Jesus said, ‘Could you not keep watch for one hour?’

A one-hour guide to praying for the Emergency Services

0 – 5 minutes Praise and Thanksgiving


Thank God for His presence, for hearing our prayers, for sharing His heart with us. Thank God for the work of the Police, Fire and Ambulance services, for their dedication to their respective roles. Thank Him that they are willing to do a job that is often sacrificial and challenging. Ask that even as you are praying, God will pour out his Spirit across our land.

5 – 10 minutes Police – Reduction in Crime


Pray for a dramatic reduction in crime across the country and in your local area. Ask God to reveal any specific types or hotspots of crime that He wants to act on during this time. Pray about crimes that have affected you or people you know. Pray that God would break any strongholds, and bring peace.

10 – 15 minutes Police – Specific Types of Crime


Pray that God will expose and root out violent crime, paedophilia, drugs, pornography, terrorism, domestic violence and child abuse. Ask for his wisdom and insight for those dealing with these types of crime. Pray for continued integrity and fairness in all that the police do. Pray for an end to anti-social behaviour, gang culture, knife & gun crime and youth offending.

15 – 20 minutes Fire – Reduction in Incidents


Pray for safety for the firefighters as they attend fires, that they are protected from harm. Pray for a reduction in road traffic collisions where their skills are needed to rescue people from vehicles.

20 – 25 minutes Police and Ambulance – Victims of Crime


Pray for healing and peace for people who have been victims of, or affected by, crime. Ask God for a new sense of safety and hope. Pray that their experience would turn them towards God and not drive them away from Him. Pray that God would help them to forgive those who have hurt them, so that they can be free from bitterness, depression and hopelessness. Pray that God would bring good out of their suffering.

25 – 30 minutes Ambulance – For safety at incidents and protection from harm


Pray for the paramedics as they attend violent and tragic incidents, that they would be protected from the traumatic effect of those incidents. Ask God to raise up more Christians in the Ambulance service who will bring His light into dark places.

30 – 35 minutes All – Leadership


Pray for Police and Crime Commissioner (Clive Grunshaw) and Deputy PCC (Kimberley Whitehead) and Chief Officer (Chief Constable Sacha Hatchett). In Northwest Ambulance Service (NWAS) – Julia Mulligan (Chair) Salman Desai (Chief Executive) and Dan Ashworth (Director of Operations) and in Lancashire Fire Service – Jon Charters (Chief Fire Officer), Steve Healey (Deputy Chief Fire Officer) Samantha Pink (Assistant Chief Fire Officer), Liz Sandiford (Director of People and Development and Steven Brown (Director of Corporate Services/Treasurer).

Pray for wisdom in how they use the resources available to them as they face continuing budget constraints. Pray for the strategic decisions that they make in these very challenging times. Pray for health, strength and opportunities to relax.

35 – 40 minutes All – Relationships with Communities


Thank God for the positive relationship that the emergency services have in many communities. Pray specifically for relationships with communities and groups who find it hard to trust the police. Pray that God would bring down barriers and build bridges. Pray that he would create opportunities for relationships to be built and for police and local communities to get alongside each other. Pray that police officers would show compassion, even in very difficult situations. Pray for protection over the emergency services, physically, spiritually, emotionally, mentally as they engage with people who do not respond positively.

40 – 45 minutes All Relationships, Family, Work/Life Balance


Pray for all the emergency services – for their relationships and families. Pray that they would have opportunities to spend quality time with their families, and that they would be able to manage their work/life balance effectively. Pray for support and healing for those who have experienced traumatic situations in their work and find it hard to deal with them. Pray that there would be spiritual protection over them as they face some of the darkest aspects of human nature. Ask God to give them the qualities they need to be able to do their job and not to become hardened and cynical. Pray that they would find hope and peace in Jesus.

45 – 50 minutes All – Restoration and Revival


Pray that God would work out his plan to bring love and hope into the lives of all who work in the Emergency Services. Thank him for the chaplaincy schemes throughout the service. Pray for Claire McEnery, the lead chaplain in Lancashire Constabulary. Pray that Christians throughout the emergency services would be willing to heed God’s call to reach out to those who don’t know him. Pray for the Holy Spirit to come in mighty power, bringing revival across our nation

50 – 55 minutes Christian Police Association/Christian Ambulance Association/Firefighters for Christ


Thank God for the work of the different Associations and pray that all members would be a beacon of His light, responding to His direction. Pray for areas of the country where there are not branches of the various associations, that Christians might be encouraged to join together and show a united witness. Pray for the National Teams – CPA Deborah Akinlowan (Executive Director) and Lyndsey Monk (Administrator), Pray for Lancashire Christian Police Association led by Paul Pountain and Tim Fryer.
For Simon King (chair of the Christian Ambulance Service) and for Simon Hewitt (Firefighters for Christ).

55 – 60 minutes Thanks and Passing on the Baton


Thank God for all that he has done while you have been praying. Pray for the next person or group who will be taking the baton of prayer from you, that God would stir up His passion in their hearts and lead them in a time of powerful intercession. Pray a blessing on them as they humble themselves and are obedient to His will. Pray for energy, focus and enthusiasm as they pray.

Thank you for taking the time to pray for the Emergency services in this country and internationally

From Public Domain