Front Line Relief

Front Line Relief is one of the principle components of the actions performed by the Free Burma Rangers. Unlike traditional models of humanitarian aid delivery, FBR operates by equipping and empowering small teams with the skills and tools necessary to perform relief missions under any circumstances. The result of this decentralized strategy leads to more pinpointed aid adjusted to the needs of individual communities in some of the most rural areas of the countries in which FBR operates. In this regard, two of FBR’s unofficial guiding principles are solidarity and capacity building.

FBR operates under any and all difficult conditions: from frigid peaks in Kurdistan to front-line positions in the jungles of Shan state. As FBR often works alongside local organizations, FBR teams have unprecedented access to restricted areas. In Burma these areas are virtually closed off to most aid organizations, allowing Ranger teams to fill a large aid gap where humanitarian relief is often needed most. Ranger teams are trained in a variety of different transportation methods and can carry items by foot, car, mule, or boat, depending on the mission.

Composition of an FBR Relief Team

  • Team Leader: Helps plan and coordinate missions. In charge of arranging mission security and relaying information to headquarters staff.
  • Medic: Takes care of all medical aspects of mission including: immediate patient care, patient referral, jungle medicine, and medical counseling.
  • Photographer: Takes photographs of mission activity, events and locations.
  • Videographer: Takes video of mission activity, events and locations.
  • Good Life Club Counselor: Coordinates and conducts Good Life Club events in areas visited by FBR team. Is principally in charge of helping the psychological situation of the areas visited by the Free Burma Rangers.

Types of Relief Given

  • Buying and transporting food to in-need areas
  • Distributing clothing, particularly in situations where environmental conditions warrant it
  • Purchasing school supplies
  • Performing medical clinics
  • Performing psychological clinics
  • Escorting the internally displaced to internally displaced camps and other refugee locations

Large Scale Relief Operations

FBR does conduct some large scale relief operations. If the need arises FBR will outfit lager operations in conjunction with multiple teams in order to maximize the amount of aid given.