Is a shul allowed to ask an on-call cop or E.R. worker, etc. to be a shat"z (shaliach tzibbur) if there is a fairly high likelihood that may be asked to leave on an emergency in the middle of davening?

Are there certain parts of the service where it may be permitted vs. others? For example, perhaps he shouldn't be shat"z for the Amidah (as that's considered more "important") but it's OK for Psukei D'Zimra).

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    I would opine that he shouldn't, since it might present an impediment to him if he needs to fulfil the mitzvah of pikuach nefesh – Noach MiFrankfurt May 15 at 21:45
  • @NoachMiFrankfurt My hunch, too. But again, perhaps certain parts of the tefillah are "safer". I don't envy such a dual position for professional Ba'alei Kriah (I'm that, but not a Hatzalah person) or chazzanim. – DanF May 15 at 21:47
  • In my shul, I've seen doctors daven for the amud -- no one asks then if they are on-call. So far, they haven't run out. – rosends May 15 at 22:07
  • What are the other options? Why especially them? Are all others problematic in some ways? – Al Berko May 16 at 11:39
  • Other than possibly inconveniencing the congregation I, for one, don’t see how this question is much different than “can an emergency responder pray if he’s likely to be summoned in the middle of davening?”. Can you elaborate what might be the (halachic) issues? – Oliver May 16 at 12:22

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