It is the job of the Greeters to welcome home participants, process tickets, and distribute unloading passes. The Parking crew helps direct traffic and arrange parking in an orderly manner. Both of these jobs are appropriate for first time participants!

Read on for a thorough "how to" guide:

Greeters coordinator: PJ/Mad Hatter
Parking coordinator: Evl/Mary

FRONT GATE
As part of the Gate Crew (Greeters and Parking volunteers), it is your job is to control the flow of people and cars in and out of the event, and WELCOME THEM HOME!!!  This is a guide to that process. 

-Only those on the early entry setup list are permitted through the gates before 5 pm. This is because our insurance does not cover participants until then. You may, however, go through the ticket process and assign parking passes with early arrivals before 5 so that they are ready to go in as soon as the gates open.

-Tasks may be divided in any way that is convenient for the Greeters on duty, or as is directed by the Shift Lead. The Shift Lead is an experienced Greeter that will help you if you don't know what to do.

-One Greeter on duty MUST stand at the gate into the event (before the bridge) and check that all entering are wearing wristbands. The Shift Lead should assign someone to do this.

-Be friendly and helpful! Welcome home!

-Clear the road:
Direct incoming cars to the graveled pull off area so that the driveway is not blocked. It is imperative that cars not cause a backup on the road outside the event.

-Ticket:
Scan each participant's printed barcode, or manually enter their Reservation Code into the computer if they do not have a printout.
To scan the barcode, point the scanner on it and pull the trigger.  A valid barcode will produce a "happy" noise and the box on the screen will flash green.  An invalid barcode that has already been used will produce a "sad" noise and the box on the screen will flash red.  
If nothing happens, it means the barcode is not scanning properly.  This might happen if the barcode printed badly.  In this case, simply manually enter the number underneath the barcode into the computer.
A participant MUST either have a barcode printout or the number of their barcode written down to gain entry.  There is no will call procedure.  There is no looking up tickets by name.  
 
-Wristband:
Check each participant's ID for their age and put an over or under 21 wristband on the participant.
Due to security concerns, the Shift Lead must be responsible for holding/monitoring the wristband boxes at all times, and should apply wristbands to participants. Please actually put wristbands on each participant, do not hand one person several wristbands for multiple tickets. All participants checking in should be present.

-Waiver:
Collect the signed liability waiver from each participant and store it in the alphabetical filing bin provided.  If they do not have a waiver, have them sign one of the copies on the clipboard.

-Information:
Ask the group of participants if they have been to PDF before, and explain that the helicopter, flag pole, and area to the left of the road (except the showers) are absolutely off limits to us. Answer any other questions they have about the event, and point out the self serve WWW/Survival Guide bins.

-Unloading:
-If the vehicle will be driving in to unload, one participant from the group must leave ID at the gate. Place the ID in the numbered sleeve in the Gate book and hand out the appropriate unloading pass. Note the make, color, and license plate number of the vehicle along with the pass number and “time in” in the Gate log. Be sure the participant knows that the group only has 30 minutes on site to unload, and that the vehicle must remain on the main roads and not drive across the fields.
-If you have enough Greeters on duty, one can be sent into the event to track down vehicles that have been inside for longer than 30 minutes.

-On-site parking:
-A few participants have registered ahead of time to park inside the event. These participants will have parking passes with their name or the name of their theme camp waiting for them at the Gate. Remind them that on-site parking is permanent, and if they leave their spot during the event, they may not re-enter and must park in the normal parking lot.
-If an unregistered RV or other very large vehicle shows up, contact the GOD on duty for help. 
-Those parking with theme camps can find their camp on the map at the Gate.
-Vehicles parking in the front open camping area must be parked along the fence or road. A Greeter may need to accompany these vehicles or contact the GOD for help to ensure that they are parked in an orderly manner. Those parking along the fence should pull forward as far as possible to maximize the space available.
-Vehicles parking in the back fields may park anywhere, mud permitting, but should stay on the main roads for as long as possible to avoid tearing up the ground.

-Regular parking:
-When participants return from unloading, collect their pass, return their ID, and note “time out” in the log book.
-During daylight hours, request that participants park in the BACK lot. The entrance to the back lot is down the road from the main entrance and is marked with a sign, and there is a walking path into the event from the back lot. This is not absolutely mandatory, and you are not required to get into arguments with participants over where they will park, but it is very helpful if they will abide by this guideline. With 1275 participants, we need to make use of every bit of parking space we have, and because the back lot is poorly lit, it is easier to do this during the day. It is also easier and safer to navigate the path into the event from the back lot during the day.
 -At night, request that participants park in the FRONT lot.
-Direct participants to fill space in order, and to park as closely to each other as possible.

-Parking direction:
 -If there are enough Greeters on shift together, it is very helpful for one or two Greeters to actually direct vehicles to their parking spots to ensure that rows are being filled in an orderly manner, with as much space conserved as possible.
-Be sure that vehicles do not park in front of the 2nd entrance/exit in the front lot.

-Re-entry:
Simply check re-entering participants for wristbands.

-Lost wristbands:
Broken wristbands may be presented for new ones. If a participant has lost their wristband, you must find their signed liability waiver in the folder, and compare the signature on the waiver to their ID or credit card. If they don't have a signed waiver on file, call the GOD for help.

-GOD & Rangers on the radio:
-GOD stands for Greeter (or Gate volunteer) Of the Day. If you have a question, need help with a situation at the gate, or the next volunteers on shift have not shown up, you can call GOD on the gate radio. The GOD will also know how to find the Gate coordinator if more help is needed. (check tag on radio for GOD channel)
-The radio can also be used to contact a Ranger on duty, if you switch the radio to the Ranger channel.  Call a Ranger for help with medical or safety emergencies.  You can also ask GOD for help finding a Ranger if you're not sure how to change the channel on the radio. (check tag on radio for Ranger channel)
-Keep the gate radio plugged into one of the radio chargers on the power strip. You will need to unplug it to speak an outgoing message, but you can receive incoming messages while the radio is plugged in. GOD may need to come by and swap radios for the one you've had charging.

-Dogs:
Dogs are not allowed at PDF, with the exception of service dogs. A dog is a service dog if its accompanying participant identifies it as such. You may not ask a participant for paperwork or proof of a dog's status, as this is legally considered an invasion of privacy. However, you should let the participant with a service dog know that it must remain on leash at all times and must be cleaned up after. There may also be unleashed dogs on site belonging to the Vets or neighbors.

-Vets:
Vets entering the event must stop and be identified by their “colors.” If they do not have their colors, have GOD find Pineapple to determine if they may enter or not.

-Clean up:
If there is time during your shift, try to keep the supplies on the table in order, and put trash in the trash bag. Empty the trash bag if it gets full.

-Monday morning parking direction:
If you are signed up to work parking direction on Monday morning, it is your job to remind participants driving in to pack up of the One-way exodus policy.  The front gate becomes one way in, and the back gate becomes one way out.  Exit through the back gate after packing up.  Loading/unloading passes are no longer needed on Monday.

BACK GATE

At least one volunteer should be stationed in the screen house at the interior back gate at all times. They should check all participants entering for wristbands.

During daylight hours when participants are parking in the back lot, additional back gate volunteers should direct vehicles to park in an orderly manner.

GODs- Pick up/drop off your radio at the front gate. There will also be radio chargers plugged into the power at the front gate. If your radio batteries get low, you can switch off with one of the radios charging there.
The radios have rechargeable batteries in them. We should have enough radios that there will always be a charged one for you to swap with, but if it becomes absolutely necessary to put fresh non-rechargeable batteries into a radio, do NOT lose the rechargeable batteries, and do NOT plug a radio containing non-rechargables into a radio charger! It will ruin the radio!