Who are these Black Sheep and why do they have so many rules?
For the past few months, I’ve been posting a trickle of photo posts, each with a numbered “rule” attributed to the Black Sheep Rebel Club. To this point, no real explanation or context has been given regarding the posts. So, who are these Black Sheep, why do they have so many rules, and why don’t they post them in numerical order?
The Black Sheep Rebel Club (BSRC) is a secret society of like-minded members of the fire service. The only real secret regarding membership is that most Black Sheep simply don’t know that they are members. There is no application, no initiation, no entry fee, and no mandatory meetings. The only requirement is that you must be a motivated student of the trade, dedicated to mastery of this age-old craft, and constantly striving for improvement of yourself, your company, and your department. If those characteristics describe you, then you are already in. There are hard-working individuals across the nation, and world, who are members of their own local chapter without even knowing it.
Why do we call ourselves the Black Sheep Rebel Club? We are made up of an eclectic group of rogues, misfits, and outcasts. Black Sheep would rather be throwing ladders and stretching lines than watching the ballgame. We would rather be in our turnouts than in a recliner. We would rather be hitting the gym than taking a nap. We believe that a certificate from the academy does not guarantee skill retention and constant repetition of those skills is required to maintain them. We realize that, whether volunteer or career, the citizens we serve deserve the best possible performance from us on every run, day or night. We realize that fires on Sunday require the same preparation as those on weekdays. We believe in staying combat ready, being prepared, and expecting fire. We believe that the fireground is better run with common sense, hard work, and simple, flexible, and adaptable plans. We believe that there are many methods to accomplishing fireground tasks, each geared to a different situation, and confining yourself to strict, easy-button, rule-bound tactics will leave you boxed into a corner when confronted with the unexpected. This mindset is not always welcome in departments where firefighters are the minority, outnumbered by “fire department employees”. This can leave the dedicated individuals, companies, or shifts feeling like, well, black sheep. We embrace the shadows and encourage each other to fight the complacent current.
The Rules of the Black Sheep are a set of rules-of-thumb for both fireground operations and general fire service life. The idea was inspired by the Red Team Rules, a set of rules for “Red Teams” which were in turn inspired by the Moscow Rules, a set of rules that are said to have been guidelines for clandestine operatives in the Cold War era. Red Teams are described as “a group of highly skilled professionals that continuously challenge the plans, defensive measures and security concepts of an organization”. Essentially, they are paid by large corporations and government agencies to act as “attackers” and attempt to infiltrate the organization’s physical and cyber infrastructure, exposing security weaknesses in the process. I thought that some of the original rules could work for the fire service, so most of the Black Sheep Rules are taken or adapted from the Red Team/Moscow Rules. I have also added some original rules to the list, most of which were inspired by other Black Sheep. I attribute credit to those individuals/organizations where applicable.
The full list of rules is still a fluid project with some being added or deleted occasionally. The rules that have been posted publicly are those that are firmly set in place and will not be removed. This is why the publicly posted rules jump around in numerical order (also, I think it’s just an interesting way to release them). The rules are also open to amendment by the membership, so feel free to suggest a rule for addition to the list by emailing ELAFFHQ@gmail.com or messaging the ELAFF Facebook page. The current list contains 31 rules. Once all of the rules are posted in their individual artsy-photo format, I will publish the entire finalized list.
How far will the BSRC movement spread? What will we come up with next? It’s anybody’s guess. As ELAFF grows farther away from the original inside-joke that started it, I’ve contemplated converting the whole project over to the BSRC name. I’ve also considered adding separate pages for the BSRC to avoid erasing the “ELAFF Legacy”. Who knows where this will go. Time will tell.
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That’s Just Your Opinion, Man.
Solving the problems of the world has long been a favorite activity at the firehouse kitchen table. Now that we are in the “Facebook Age”, the discussions have expanded on to a national, online forum. This change has resulted in some great benefits through exposure to new ideas and methods. However, the instant and impersonal communication can also create stubborn stances and impolite responses that would likely be avoided in a face-to-face encounter.
Social media discussions allow one to reply instantly, but anonymously, and without the accountability found during direct conversations. The most obvious consequence of this is the decline or lack of manners between participants. In addition, internet arguers often become staunch and immovable supporters of their positions. The comfort of remote debates makes it too easy for one to dismiss all differing ideas without any consideration. A discussion over the use of radio straps versus a radio pocket turns into a repetitive chorus chanting, “I’m right; you’re wrong!” The most zealous will go beyond just disagreeing and declare all differing methods to be idiotic or deadly. Threads spool on for dozens, or hundreds, of comments with proponents of all sides screaming, “Your way will get you killed!” like two walls talking to each other. The truth of the matter is that ANY way will get you killed if you are unfamiliar with it.
The benefit of the online forum is that we can hear these new ideas, push back from the desk for a minute, and physically try them for ourselves. Rather than arguing perpetually, put the method in question to a real life test. By setting aside your preconceived notions, you might learn something new, or you may just prove your point. Either way, you will accomplish more than if you had continued to angrily slap your keyboard. Regardless of the outcome, remember that just because a method doesn’t work for you and your department, it doesn’t mean that it is automatically a “death trap”. You must accept that it may work very well for another department with different staffing, different equipment, or a different mindset.
In the end, we must often learn to just agree to disagree. Whether you like it or not, there is “more than one way to skin a giraffe”(and some of the best methods aren’t listed in the “red book”). Perhaps it would be best to limit our Facebook activity to clicking “like” and “share”. Leave the big debates to the tailboard, the kitchen table, or a bar in Indianapolis. The next time you find yourself sucked into the vortex of misunderstanding and hate that is a Facebook debate, have an open mind and remember the words of the Dude, “Yeah, well, you know, that’s just, like, your opinion, man.”
-Pete
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Good People
A quick post to break the silence on this site. A few weeks ago, firefighters in the ELAFF local area came together to raise money for a Brother fighting cancer. The benefit supper and auction involved the help and support of many individuals, groups, and businesses. I won’t go into too much detail, except to say that it was a great success and example of brotherhood, raising around $30,000. Most of the donations for the auction came from local businesses, but some of the donating companies were out-of-state fire service businesses. Despite having no real connection to the area, all of them jumped at the chance the donate and help out. I wanted to use this platform to thank them for helping.
Box Alarm Leather (website – Facebook)
Box Alarm Leather donated a custom leather radio strap. I wear a Box Alarm Leather strap and it is of exceptional quality. I doubt I will ever have the opportunity to compare it to another custom strap, though. My Box Alarm strap is so well made that I may never need another.
Fire Cam / Firevideo.net (website – Facebook)
Fire Cam donated two fire helmet cameras. (1) Fire Cam 1080 and (1) Fire Cam Mini HD. Each included a Blackjack mounting bracket and a Class 10 SD card. I have been using a Fire Cam 1080 since spring with the intent of doing a product review. I still haven’t posted a product review, but the Fire Cam crew still stepped up to help out, despite my procrastination. As a preliminary review, I would say that the cameras work exactly as advertised. They DO stand up to repeated soakings by fire hoses and pouring rain. They DO stand up to the heat of actual house fires and the extended heat of training in a concrete burn building. They DO produce excellent video footage. If you are allowed to use a helmet camera and you are looking to buy one, then this is the one to buy. They can even provide an example “Helmet Camera S.O.G.” if your department needs one. I’ll have a full post with example footage in the near future…really…I mean it.
Liberty Art Works (website – Facebook)
Liberty Art Works donated a very nice, bronze parade axe. Everyone at the auction had their eyes on it. When it came up for bid, the price shot up quickly. It ended up going for around $1000 to a group of firefighters on the same shift as the Brother for whom the benefit was for. They immediately handed the axe to him as a gift. Brotherhood.
Ride Backwards (website – Facebook)
Ride Backwards was eager to donate items for the auction. Unfortunately, I dropped the ball in the chain of communication and it was too late by the time I picked it up. I wanted to be sure to give them mention, since it was my fault alone that they were not involved. They are good people. Check them out if you aren’t familiar.
Black Helmet Apparel (website – Facebook)
Black Helmet Apparel donated some shirts. Check them out, too.
Most of the donation gathering was done locally, since most of the auction attendees were community members who weren’t as interested in fire service items. Had more out-of-state contacts been made, I’m sure more companies would have donated. There are some very generous individuals in the fire service community, especially when it comes to helping a Brother in need. Thanks again to everyone that helped out!
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Reading Assignment – 8 10 13
Here’s the extra long list to make up for a couple of weeks without posting:
- The Battle Can – Gary Lane, Fire Service Warrior
“Let’s examine one of the most seemingly disliked and “low fun factor” duties we have… Carrying the 2 1/2 gallon pressurized water extinguisher, or ‘The Can.'” - My Favorite Street Photographer Is A Fireman From Camden – Chris Nieratko, VICE Magazine
“New Jersey’s own Gabe Angemi is a skateboarder with a cellphone. Gabe is a second-generation fireman in one of the poorest and most dangerous cities in America: Camden, New Jersey. The photos he posts on his Instagram are an unflinching look at the human (and often inhumane) conditions that exist in the once great city that Walt Whitman called home and often wrote so romantically about.” - Interior Fire Attack, Advancing the 1 3/4″ With Door Control – LA County FD
A video published by LACoFD for internal training on their new door control SOP. A good look at how one large department has adapted to developments in fire behavior research. You don’t have to implement these exact procedures in your department, but it is worth watching for consideration. - Options for Stretching a Triple-layer/Triple-fold Crosslay in Tight Spaces – streetsmart firefighter
“Here is an option for pulling a 200′ triple fold rackline in a confined space. This is used when you have to pull the line parallel to the engine.” - Shining Examples of “REAL” Brotherhood – Ryan Royal, IronsandLadders.com
“…I am here to say I have been recharged and my outlook on the current level of brotherhood around my department has been lifted into a very positive perspective. Its NOT dead yet…not if we have anything to say about it.” - Execution of Excellence – Dave LeBlanc, Backstep Firefighter
“The execution of excellence should be a goal for every Fire Department. Every time we hit the street, we should be doing so with the knowledge and training to allow us to operate at the top of our game.” - Do Not Post Unless You Would Publish in the Paper – Frank Ricci, Fire Engineering
“Social media is a great tool to get your message out and share thoughts and ideas, just ensure you use it responsibly.” - Blame it on the Stars – Pete Sulzer, Fire Service Warrior
My latest full-length article, hosted on Fire Service Warrior. - Ground Ladder Tips – Matt Hinkle, MS Fire Net (Youtube)
-Pete
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Blame it on the Stars
My latest full-length article, “Blame it on the Stars”, is up on the Fire Service Warrior main-site.
-Pete
![IMG_1056[1]](https://elaffhq.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/img_10561.jpg?w=346&h=346)
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Reading Assignment – 7 21 13
It’s been a long week at ELAFF HQ and the list is a little late going out, but here it is:
- We Are Not Cyborgs – Gea Leigh Haff, Fire Service Warrior
We had an especially tough fire in the “ELAFF Local” last weekend. This post went up on the FSW main site within 48 hours, just in time to read it prior to heading to the CISD myself. A fine article and excellent reminder. - 35′ of Getting the Job Done – Firefighter Basics
“There is hardly a reason to have more than 2 members raising the 35′ ladder. The job does go quicker with 3 people but usually the 3rd person gets in the way.” - That Idea Would Never Work Here! – Craig Nelson & Dane Carley, Fire Engineering
“Why are new ideas important to the fire service and, more specifically, to your department? Ideas turn into innovation, and innovation is how departments adapt to a changing environment.” - Tactical Nozzle Considerations – Dan Doyle, Fire Engineering
-Pete
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Reading Assignment – 7 12 13
Here’s the list:
- Around Here – Mark vonAppen, Fire Service Warrior
“Cuts to training budgets can no longer be an excuse. We have to invest in ourselves. In order to win the fight, we have to be in the fight. Being in the fight means doing it on your own and leading from everywhere.” - An Honest Look at Training – Ryan Royal, Irons and Ladders
One from the archives of Irons and Ladders.
“Focus on practical training with street value. Each time you set up a drill ask yourself what can I do to make this more realistic, how can I add practical teaching points to this, and then when we get this step right, how can I make it more challenging?” - These Firefighters Who Are ‘aging out’ Are Still the Bravest – Denis Hamil, New York Daily News
A mainstream media look at the age-mandated retirement of two FDNY members, including the Rescue 1’s Capt. Morris, a name that you should be familiar with.
“Capt. Robert Morris of Rescue 1 and Firefighter Kenny Ruane of Ladder 16, both in Manhattan, will ‘age out’ at 65 this weekend, but after all they’ve been through they still want to work with FDNY, among the city’s bravest.” - A video from the NY Daily News covering Capt. Morris’ final tour on Rescue 1.
-Pete
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Reading Assignment – July 5 2013
Here’s the list:
- A Hero W.O.D. in honor of the Granite Mountain 19 from Fire Service Warrior:
19 mountain climbers
3 mile run
19 mountain climbers
45 lb. vest/pack - Study of the Effectiveness of Fire Service Vertical Ventilation and Suppression Tactics in Single Family Homes – Steve Kerber, UL FSRI
Don’t let the long title scare you. Take some time to read it in pieces, or print out the summary report to look over with your crew. Discuss the findings, how they could potentially affect your department’s operations, and how they might affect your personal considerations. Depending on your department, this may be old news common-sense that has been taught at the academy for decades or it could be some revolutionary information. Either way, it shouldn’t be dismissed or overlooked. Take the data for what it is and work it out for yourself. - The Missing Pieces of Firefighter Survival – Brian Bush, Fire Service Warrior
“Firefighters must be presented with the true context of situations where lives are being threatened. The belief that situational awareness can be maintained during chaotic events; that firefighters will be able to function at full capacity, recall and execute training, and communicate in a highly dynamic environment is false (Gasaway, 2012).” - Firefighter PASS Device Study Yields Surprising Results – NFPA Fire Service Today
“During one experiment a small trash can fire was lit to see what effect a small fire had on the sound of the PASS alarm signal. The sound became muffled and quieter and the fire seemed to merge the multiple tones into one sound.”
*I try to catch as many articles as possible, but I inevitably miss some. If you see anything worth learning from, send me an email at ELAFFHQ@gmail.com.
-Pete
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Reading Assignment – June 28 2013
Here’s the list:
- Halligan – streetsmart firefighter
“Three articles about the most versatile tool in the fire service. Take the time to get better every day.” - Choices – Irons and Ladders
“For all of the new guys, these are CHOICES. It is up to you! We can tell which one you choose.” - The Most Important 6 Inches – Jason Jefferies, Fire Service Warrior
From the FSW Archives:
“Take a good hard look at your gear and how wear it into combat. Screwdrivers, door chocks, webbing, and various other “add ons” are useful, but where we position the most important items that could save your life is one of the most important decisions you will make.” - MacGruber Bag – Gary Lane, Fire Service Warrior
Another one from the FSW Archives:
“This is just one way I’ve been able to stay in a “Warriors mindset” without over burdening myself with an extra 20 pounds of stuff in my pockets.” - Registration is open for the 2013 Colorado 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb. Here’s a video from the event last year, which I was able to participate in. SIGN UP HERE!
- Registration is also open for the 2013 Charlotte Stair Climb. I climbed in Charlotte last year and will be climbing there again. SIGN UP HERE!
-Pete
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Reading Assignment – June 21 2013
Here’s your weekend reading assignment:
- Mentors – Mark VonAppen, Fully Involved
“You never know when a mentor will show up, who they will be, or how they are to influence you or your life as a whole. We might not know how someone has molded us until years later as we hear his or her words echoed in our own.” - Because We Can – Jonah Smith, Fire Service Warrior
“As you sit down at the firehouse, you can think about whether to retire to the recliner for the day or find something to train on. I am sure that there are plenty of fallen firefighters’ families wishing that their loved one could be training with you shoulder-to-shoulder every day you work.” - Developing Door Control Doctrine – Ed Hartin, CFBT-US
“Fire scene photos go up by the hundreds daily on the Internet. Critiquing them for best in “Equipment Omission” does not solve safety issues. It makes you look petty.” - Focus – Dan Manning, Fire Service Warrior
A look back in the FSW archives with this Dan Manning post.
“To be truly great at our business takes a lot of work — a lot of work for the entirety of your career. If you find yourself not working too hard you may have hit a plateau from which you need to keep building and learning.” - Finally, stay up to date on the latest research from the UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute by giving their new Facebook page a “like”.
Also, check out their main site at http://ulfirefightersafety.com/
-Pete
Excessive Leather Accessories For Firefighters 