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Whether praying at the site of a three-alarm fire, visiting the bedside of an injured firefighter or EMS worker, or delivering an invocation, the Rev. Pamela Holmes-Saxton, MDiv ’14, is a source of spiritual support for the largest fire department in the US.
As one of just a handful of New York City Fire Department (FDNY) chaplains, she and her colleagues serve more than 11,000 firefighters, 4,500 EMTs, paramedics and EMS officers, and their families during some of the most emotional moments in their lives.
“It’s really affirming to heed God’s call to serve where pain, danger, and courage meet,” said Holmes-Saxton, who made history in 2024 becoming the first African American female FDNY chaplain.
To recognize her dedicated and faithful service, she will be honored at Reunion in May with the 2026 Alumni Service Award, which celebrates alumni who have demonstrated excellence in their field and positively impacted others through their service.
Holmes-Saxton never envisioned herself to be a pioneer, but has embraced the role with grace and determination, shaped by years of preparation for a ministry she never expected.
Holmes-Saxton grew up in a family “that took God seriously. Both my grandmothers were old-school Christian ladies. I think the most grounding they instilled in us was the sense that God calls us not only to believe but to serve.”
This early formation led Holmes-Saxton to a career in public service and education in New York City, where she worked on programs to promote diversity and provide opportunities for African American and Latino students.
It’s really affirming to heed God’s call to serve where pain, danger, and courage meet.
In 2012 she left it all and pursued a call to ministry. She chose Princeton Theological Seminary.
“I wanted a place that was rooted in the Reformed tradition. I wanted a place that allowed me to sit in my commitment to racial and ethnic diversity, a place that had a global perspective,” she said. “I wanted to be around students that were from other parts of the world, to share and learn from. I trusted Princeton was a place I could delve into community and worship — that it would equip me to serve both in the city and the church.”
As a “third-career person” Holmes-Saxton was considerably older than her fellow students, and soon became known as “Mama Pam.” Her first year back in school after decades was a demanding experience, one she nearly abandoned, but she said, “they wouldn’t let me quit.”
The education and relationships formed at Princeton Seminary have left an enduring impact on her approach to ministry and vocation.
“[The Seminary] really taught me how to hold together scripture, all of which helps shape how I preach, how I teach and offer pastoral care, in both a congregational and a chaplaincy setting,” she said. “It helped me understand how the gospel speaks to justice, hope, love, grace, mercy — and now, trauma.”
Upon graduation from Princeton Seminary, Holmes-Saxton was hired as associate pastor at her home church of Emmanuel Baptist in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, a role she still holds today. “I was doing all the normal things there — marrying and burying, teaching and leading.”
Additionally, she was serving on the board of EMS FDNY Help Fund, a nonprofit that aids emergency medical technicians and paramedics. “Assisting first responders was something that was important to me, and my fund work positioned me to be at the intersection of faith, crisis response, public service, and chaplaincy.”
Happily ensconced, Holmes-Saxton was not seeking another opportunity, let alone one so historic. One day the Holy Spirit came calling in dramatic fashion.
Holmes-Saxton met an FDNY chaplain, and on that day, the chaplain had to respond to an emergency involving a member of the EMS community. As she prepared to leave, she turned and said, “The Holy Spirit told me you should come with me.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Holmes-Saxton heeded the call. Soon after that day, she was encouraged to apply for the open FDNY chaplaincy position. “I wasn’t afraid to be obedient and listen to the Spirit,” she said. “I know that this opportunity was nothing but God.”
