain for the Division. My personal faith and growth in Jesus Christ have provided a life foundation that has upheld me through the highs and lows of what this career has brought over the years, and I have a tremendous passion to serve the spiritual needs of all Division members in any way possible. I love spending time with my family, at home or traveling on vacation or for sports. My daily self-care includes time alone with God through prayer, reading and meditating on scripture, listening to music, reading, weight training and running.
Robert Pineda
I am grateful to have been asked to be a Chaplain and Peer for the Division of Fire. I have been on the Division since 1993 working in Battalion 3 the entire time. I am also an Army veteran including time in Afghanistan. I am married with 3 adult children (2 sons are on the division, and my daughter is an ER nurse at Children’s). I understand that this is a difficult job and most people cannot relate to what we see and experience. I also understand that life is difficult at times. I believe that in general, firefighters are very resilient people who handle stress well or we wouldn’t even be drawn to this job. I also really believe that the great majority of us meant it when we answered that initial oral board that we wanted to help people and make a difference in the world. But there can be times where difficulties in our work life and/or personal lives can lead to seasons where we struggle with one or both of them. A struggle that extends beyond the normal “having a bad day.” And that same type-A warrior mindset that makes us good at our jobs can also lead us to struggle alone and only seek help when things get to a crisis point. My goal as a Chaplain is to help firefighters and especially Christians stay connected to the Hope and Purpose that God has for our lives. We are leaving a legacy both in our homes and in our careers as Firefighter/EMT’s. My desire is that you would be able to look back with satisfaction on a long career and home life with the same feeling the Apostle Paul had when he said “I fought the good fight, I finished the race, I kept the faith”. My strategy for resilience is that I keep myself grounded on the foundation of God’s word through life’s ups and downs. I meditate on His word. It is the only unshakeable rock I have found, and it is only through it that I have been able to make sense of what I’ve seen and experienced. I love spending time with my wife, kids, grandkids, and friends. I volunteer at my church: leading Bible studies and mission trips. I also love hard physical work, exercise, the outdoors, fishing, and I want to get back into bowhunting. I really like a good nap. And I love coming to work.
Trisha Sachs
The reason I wanted to join Peer Support and be a Chaplain is to help the Members of this department. I enjoy being there for my CFD brothers and sisters in their time of need. My hobby is making stained glass projects, and I have recently started painting. My self-care is taking time to work-out every day. I love hanging out with my sons, that is my favorite.
Jason Salyers
I became a peer and chaplain because so many people over the years have helped me and my family. I’m a big believer in self-care and enjoy reading, hiking, working out, and meditation.
Joe Zarbaugh
I currently work in SPARC and RREACT. I became a peer because I have a passion and compassion for the men and women of the fire service. I have been through many ups and downs in this job and almost lost my family in the process. I want to be an advocate and willing ear for our brothers and sisters who may face some of those same challenges. My biggest goal in peer support is to provide hope in time of need. My personal hope and peace are found in Jesus Christ and I can confidently say I would not be in the position I am today apart from Christ. I’m not afraid of the hard conversations concerning faith so if you have questions, I would love for you to ask. I don’t claim to have all the answers but I will seek them with you. In my personal time I enjoy being outdoors in all capacity. I love to hunt, fish, hike, garden and forage. My family is my first and greatest ministry.