I recently shared a short exchange about the BSRC with a like-minded colleague. He didn’t know exactly who was behind the group, but wanted to voice his support for the movement. I told him that I wasn’t trying to keep my identity a secret, but I wasn’t planning on advertising it, either. I dislike the idea of having a “fearless leader” figure to follow. I see the BSRC movement as a scattering of small, independently operating cells. A person here, a company there. Self-sustaining groups motivated beyond mediocrity and pushing for excellence in themselves and their department. There is no “head of the snake” to take out and kill the movement. I occasionally glimpse a BSRC logo as a profile picture or see a “friend-of-a-friend” post photos of BSRC printed on hats or shirts and I think it’s great. Folks are taking this and making it their own; I support every bit of it.

The Sheep is an indicator of a shared devotion to the trade. A mutual desire to learn a new skill or improve an old one. A sign that we have no problem spending hours throwing ladders behind the station alone if nobody wants to join us. We won’t be ashamed of our enthusiasm for the trade. However, we shouldn’t attempt to reserve it, either. We may me solitary entities now, but our goal is to grow.

When someone asks about the Sheep on your helmet, don’t just point them to the internet. Instead, tell them, “I’ll show you.” Hand them an article by Andy Fredericks, then stretch some lines and flow some water. For the truckie Sheep, force a door or throw some ladders. Grab some neglected tools off the rig, head to the shop, and clean them up. Pass on your pride for the trade. That’s what the Black Sheep Rebel Club is.

In some firehouses, these actions may occur on a daily basis and that’s a good point. This isn’t some new idea that anybody came up with. It’s a centuries-old mindset shared by many across the fire service, but it seems to be diminishing more and more. The realization that this is, and will always be, a blue-collar trade. A craft centered on basic, hands-on skills. The reality that no matter how many flashy titles you apply to the fire service; no diploma, certificate, or textbook will put out a fire. It always comes down to simple, dirty, hard work. Sweat, water, and a strong foundation of basic skills.

This passionate attitude still overflows in some departments, but in others it is nearly extinct. As a young member of the trade, I see this mentality being lost on many of my generation, as well as generations before. I hope to have many more years learning and working this craft and I don’t want my passion for it to be a rarity twenty years from now. The BSRC is just one more way to share and pass on that enthusiasm for the fire service. Some “fire department employees” won’t get it. Explain it to them and encourage them to join in. They may be reluctant, but let every clang of a ladder against the station wall serve as an invitation and a reminder. Join us or ignore us, it makes no difference. We’re moving forward.

These Sheep don’t follow, they lead.