Chaplain Straus has been working with Sherry Cardinal and CISM, International since 1999. Chaplain Straus is a "Board Certified Crisis Chaplain" - American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, as well as holding Basic, Advanced and Pastoral Crisis Intervention certificates from the International Critical Iincident Stress Foundation. He has worked for and/or consulted with firms in the mining, industrial, transportation, drilling and oil/gas industries. Skip specializes in Critical Incident Response, Disaster Planning, Medical Team Training, Infirmary Audits and Emergency Readiness. He has also conducted "Best Practices" training for QHSE Engineers and on-rig Physicians and has worked in corporate offices and on rigs in Texas, Louisiana, the Gulf of Mexico and Columbia. He also authored Protocols and Audit forms for QSHE personnel and company physicians in the US, Latin America, North Africa and Saudi Arabia. Chaplain Straus is a Nationally Registered EMT-Paramedic, and has over 30 years in CISM, EMS and Safety.
Chaplain Straus founded a 501.c.3 organization (Emergency Ministries, and served as President and Executive Director of that organization. He was honored by the State of Texas, House of Representatives, on the floor of the House, with House Resolution HR1509 - for his five weeks of service as a Chaplain at "Ground Zero," New York City, following the September 11, 2001 attacks. He is also the recipient of the President's "Call To Service" Award.
