Rangers
Similar to the Black Rock Rangers of Burning Man, our Alberta Rangers share a common focus in our role as first responders to conflicts and other situations that may arise at Freezer Burn. Our Alberta Rangers prioritize conflict mediation and serve as points of contact for participants, organizers, and outside agencies. We encourage shared responsibility, self-reliance, individual and group accountability as well as the belief that what we do as role models may influence those around us.
What we do
Most of the time, Ranger shifts are quite uneventful - walk around, observing, interacting, participating (quite fun actually!). But other times, Rangers may find themselves busy dealing with situations that could range anywhere from helping lost children find their parents to responding to emergencies and helping get appropriate resources to “the scene”.
Rangers serving an Oracle shift are the First Response “nerve center”, managing radio communications and being the central dispatch between all of the Freezer Burn teams on shift. Ranger Oracle is a great way to get involved with the Rangers and not have to spend too much time on your feet!
It's important to note that our AB Rangers “authority” comes from the trust and respect of the community that we serve. This means that our role is not to enforce rules or punish individuals, but rather to help facilitate communication and resolve conflicts in a peaceful and respectful manner.
We feel that there is a need for dedicated, trained individuals to serve in these roles at Freezer Burn, and by providing a visible presence and a safe, neutral space for participants to address issues, our Rangers can help maintain the positive and inclusive atmosphere that makes events like Freezer Burn successful.
Team Dynamics
The Ranger team is typically led by multiple Ranger veterans (or co-leads) that share the responsibilities of putting together the Field Rangers, who walk the event in pairs. As mentioned, Ranger Oracle (who also may work in pairs) is the radio call center and remains at the First Response location. All Ranger volunteers MUST BE SOBER, and should be calm, cool and collected, and have good observational skills. They should be able to communicate effectively and without bias, and offer outside the box (yet rational) problem solving skills. Provided Alberta Ranger or Black Rock Ranger training is required to be a Ranger at Freezer Burn. The Rangers work closely with all the Medical, Security and Sanctuary Teams.
Number of Volunteers
minimum 50, maximum 70
Shift Length
6-8 hours minimum on site
Pre-Event Tasks
- Monitor the dedicated email (Leads)
- Join and utilize the Production Communication Platform, example: Slack (Leads)
- Complete Black Rock Ranger online training (Leads & Volunteers)
- Provide Freezer Burn in person training (Leads)
- Create schedules (Leads)
- Communications with all team members (Leads)
- Ensure all scheduled Rangers have a green Alberta Ranger shirt (Leads)
Event Tasks
- Walk the event (Leads & Volunteers)
- Communicate on the radios (Leads & Volunteers)
- Participate (Leads & Volunteers)
- Answer questions (Leads & Volunteers)
- Respond to emergent issues as needed (Leads & Volunteers)
- Complete Incident report forms as needed (Leads & Volunteers)
- File any and all Incidences in the “Incident report” binder located at First Response.
Post-Event Tasks
- Clean up the First Response area (Leads)
- Take inventory of green shirts at end of event (Leads)
- Debrief with all Rangers through email post event (Leads & Volunteers)
- Write an AfterBurn report (Leads)
Recommended Training
Alberta Ranger training is required (training is provided)
Black Rock Ranger training (online)
Bystander intervention (recommended)