The writer was merely reporting. Priests are important because only they can give the last sacraments to people, and if possible Catholics do not want to die without the last rites (which in some cases include confession).
Protestant ministers may be equally good at comforting people, but that’s not what the sacraments are about and is not the purpose of having a priest come to the scene of a place where people are dying.
Catholic priests are famous for getting into the line of danger themselves in order to minister to the dying, and in fact a Catholic chaplain (who himself was killed) is in the process of canonization for this. They know the risks but they also know the importance of the sacraments, and keeping them out is just simply wrong.
Catholic ministers are no different than Protestant ministers and chaplains in exposing themselves to danger, your post is so fitting in making my point.