He may be needed to talk with firefighters and EMTs who have just had to deal with a grisly auto wreck, or gave aid to a family who has just lost everything in a house fire and needs a place to wash off the soot and ashes. "Its always bad and sad," Moon said. His is a tough job but he keeps on coming. " I serve those who serve." Moon said.

       Chappy, as the firefighters call him, feels his first priority as a fire department chaplain is to enable the firefighters to function at 100 percent at all times. He dispenses Gatorade and water to the firefighters when they are battling a blaze to make sure that they don't get dehydrated and require medical attention.

       " The firefighters will come away from a fire tired, weak, hot and shaking," Moon said. "They need to rest and drank a lot of water and a little bit of Gatorade. If they drank all Gatorade they'll throw up and get more dehydrated."

       When he is on duty he makes sure that iced bottles of water and Gatorade go along on major calls. Most of the drinks are donated to the department and Moon is a bit concerned because it looks as if it is going to be a hot dry summer and supplies are low. " Anybody wanting to donate drinks can just drop them by the station," Moon said.

       The First Baptist Church of Joshua , where Moon attends, donated a deep freezer to the department to keep the bags of ice that are used for cooling the drinks on a call. Moons ministry to the department is sponsored in part by the church's mission department.

       Moon is not just concerned with keeping the firefighters physically able to do there job. He is perhaps more concerned with keeping them ready emotionally and spiritually for the next call. He initiates Crisis Incident Stress Management "CISM" when it's needed.

       "The firefighters come back from the scene of a tragedy and they need to talk. An injury accident or a suicide stays with them." Moon said.

       They need to know that they did all that they could. They have to let go of that run so that they can concentrate on the next call that comes in, according to Moon.

       "They also dont need to take the trouble they see home with them," Moon said. When they realize that they did all they could even, if there was a death, it helps them get past it.

       Moon wants all the firefighters ready to live up to the department's motto "ANYTIME-ANYWHERE."

       Moon is a member of the Federation Of Fire Chaplains. "To me its a calling, you have to be called to do it," Moon said. " The Lord gives me strength on every run. I feel that this is my purpose."

       Moon says that he has to look at the big picture to get through the tough calls, the ones involving a death or suicide. " The victim's body is just an empty shell, but it's the family who is suffering," Moon said. " It took me a while to learn that. It's hard at first, especially if the victim is a child."

       He does what he can to help the living. Moon keeps a stash of toiletries, toys, and sweat pants and t-shirts to give the families who lose there home in a fire. First Baptist Church of Joshua also allows him to take such a family to a house it owns to get a shower and clean clothes.

       Moon gives the family information about how to replace the important documents that were lost. He also makes sure that the family is in contact with the Red Cross who can give more long-term aid. He often does a follow-up visit several days after a run to see how those involved are doing.

       The chaplain believes that the quality of the firefighters he works with makes his job easier and makes the department one of the best. Much of the department's effectiveness is due to the high quality of its equipment, according to Moon.

       " Chief Sandy Mason is the main reason we have the trucks and tools that we have," Moon said. " He is always working to get the best for the department and has became very good at writing grants."

       Mason can rely on Moon also, who works as a paramedic at Walls Regional Hospital, knew who to call on Mother's Day weekend, when a young boy was brought to the hospital with head injury.

       Doctors decided to send the boy to Cooks Childern's Hospital in Fort Worth Texas by CareFlite helicopter. The boys grand mother was the only family member with him. However because the helicopter had just filled with fuel, they couldn't carry the weight of another aduilt. The boy had to fly with only strangers as company.

       So Amy Moore of Cleburne was left at Wall's with no transportation to Cook's. Mason called on Moon. Moon quickly came to give the distraught grandmother a ride so that she could be with her grandson.

       He didn't hesitate even though Walls is not within Joshua's district. The boy miraculously recoverd and a grateful grandmother sent a heartfelt thank you note to Moon and Mason.

       Not all Moon's calls are so serious. As he and Batt. Chief Charles Gill stood in an open bay of the fire station's garage two evenings ago a mother and a grandmother brought a preschool girl in to get ther opinion of the girl's injured finger.

       After a little advice, a child's red fire hat and a stuffed animal the family left relieved. But not before Chappy got a hug from the little girl.