Find Out: Approaching the Situation

During the "F" of Flame, we Find Out about the situation.

First, "Do Nothing"

The first thing most Rangers will do when they encounter a situation that might need Rangering is … NOTHING. Of course, they're not actually doing nothing – they're forming their initial impressions about the situation – but they're not actively interfering; it only looks like they're doing nothing.

Standing back and observing is the first thing we do when approaching a situation.

Many situations resolve on their own and we never have to "do" anything. We call these situations "self-Rangering.”

Your Reason for Approaching the Situation

There are the times when Rangers need to approach participants. The basic skill of Rangering starts with how we approach participants and what our reason is for approaching them.

• Are we informing them of something such as Bacon at a nearby camp?
• Are we pointing out danger?
• Are we offering to be a neutral party to help?
• Did the participant approach us?

Situational Awareness

Situational awareness is a key part of the F in FLAME-Find out--and worth repeating.

Safety First!

When entering a situation, always check for safety of both yourself and your partner.

Make sure you take a look at the immediate area around the situation and then at the larger area around that.

Maintain situational awareness (participants safety, partners safety, hazards in the area) and/or try to not lose sight of your partner.

Questions to ask regarding scene safety include:

• Is the scene safe for you and your partner to approach?
• Is there any danger to the participants?
• Is there fire?
• Is there violence?
• Is there an animal, slip, trip, or fall hazard?
• Is your partner safe?

If there is a safety issue where you feel that you, your partner, or participants are in danger, call Khaki immediately.

Other things to access in a situation

• What is the mood/tone of the situation?
• What is the body language of the participants? What does it tell you?
• What is your own body language? What does it communicate to others? (See more below)
• What reaction do participants have to your presence? Be aware that sometimes a Ranger presence can be triggering for participants.
• How loud is the area? How private? One of you should always be able to monitor/use radio.
• How are you and your partner standing in relation to one another? Are you able to keep track of each other and communicate if needed?
• Who is around that can be a community resource?
• What information do you need to develop a complete picture of the scene and understand what is going on?

Self-Awareness: Body Language & Mindset

What is your body language going to tell them? This will be the first thing participants see. Your body language should communicate an openness to listen and also be nonthreatening. For more detail, see effective techniques for de-escalating with body language.

Related to body language is our mindset: Your point of view can affect how you approach the scene and how you’re first presented to participants. Have you checked your preconceived notions at the door? (Or at least made the attempt?) Are you going in open minded? Be aware of your own biases and the “way you think things are.”

Introduce Yourself

Remember to introduce yourself early on when you approach participants. It doesn’t have to be the very first thing you say, however participants should know who you are before you get too involved in a situation. Be polite, express your desire to help, and be mindful of perceptions of authority.

Using your notebook

You should always have a notebook with you. It will come in very handy when passing on information to Khaki. If you are going to take notes during a conversation with a participant, make sure to ask if it is okay! Using your notebook can help in all steps of FLAME, so that you can use what you find out in other steps.

Unless the participant is asking you to pass on personal information, do not record participant names: use initials. Even in our notebooks, we need to respect confidentiality.

Self-Awareness: Trigger Issues

A trigger issue is something that you react to from a place of deep emotion instead of from 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:

• Words (e.g., “bitch,” “stupid,” “cop”)
• Actions (e.g., physical violence)
• Situations (e.g., lost children, animal abuse)

Practice self-awareness: 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.

For more on trigger issues, see the section on Trigger Issues under Mediation

Kick it sideways

You may not always be the best person to handle a situation. Maybe the situation involves one of your “trigger issues”. Maybe you don’t feel you have enough experience or skills to handle a particular situation. Maybe the seriousness of the situation warrants asking for someone with more experience or skills to step in.

“Kick it sideways” means asking someone else to step in to handle the situation.

Remember, you are not alone! You can “kick it sideways” to: Your partner Khaki Another ranger, for example, the OOD Another volunteer core (for example, First Aid, Sanctuary, FAST) Another participant

More experienced Rangers, including Mentors and Khaki, can assist in critical situations or in helping you debrief from a situation that has left you with questions. “Kick it sideways” to a more experienced Ranger or a Khaki 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.