Accessibility

A driver of a UTV (a small vehicle) comes and helps you get your stuff in or out of the event.

Arrival

When you are getting checked in at the Gate, let the Greeter know that you will be requiring accessibility assistance and to tell the Dispatcher to put you next on the list.

Make sure that the Dispatcher writes down your name, where you will be parking, your car (make, model, color) and license plate to make locating and picking you up easier.

Exodus

When you are packed up and ready to be picked up, have someone go over to the Satellite Outpost station (by Upper Parking), find the Accessibility Dispatcher, and ask to be put next on the list with your name, exact pickup location, and where you need to be dropped off. If the driver gets to you and you are not ready, they will leave to help the next person on the list, and you will be placed at the end of the list.

Limitations

Schedule

• Mon: 12pm-8pm
• Tue: 10am-8pm
• Wed-Sat: 9am-8pm
• Sun: 9am-6pm

Accessibility transportation is not available at night, when driving is restricted to emergency vehicles.

Availability is also dependent on volunteers; as the event approaches we’ll know better whether the schedule above is fully staffed.

Art Transportation

Accessibility Transportation is not intended for Art large enough for Placement.

Accessibility Transportation is not intended for Camp Infrastructure or Art: Fireflies with mobility issues should coordinate with their camp members on how to get that infrastructure and art in/out of the woods.

For those who need frequent or rapid toilet access, or have mobility issues preventing them from getting to the main porta-potties, Firefly Accessibility recommends bringing a camp toilet and setting it up at your site. There will also be three porta-potties at the edge of Upper Field, near where Butterfly Blvd. and Innerstate Interstate meet.

These porta-potties cannot be serviced during the event, so they are locked to limit their use. If you need access to these porta-potties, you can get the code, but please do not share it with others. You can get the code from Accessibility Dispatch at the Satellite Outpost near Upper Parking.

There will also be a large, “disability” porta-potty at each of the regular porta-potty banks (upper and lower parking areas).

Camp Toilets

You may pee in the woods, except within 100 ft of the stream. Some people with vulvas find peeing in the woods easier using a pee funnel from brands like Pstyle or Shewee. These generally retail for $10-20.

If your accessibility toilet needs go beyond peeing, the most reliable and  self-reliant option is to bring in a camp toilet. These come in many forms and price ranges. Here are some recommendations and best practices from your fellow Fireflys:

The Do’s and Don’ts of Camp Toilets

Do:

• Double-bag your waste. This helps keep smells and mess at a minimum.
• Add absorbent gels and powders to your waste.
• Use kitty litter to absorb smells and kitty litter scoops to transfer poop to the porta-potty. Cederific or other wood-based litters help to reduce smell a LOT!
• Try to pee and poop separately to lessen the worst of the smells.

Don’t:

• Never put plastic bags or anything else that doesn’t come from your body into a porta-potty. This makes our porta-potties very unhappy. We want to keep them happy!
• Don’t put “feminine products” or “flushable” wipes into your camp toilet or the porta-potties.
  • Our relationship with the porta-potty vendor is important and he has specifically mentioned no trash, tampons, flushable wipes.
• Don’t pitch your poo bags onto the side of the road during Exodus.

Camp Toilet Systems

Cheapest options:

For $15-30 you can get a toilet seat that will snap onto a 5-gallon bucket. This model from Emergency Ready is $13.75 +$7.18 S&H to Somerville, MA. It is also available on Amazon for the same price. This is the cheapest option for a camp toilet, but there are many ways to improve upon it without breaking the bank.

• For easier clean-up, Absorbent Camp Toilet bags are recommended.
  • These ones that you can get at WalMart are double-bagged with absorbent material in the inner bag to reduce any liquid in the waste.
  • You can get these ones from Amazon if you are looking for something larger and compostable.
• You can also get absorbent gel or Poo Powder to either supplement what is already in the poo bags or if your poo bags do not include absorbent material.
• If you are looking for an all-in-one order of a bucket camp toilet system, take a look at this setup from Englund Marine for $28.95.
• This kind of lid can seal in any waste still in the bucket until you can wash it out safely.

Self-contained camp commode:

There are many self-contained camp toilet systems out there. This is a single-purchase item that already contains everything you need for easy use and clean-up.

• This model ($76.99 from Amazon) is fully self-contained and flushable.
  • Pros:
    • Chair height
    • Two disposal options—bucket to carry and dump or bag to carry out.
    • Toilet paper holder attached
    • Has two pieces that stack and fold for storage
  • Cons:
    • Has two pieces so might be a little less stable
    • 300lbs weight limit
• The Camco Portable Travel Toilet ($105 from Amazon)
  • Pros:
    • Pressurized with a dump tube for easy clean-out
    • Disguises smell well
  • Cons:
    • If it’s not closed properly, the pressurized contents can back up
    • Large carry handle is on the bottom of the toilet
• Outdoorlife.com recommends Reliance Products Flush-N-GO ($109 from Amazon)
  • Pros:
    • Easy setup
    • Two carrying handles
    • Sealed valves
    • Lots of waste storage
  • Cons:
    • No level indicator
    • Bulky
    • Stiff water pump

Some Last Words

Privacy

• For an easy homemade privacy circle: put fabric between two hula hoops and hang one higher up and put the other around the bucket/camp toilet.
• You can also get a privacy shower tent. Make sure that it has ventilation at the top if you go this route, otherwise it will be full of flies (and generally a gross space).

Keeping the area clean and organized

• A motion sensor light in your privacy enclosure or just attached to the toilet can be really helpful!
• Bucket toilet seat: Bungee around the bucket to hold everything in place and to hold a tp bin and hand sanitizer.

Dealing with the moop of it all

• A second bucket for your used poo bags with a sealing lid (with a gasket) can really help during the event.
• You can add your waste to the communal porta-potties, but it must be taken out of any bags or containers that were used to collect it.
• Most all-in-one units are set up to easily clean out the waste.
• Check local ordinances about throwing out human waste before you throw your poo in the trash.
• Any absorbent material and kitty litter doesn’t go into the porta-potty.
• Do not leave plastic bags in the porta-potties.

Other Resources:

• This great Burning Man reddit thread
• This 4x4Earth forum has some good tips and tricks