Rangers are first and foremost members of our community. We are Rangers in the traditional sense of guardians and peacekeepers. We help create a space in which the principles of our community can be realized. This is our art.
Our job is not to keep people from making mistakes, or making bad choices, or making fools of themselves. We offer support and assistance, we help people solve their own problems, but we’re not going to stop people from having whatever experience they want to have... as long as their actions don’t cause major negative impacts on the experience of another person or the community at large.
- Most of the time, this is all you should do.
- Don’t feel compelled to do anything you are uncomfortable with.
- Your partner, the Ranger organization, and the entire community are at your disposal. Understand how to use them if needed.
- Encourage people to help themselves or go to the community.
- It holds the answers to many of the questions you will be pub
- while on shift.
- We operate on Social Capital, which is hard to get, and easy to lose. Build up the Rangers’ Social Capital; don’t squander it.
There are things that can get you taken off shift, put on probation, or removed from the Rangers.
- Drunk, wasted, or high
- Losing your self control
- Physical violence
- Sexual harassment
- Ignoring or failing to report any Must Report situation
- Abusing trust placed in you as a Ranger, such as discussing confidential information
- Using your Ranger status to leverage entitlement or privilege for personal gain. “I’m a Ranger so you have to...” (let me in the front of the pancake line, give me a ticket, etc.)
- Other activities damaging to Ranger image or reputation of the organization
Reports of Un-Rangerly Behavior are taken very seriously by Ranger leadership. (Eventually, we’ll have a complaint and disciplinary review process, please help us not need one.)
are the Rangers on the ground. Dirt Rangers are the eyes and ears of the city, patrolling the event in pairs, and connected by radio to other Rangers and Ranger HQ. They’re caretakers and mediators, sources of reliable information, making themselves available to participants who need help, and keeping an eye out for situations that deserve attention. Dirt Rangers refer to themselves and one another by their call signs (radio handles), usually their Burner names. Dirt Rangers at FPCS events work 6-hour or 3-hour shifts.
is the call sign for whoever is serving as Shift Lead. (Nobody has to remember who, exactly, is playing the role of Khaki at the moment; they’re always referred to as Khaki.) Khaki briefs Dirt Rangers at the beginning of their shift, pairs up Dirt Rangers and assigns them to patrol areas, receives and logs radio reports, provides support to Rangers in the field, coordinates incident responses, and debriefs at shift’s end. Khaki is the Dirt Rangers’ go-to resource for whatever they need. Khakis at FPCS events work 6-hour shifts.
is a Senior Ranger on call. R12 is who Khaki escalates to when they need help. R12s at FPCS events work 12-hour shifts (“R12” avoids the ambiguity of there being one “Ranger of the Day” during the day and another during the night.)
R12 reports to the Board, represented at any given time by the Board Member on Call. The call sign for the Board Member on Call is “Actual”.
Rangers are one department of four that deal with safety at FPCS events. The other members of the Safety Team are:
provides limited medical assistance to sick or injured participants.
have expertise in fire safety and fire suppression, burnable art, flame effects and pyrotechnics.
provides emotional support and a safe supportive space for participants who are distressed, disoriented, or having a difficult time coping.
Rangers interact with and cooperate with the other safety teams. A Ranger can call Khaki to report a situation and request that another Safety Team be sent to assist. Or, when a Ranger reports a situation, Khaki may decide to request from another Safety Team that additional resources be sent, or instruct that the Rangers on the scene should escort a participant to one of the other Safety Team locations (usually First Aid or Sanctuary).
- Get set up first.
- Stop by HQ to pick up your laminate and check your schedule.
- Show up on time!
- Be sober, alert and ready to go.
- Bring your equipment:
- Ranger shirt / vest
- Ranger laminate
- Sunscreen (day shifts)
- Flashlight (night shifts) and batteries
- Good, comfortable shoes
- Water and snacks
- Paper and pen
- Event map with location grid
- You will be assigned a shift partner by Khaki.
- We will try to partner new folks with more experienced ones.
- Romantic partners will be split into different teams during their shift.
- Always know your location, and practice being able to communicate it clearly.
- Be connected and informed. Listen to your radio; communicate with other Rangers and Khaki frequently. You are the eyes and ears!
- Be responsible but have fun! Enjoy your walks and take your time.
- Be diplomatic and mindful of your impression on participants.
- In the event of an emergency, incident, or just an astute observation, call it in. Communicate!
- Update Khaki with any info on situations you encountered, or that you think might escalate later.
- If you were involved with any significant incidents, plan on spending some time documenting what happened at the end of your shift.
- Exchange feedback with your Khakis regarding:
- How you did.
- How your partner did.
- How Khaki did.
- Once released by Khaki
- Turn in your radio (get your ID).
- Get out of your Ranger-logo outfit.
- Go have fun!
Up to date maps will be provided at the event. Be sure to note the major landmarks such as road names, the effigy, the temple, port-a-potties, Ranger HQ, etc. When calling out your location over the radio you will need to be able to reference your location based on these landmarks.
All the event production teams communicate over distances via radio.
Not all the radios used at FPCS events are the same make and model, but they are all programmed with the same frequencies. Those frequencies are assigned as follows:
Safety: Rangers, First Aid, Fire Safety
Ops: Gate, Greeters, Parking
The radios distributed to Rangers will be programmed with the channel numbers listed above.
- Keep your radio with you at all times.
- Do not loan your radio to anyone at any time.
- Do not use anyone’s real name on the radio.
- Do not discuss sensitive information over the radio.
- Be professional. Don’t curse, and don’t use slang or unfamiliar terms.
- If you hear “BREAK BREAK BREAK” on the radio, this is an emergency transmission. Maintain radio silence until cleared.
- Radios can be annoying or distracting when you’re talking to someone face-to-face. Turn the radio down if you’re having an in-person conversation and let your partner remain in radio contact.
- If you have not heard any calls for some time, check your battery!
- Emergency transmission follows. Maintain radio silence until the situation is cleared.
- All Concerned. Used to address everyone listening. “AllComm, Khaki. It’s time for shift change.”
- I’m clear of the channel now; done with the communication thread.
- I understand your message.
- I’ll get back to you once I get that info. (Check back in a few minutes if necessary.)
- I’m on radio and listening, or I’m turning off my radio.
- Think about what you're going to say.
- Keep it short.
- Action item, location, specifics.
- Push microphone button, pause for two seconds.
- Speak clearly and concisely.
- Release button and listen.
- State the name of the person you are calling twice, then your Ranger handle.
- “Khaki, Khaki... Gandhi”
- The prescribed response is “go for <ranger handle>”, as in
- "Gandhi, go for Khaki."
- Once they have responded that they have heard you, relay your information.
- “Khaki, we have an ice cream truck overturned at the Effigy. Responding personnel should bring spoons.”
- Practice closed-loop communication – summarize and repeat what you just heard.
- “Copy that you have an overturned ice cream truck at the Effigy in Grid Charlie-Four and are suggesting spoons.”
- Look friendly and available.
- Greet participants, offer assistance.
- Be respectful.
- Never put yourselves or your partner in danger.
- If you are involved in a situation:
- Assess scene safety.
- Decide beforehand who will approach.
- Watch your partner and the situation.
- Stay in radio contact.
- Never leave your partner.
- Defer to your partner.
- You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
- Approach slowly and visibly; don’t get too close or invade space.
- Don’t be threatening. Take off your sunglasses. Turn down your radio.
- Crowds are threatening, so one Ranger should stay back (and monitor the radio) as the other engages.
- Be aware of positioning and body language.
- Explain what you’re doing; don’t create surprises.
- Asking permission goes a long way. “Do you mind if I sit down on this chair?”
- Be respectful of people’s nerves in an already tense situation.
- Allow participants to maintain as much control as they require. Don’t try to take over.
- Make people feel safe and comfortable.
- Be patient, and make sure you’re being understood. Ask questions.
- One-on-one contact is often most effective. One Ranger speaking with a participant is less threatening than two. Introduce other Rangers as necessary and carefully.
- Present a unified sensible front. Always express confidence in your partner and other Rangers.
- If you need to discuss or confer with other Rangers to reach a solution, withdraw if possible.
- ...but don’t allow the situation to degenerate in your absence.
- Is this something that you need to be involved in?
- How did you get involved?
- Were you asked for help?
- Is your help wanted/needed?
- Also, is this something you can help?
- It’s not up to us to come up with solutions to people’s problems.
- We’re here to help people come up with their own solutions.
- Remember: a Burn is an experimental community.
- Encourage people to look to their community for resources and solutions first.
- Rangers aren’t enforcers or executives – we’re just here to help.
- Try to be conscious of when problems aren’t really problems, or when problems are resolving themselves.
- Are you awake and alert enough to help?
- Try to be neutral and objective, but compassionate.
- You can’t help anyone if you can’t make them feel like you understand their concerns.
- Is conversation going in circles?
- Be intuitive. What are the participants really asking for? What can they live with?
- Don’t get emotionally involved.
- In conflict situations, exchanges often get heated, and tempers flare.
- Often these tempers are directed at innocent bystanders, or those attempting to help.
- It doesn’t matter who gets the last word as long as the situation gets resolved.
- Be aware of your triggers (what sets you off):
- Words - Bitch, Pig, Stupid, etc.
- Seeing something that bothers you, or reminds you of another situation
- Let your partner know what your triggers are, and find out theirs.
- Do this early, before it becomes an issue during an incident.
- Recognize the feeling even if you do not know the cause.
- Anger makes you ineffective as a Ranger. Step away if you are angry or upset.
- Recognize anger or discomfort in your partner.
- Take care of your partner.
- Defer to your partner if they step in.
- Everyone has a good reason for what they are doing at the moment.
- Most theme camps have a den mother or father who can shed light on a situation.
- Stay in radio contact with Khaki.
- Telling people to “Calm down!” doesn’t work.
- Let your words, body language, and actions calm them.
- Be mindful of how you present yourself.
- Keep your own center. It’s contagious.
- It’s not about you.
- Explain what you’re doing and why. Honesty and calm will help cool the situation.
- Recruit help from the community when you need it.
Before a Ranger does anything, a Ranger does nothing.
It’s a Burn; there’s a good chance that what you’re seeing isn’t what it looks like. Don’t rush in. Take a moment to assess the situation.
is an acronym we use for a Rangering technique. It gives us a quick handle in a stressful situation. So, when you encounter a situation, or Khaki sends you to one, keep this in mind.
out what happened.
to all sides. Keep an open mind. There are always many sides.
the situation. Confer with your partner. Share observations.
the situation. Find solutions, but allow participants to own them.
the solution and verify that everyone is on the same page.
- Look, listen, smell
- Fire, fuel, smoke, electric, hazmats
- Moving vehicles, unstable structures
- Sharp objects, tripping hazards
- Bodily fluids
- Violence
- Never endanger yourself or your partner! Retreat to a safe place as needed.
- Location
- Number of people involved
- Evaluate problem(s) and severity
- Self & partner’s brains, instincts, gear
- Notepad and pen/pencil
- Community resources
- Ability to radio for support
- Your partner. Take the time to make sure you and your partner are communicating, sharing information and perspective.
- Khaki. Khaki will relay info to First Aid, Fire, Gate, Parking, Actual, etc., as needed.
- Other participants. If you need something from the people around you, if you need information or equipment or cooperation, let them know.
- Be sure to write down as many relevant details as possible for addition to the shift log at the end of your shift.
If you encounter any of the following, it MUST be reported to Khaki as soon as possible:
Lost child
Found child
Child abuse
Elder abuse
Domestic violence
Sexual assault
Non-consensual physical violence
Psychiatric emergencies (including talk of suicide)
Medical emergencies
Death
Any situation that is likely to put a Safety volunteer in harm’s way
Any situation that is likely to put a participant in non-consensual grave danger
Must-reports are issues where the Organization may be liable if it knows about something and doesn’t take appropriate action. A Ranger is considered a part of the event production organization; if a Ranger knows something, the organization knows it. If you encounter one of these situations, let Khaki know.
- Always call Khaki for any situation that even remotely seems medically related.
- If a participant is passed out on the ground (vaguely conscious, breathing), call First Aid for a wellness check.
- If a participant is resistant to medical being called:
- Call it in regardless!
- Remind them gently that there is no charge for treatment
- Remind them gently that there is no judgment from event first aid
- Follow at a safe distance if they leave
- When calling in to Khaki, facts only - we don’t diagnose. Gather as much relevant information as you can including from witnesses.
- “Bring a bag” tells First Aid an injury is severe, but not life threatening.
- Do not treat beyond your certification.
- Once the First Aid provider arrives at your location, they will take charge of the situation.
- First Aid may need your assistance. Do not leave until released by the responder.
- Stay in communication with Khaki.
- There are restrictions on fires at FPCS events, detailed in the Survival Guide.
- Ground fires are not permitted.
- All open fires must be off the ground, in an appropriate container (burn barrel or fire pit). Khaki will brief you on any changes to fire policy at the start of your shift.
- Any camp with an open fire or a generator must have a fire extinguisher.
- Fire performers must be clear of vegetation and other flammables, and need to have a bucket of water / damp towel handy AND a safety person watching out for them.
- If you are concerned, call Khaki.
- Fire may request your assistance.
- Stay on scene until released by Fire and Khaki.
- Participants may encounter dangerous critters or plants they’re unfamiliar with. (Rattlesnakes, rodents, spiders, poison ivy/oak/sumac, etc.)
- Khaki will brief you on any new/known threats.
Pennsylvania in the spring can be cold and wet, hot and dry, or anything in between. Keep an eye out for people under-dressed for the weather, or exhibiting signs of hypothermia.
Khaki and event leadership will monitor for severe weather Watches and Warnings.
If a warning is issued, Khaki may dispatch Rangers to warn/evacuate participants from threatened areas.
While drones may be allowed at the event, their use will be strictly controlled and scheduled. If you see a drone flying contact Khaki so they can confirm it’s an approved flight.
Due to liability issues, as of spring 2019 trampolines are no longer allowed at FPCS events. If a participant has a trampoline out please FLAME the situation, let them know about the restriction and ask them to disassemble and secure the trampoline. If there are further issues be sure to inform Khaki.
- If there is a report of a lost child, radio Khaki immediately!
- BREAK BREAK BREAK
- Report the lost child even before you have any details. On receipt of the initial report, Khaki will inform Gate to close the city, and alert other departments.
- Have partner collect essential info:
- Child’s name, age, height, weight, what they were wearing, etc.
- Where and when they were last seen
- Names of parents/guardians
- Relationship of reporting participant (if not parent/guardian)
- Where they are camped
- Note: this is the only case where real names get used on the radio
- Radio in all pertinent info; Khaki will relay it as needed
- Stay at the location with the reporting person(s).
- All Rangers should write down the description and look for the lost child
- Enlist the help of the community if needed.
- Rangers do NOT reunite children with parents
- It’s an issue with legal liabilities; responsibility lies with the Board or Law Enforcement
- Rangers will escort found child to HQ
- A Ranger is never alone with a found child; always have another adult in attendance
There may be mutant vehicles at FPCS events along with strict policies concerning their use. Every mutant vehicle will need to be licensed and have a special DMV sticker showing whether they can drive at day and/or at night. The core rules for mutant vehicles are simple:
- Drivers must be safe and sober.
- Speed must be kept to 5 mph or below.
- Vehicles must be fully stopped before loading or unloading passengers.
- Vehicles should not block the road for other traffic.
If any vehicle becomes a problem it can have its license revoked and can be impounded for as long as deemed necessary. Communicate situations with Khaki who will involve the DMV before taking any major action.
All participants need to be wearing an event wristband. If you encounter someone inside the event who is NOT wearing a visible wristband:
- Call Khaki, giving your location and a description of the person (age, sex, build, clothing) in case they try to get away.
- Ask if they have a wristband.
- If they cannot produce one, you must say the following:
- Stay with the person!
- Do NOT offer them any sort of ride, or let them ride with participants. Without a wristband, they’re not a participant, and have not signed a waiver.
- If they say their wristband is at their camp, ask them specific questions to help confirm exactly where their supposed campsite is, and relay the information to Khaki. Khaki will be sending Actual to your location or your route.
- If it sounds suspicious, then head them directly to the Gate.
- If it sounds possibly legitimate to you and your partner, then escort them to their alleged camp location and remain with them until:
- They find their wristband and put it on in a secure manner.
- They can’t find the wristband but do produce a ticket and ID
- Walk with them to Gate for a new wristband.
- Actual arrives at your location and takes over.
- Going to the Gate
- You must get them to the Gate via the shortest possible walking route.
- Remain with the person until released by Actual or Gate personnel.
Communication is a complex process. Differing perceptions may cause difficulties in the communication of ideas and information. Here are common problems in communication and ways to avoid them.
Your communication can be effective only when received in a language the receivers can understand. You need to speak not in your own language or style of thinking but in the language and style of thinking of the receivers. Understand their educational level and their demographics and communicate to them accordingly.
Even when communicating in the language of the receivers, you can still lose them if you overload them with too much information or overly complex ideas. Use the KISS principle (Keep It Short and Simple).
Examine your possible biases and personal assumptions about the issues you’re communicating. Disclose your own interests and agendas. The receivers will quickly tune out if they suspect that you have a hidden agenda. By being authentic, you will gain credibility, which is essential for effective communication.
Communication is not just speaking. It’s both speaking and listening. One-way communication is no communication at all. Make sure to listen and understand the others’ needs and points of view.
Try to avoid using “Yes, but...” It can negate everything that came before it. Instead, trying using “Yes, and...” to connect ideas.
If your message is not clear, or if it can be interpreted in more than one way, it will leave the receivers wondering about what you mean. Make sure that your message is clear and unambiguous.
In effective communication, timing is critical. For example, a message of praise and recognition should not come too long after the fact, or it will lose its effectiveness. “Better late than never” may be true, but a timely message is the best.
Most people don’t like negative communication and bad news. Passive, weak, or negative communication will turn people off. Even the most negative, critical, or difficult communication will be better received when presented in a positive, affirmative style. Instead of saying, “This is a terrible idea,” try, “Tell me how we can make this idea work.”
What did you actually see or hear versus what did you believe to be happening, based on what you heard or saw?
Active Listening and Nonverbal Communication
Listening is one of the first things we do once we determine that a situation needs Ranger intervention. The goal of active listening is twofold:
To focus your attention as clearly and carefully as possible on what is being said, so that you understand what’s going on.
To convey to the person talking that you are listening to and understanding what they are saying.
Tips for active listening:
- When listening, keep eyes on the speaker’s eyes (or in the case of someone who’s angry, the lower face, since too much direct eye contact can be perceived as a challenge).
- Nod as appropriate.
- Use what are referred to as “minimal encourager” noises. These are the little words and noises you make to indicate that you’re listening: uh-huh, okay, right, mmmm, etc.
Body Language
Another very important thing to pay attention to is body language and other non-verbal communication. We’re social creatures, and as such, evolved skills to communicate with our body long before we had language. Distress or undesirable behavior itself IS communication—the person in distress is providing physical and possibly non-verbal feedback.
- 45-degree stance versus face-to-face, leaving sufficient personal space
- Easy rule: Can I see your feet? If I can’t, I’m too close.
- Touch: Be very cautious and use your best judgment.
- Touching a participant can calm them down or can make things much, much worse.
- Leave them an out: Never block someone’s escape route. In an enclosed space, do not stand between an agitated person and the exit.
- Mirroring/matching: Use the speaker’s tone, body language, and words (careful to avoid this turning into mocking).
- Pacing and leading: Match speaker’s speed/energy, then gradually slow/calm down.
- Break state: Do anything else (e.g., go for a walk, smoke a cigarette, eat something, ask irrelevant questions).
- Eye contact: Enough to show you’re paying close attention, not so much that you seem threatening (especially with an angry participant)
- Writing down: Keeps your facts straight and lets participants know you’re taking it seriously.
Responding without contradicting is the verbal equivalent of a “45-degree stance”: It avoids confrontation without conceding the point. Here are some tips for doing this:
- “Yes, but ...” will lead to an argument. Try “Yes, and ...” or just “Yes.” - “I love you but I’m upset with you” versus “I love you and I’m upset with you.”
- “I’m not going to do that” versus “You’re right, and I can’t figure out how to make that work.” versus “You’re right. Can you show me how it could work?”
- Don’t contradict.
- “Wait, I think I might have misunderstood you” works better than “No, you’re wrong.”
- “Hang on, maybe I wasn’t being clear” works better than “No, that’s not what I said.”
Finally, help create more options. Often, when people get riled up, options seem to disappear. Offering more options (or helping them think of options themselves) can calm someone down. People without options can feel trapped.
Sometimes, the best way to communicate is by not talking. Silence can be comfortable or uncomfortable: both can be useful in the right situation. Sometimes silent companionship is all that Someone needs if they’re stressed out. Uncomfortable silence can be a useful tool for getting people to think about what they’ve been saying or get them to talk more.
Empathy and Empathic Attunement
Empathic attunement is understanding somebody else’s emotions and then communicating to them that you understand them.
This is important, because feeling understood can be calming/de-escalating for an upset participant, and they are more likely to be open to your input if they feel understood. Your goal as a Ranger is to understand how someone is feeling without getting caught up in their emotions or taking sides.
- You don’t have to agree with someone to understand what they’re feeling.
- You don’t need to like or love them to understand what they’re feeling.
- Letting them know you understand them is not the same as telling them what they want to hear.
The point of empathic attunement is not to talk someone out of how they’re feeling, it’s to tune in to how they’re feeling so you can connect with them and thus deal with them more effectively. A great way to build empathic attunement with another person is this three-step process:
Notice the emotion the person is expressing.
Look for the cause of the emotion.
- Try to figure out what thoughts / beliefs are underlying the emotions.
- With angry people, look for perceptions of unfairness.
- With sad people, look for perceptions of loss.
- With anxious people, look for perceptions of danger.
Validate the feeling (without necessarily agreeing with the assessment).
Interest versus Position
One of the most useful conflict resolution concepts is the difference between interests and positions. An interest is someone’s underlying need or want. For example:
“I’ve been up all night because the neighbor camp is playing loud music.”
My underlying interest is in getting to sleep.
A position is somebody’s stated requirement of how they want to get that interest satisfied. For example:
“I need you jerks to turn off your stereo right now!”
Positions are not always unreasonable, just a difficult place from which to negotiate. Identifying underlying interests can be powerful because it helps people generate more options, and thus makes it more likely that the conflict can be resolved. Focusing on positions leads towards an “I win or you win” situation,” focusing on underlying interests leads away from that kind of conflict.
Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is a critical skill that helps with active listening. Paraphrasing is restating and summarizing what the speaker is saying without adding anything; this gives the speaker a chance to correct you if you’ve misunderstood something.
Open and Closed Questions
Open-ended questions invite more participation and detail from a speaker.
- Example: “What are you up to today?”
- Example: “How’s your Burn going?”
Closed-ended questions invite a yes/no or factual answer.
- Example: “Do you understand?”
- Example: “How old are you?”
Both are useful in the right context. Open-ended questions encourage free communication, closed-ended questions can decrease the level of engagement, which can be useful if you want the person to focus, slow down or be less chatty.
This section does not replace years of training and experience. More experienced Rangers, including Mentors and Shift Leads can assist in critical situations or in helping you debrief from a situation that has left you with questions. Kick the problem to a more experienced Ranger or a Shift Lead if you are uncomfortable or find yourself in an escalating situation when you feel it is beyond your scope. Expanding your comfort zone is an important exercise, but our commitment to the community and the participants takes precedence over your personal growth. There may be another Ranger better suited to handling that particular situation.
Intervention and Escalation
We talked about “first do nothing.” But sometimes we need to do something. In general, we start with the least intrusive intervention (unless it’s an emergency) and move to more direct interventions if/when it becomes necessary.
There is a spectrum of intervention techniques, from less intrusive to more intrusive like this:
- Do nothing, say nothing, quietly observe.
- Say hi and/or introduce yourself. (This can be a very subtle intervention; just by calling attention to your presence you can influence things.)
- “Sorry to bother you, are you doing ok? Do you need any help?”
- “Hey, could you do me a favor?” (A very polite request; makes it clear it’s strictly optional for them to comply. It’s a favor, after all.)
- “You should know that if you do this...” (Explain consequences)
- “Please don’t do that.” (Directly request action)
- “I need you to stay back / slow down / not drive here.” (Demand action)
- STOP!” (Urgently demand action in a dangerous situation)
- Physical intervention for safety if all else fails—What’s the one job in Rangers where this is actually part of the job description? (Answer: Sandmen.)
De-Escalation
We’ve already discussed two very powerful de-escalation techniques: listening and empathy. Here are some other tips:
- Start by de-escalating yourself.
- “Am I feeling overwhelmed or charged by this? Did Ijust get a jolt of adrenaline?”
- When things get heavy, slow down instead of rev up.
- “Let me breathe for a second and figure out what I want to do here.”
- Separate arguing people.
- Ideally, get them out of each other’s sight—while maintaining sight of your partner
Calm people with your presence and actions and example, not by telling them to calm down. It’s hard to get people to calm down if you’re acting anxious or angry. Never tell anyone to calm down. Ever. seriously. A useful warning sign you may need to kick it sideways, or call another Ranger pair is if you or the participant are starting to repeat yourselves. This may indicate something has gone wrong in the communication cycle. The speaker may feel misunderstood, or you may be getting overwhelmed or over-involved. If this happens, slow down and ask more questions, or kick it sideways to another set of Rangers.
Conflict Resolution Tips
Remember that everyone thinks they have a good reason for what they do.
- Use active listening skills.
- Never tell someone to “calm down”; calm them down by your presence and performance.
- When body language and words come into conflict, words will lose every time.
- Use “we” and “us” to generate connection with people.
- Separate arguing people if possible, so you and your partner can talk to them individually.
- If you have separated participants, be sure to keep your partner in sight at all times.
- The less ego you bring to the table, the more control you will have over a situation.
- Be aware of your trigger words and your trigger issues.
- Never lose self-control: walk away before you do and defer to your partner.
- Ask involved citizens to think about possible solutions (and give them time to do so).
- You move a crowd one person at a time.
- Treat everyone with equal respect.
- Let involved citizens or passionate observers have the last word, as long as you have the last act.
- Always keep our social capital in mind when dealing with participants, staff, and outside agencies.
- A useful follow-up: “If you need anything, come find us.” Assuring folks that we are, after all, on their side and that help is available if something important comes up.
Every participant brings his/her/their unique history, experiences, world-views, and filters to the Burn. Each personal history may have imprinted triggers which influence what is seen, or perceived. This may lead to either over- or under-sensitivity to physical contact, so Rangers should touch only with the participant’s consent.
Rangers are often called upon to get involved when something goes wrong around consent at an event. Different people define consent in various ways. Here’s what we mean by consent:
Definition of terms:
: Two (or more) people agree to engage in an interaction (sexual or otherwise) without coercion, force, or deception.
: One (or more) person(s) initiates and/or continues an interaction (sexual or otherwise) with another person(s) without their agreement to participate, often via coercion, force, or deception. This is applicable in a variety of contexts, including:
- : These people did not mutually agree to share a sexual experience.
- : This person did not agree to be touched by that person.
- : This person did not understand what they were about to ingest and did not willingly or intentionally ingest it.
One (or more) person(s) perceives an interaction as non-consensual and the other(s) disagree(s), in which case nothing is to be assumed, no sides are to be taken, and Rangers are to remain neutral and FLAME to gather needed information to determine next steps.
How does our handling of sexual assaults differ from other questions around consent?
Violation of consent (by victim or witness report): no question about what happened, SA protocol is activated. Deliberate violations of sexual consent are, by our definition, inherently sexual assaults, and must be reported as such.
(consent accident/failure, or unclear what happened): here is where we need to Find Out, Listen, and Analyze carefully to see whether what happened rises to the level of SA (in which case, see above).
Finding out is the first step in dealing with any incident Rangers become involved with.
Finding out is no less appropriate in the context of sexual consent than in any other incident.
As with any other issue we deal with, if you find yourself unable or unwilling to Find out and Listen to all sides’ reports and concerns, kick it sideways.
If you are in the “gray zone,” Ranger the heck out of it. Is it a must-report? If not, what do the participants involved need from us? What information, assistance, mediation, or other resources would be helpful here? When dealing with participants, assuming a consent violation occurred and then having to back down from that is far more difficult than Listening to get more information. Assume nothing; first Find out and Listen and then Analyze to determine if a violation or failure of consent has occurred.
Finding out and Listening do not imply you condone what may have happened.
Regret may result from failures of consent, but not all experiences that are later regretted stem from failures of consent. Preventing violations of consent is not the same as preventing uncomfortable experiences. It is not our goal to stop people from making bad decisions. It is our goal to enable clear communication and minimize the chances of assaultive or coercive sexual or other interactions.
Our personal history may have left us with triggers that influence what we see. This may lead to either over- or under-sensitivity to issues around consent. Burns may be especially challenging environments in which to evaluate consent processes.
Some of the usual warning signs of failures of consent (e.g., intoxication) are more prevalent at a Burn than in the default world. While there may be cases in which a participant is too altered to give informed consent, there are also situations in which participants are actively seeking out interactions when significantly altered.
In these cases, we must be especially careful about evaluating consent failures/violations and deciding on intervention strategies. When in doubt, call it in and ask Khaki for help. That’s why Khaki is there.
This section is about Physical and Emotional Self Care. The basics of physical self-care are pretty obvious:
- Make sure you’re adequately fed, rested and hydrated.
- If you’re Rangering, make sure you’re sober.
- Make sure you’ve got clothes adequate to the weather: warm if it’s cold out, sunscreen and a hat if it’s sunny.
- Make sure you’re wearing shoes (and, possibly, socks) appropriate to the terrain and the amount of walking you’re doing.
Emotional self-care can be trickier.
Trigger Issues
A trigger issue is something that you react to from a place of deep emotion instead of from a place of reason. Triggers are not minor annoyances or “pet peeves.” Rather, trigger issues are things that make you lose objectivity and self-control, and therefore prevent you from Rangering effectively.
You can be triggered by:
- (e.g., “bitch,” “stupid,” “cop”)
- (e.g., physical violence)
- (e.g., lost children, animal abuse)
Learn to recognize when you’re being triggered and to acknowledge that you’re losing objectivity. If you are aware of the kinds of words, actions, and situations that might trigger you, share them with your partner during your shift. If you find yourself unable to look at a situation from an objective perspective, remove yourself from the situation by kicking it sideways to your partner or to another Ranger team through Khaki.
Self-Care and Responder Trauma
As a Ranger, you may see a side of the Burn that you never knew existed. Some of it is really cool, and some of it is very ugly. Mostly, we do nothing. Often, we do something. Rarely, we do very, very intense things. For example, we might deal with injury, sexual assaults, violence, even death. Mostly, that’s not a problem for the Rangers involved; sometimes, it can have unpleasant psychological effects. Having a very strong response to intensely stressful situations is common in people who deal with emergencies (EMTs, firefighters, ER docs, etc.) This is called “responder trauma.”
Be aware of the warning signs of a traumatic response:
- Intrusive, vivid memories of the situation (“flashbacks”)
- Nightmares about the situation
- Avoiding things/places/people that remind you of the situation
- Inability to remember important aspects of the situation
- Unexplained anxiety, irritability, or anger
- Being easily startled, or having trouble calming down after being startled
- Fight-or-flight” response that doesn’t go away: sweating, shaking, nausea, increased heart rate
Responder trauma symptoms may be immediate, or you may only notice them after a few days or weeks. What do you do if you’re noticing these signs or symptoms?
- Practice self-care: eat, sleep, exercise, meditate, have a beer, whatever works
- Talk it out (partner, friends, Rangers, etc).
If it’s not resolving, contact the Ranger Lead or Actual, or request assistance directly from Sanctuary. If you need help after the event, contact the Board of Directors. Intense situations are rare, and even very intense situations do not usually result in responder trauma. Most traumatic responses resolve on their own with time. However, if it’s not getting better, there are simple, effective counseling interventions that can help. If things get weird, we’re here for you.
We are slowly moving toward a formalized ICS structure for large scale emergency situations. Several teams have already adapted parts into their operational policy, including Rangers. We don’t require it (yet), but strongly encourage you to spend a couple hours with these free online courses:
The FPCS Ranger Manual is a modification of the 2015 Pyropolis Ranger Manual, by the Flipside Ranger Lead Team and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial- ShareAlike 4.0 International License. This license allows other groups to remix, tweak, and build upon the existing work in a non-commercial manner, so long as they credit the original authors and license the new creations under identical terms.