Code of Conduct

Participants must obtain consent before photographing, recording, or publicly sharing identifiable images, video, or recordings of others from FPCS events.

Commercial use of media depicting FPCS events or participants requires prior written authorization from the FPCS Board.

Community Commitment

FirePony Creative Society (FPCS) is committed to fostering events and spaces where participants can engage creatively, socially, and collaboratively with mutual respect and care.

Participation in FPCS-sponsored events requires respecting the safety, autonomy, dignity, and boundaries of others.

This Code of Conduct exists to help maintain safer community spaces by identifying behaviors that are not acceptable within FirePony Creative Society events, programs, and affiliated spaces.

This policy applies to all FPCS-sponsored events and programs, including but not limited to:

• Playa del Fuego
• Constellation
• Mid-Atlantic Leadership Conference (MALC)
• Community Art and Civic Engagement (CACE)
• Official online spaces
• Volunteer and leadership activities connected to FPCS

Participation in FPCS events also requires compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.  

The FPCS Conduct Committee is the mechanism by which reported conduct incidents are investigated. Information and resources regarding the Conduct Committee can be found on our website https://firepony.org/conduct-committee/

Reporting Concerns

Participants may report concerns involving prohibited conduct, participant safety, harassment, consent violations, retaliation, or other community safety concerns.

Reports may be submitted through the FPCS Incident Report Form available on our websites.

The Conduct Committee reviews reports and may:

• Gather additional information
• Assess participant safety concerns
• Recommend interim safety measures
• Recommend sanctions or participation restrictions when appropriate

The Conduct Committee may also consider credible reports of behavior occurring outside FPCS-sponsored events when that behavior may reasonably indicate a risk to participant safety, organizational integrity, or community wellbeing within FPCS spaces.

Examples may include:

• Stalking
• Credible threats
• Sexual violence
• Hate group activity
• Patterns of harassment
• Serious misconduct at affiliated communities or events

Submission of a report does not guarantee a specific outcome.

The Conduct Committee will make reasonable efforts to protect participant privacy and limit disclosure of sensitive information to those with a legitimate operational need to know. Absolute confidentiality cannot be guaranteed.

Retaliation against individuals who submit reports, participate in investigations, provide witness statements, or otherwise engage with the Conduct Committee process is prohibited.

Information regarding the Conduct Committee can be found at https://firepony.org/conduct-committee/

Prohibited Conduct

The following behaviors are prohibited at FirePony Creative Society-sponsored events and spaces.

This list is not exhaustive.

Consent Violations

FPCS supports body autonomy for all participants.

Direct, informed, and enthusiastic consent is expected at all times.

Prohibited behavior includes:

• Non-consensual physical or sexual contact
• Unwanted sexual attention
• Sexualized comments or jokes directed at unwilling participants
• Predatory behavior
• Coercion or intimidation
• Non-consensual intoxication
• Doxxing or blackmail
• Recording or photographing participants without consent

Consent may be withdrawn at any time.

Hate Speech and Discriminatory Conduct

FPCS does not permit conduct that attacks, threatens, dehumanizes, or incites hostility or violence toward individuals or groups based on protected or marginalized identities.

This includes:

• Slurs
• Hate symbols
• White supremacist or Nazi imagery
• Threatening discriminatory speech
• Praise or glorification of extremist violence or hate groups

Educational, historical, artistic, or satirical discussion may be permitted when the context and intent are clearly evident and not reasonably threatening or harmful to participants.

Harassment, Bullying, and Stalking

Participants may not engage in conduct intended to intimidate, threaten, isolate, degrade, shame, silence, or target others.

This includes:

• Verbal harassment
• Threats
• Repeated unwanted contact
• Stalking behavior
• Intimidation
• Public humiliation
• Online harassment
• Encouraging others to harass or target participants

Violence and Threatening Conduct

Participants may not engage in:

• Physical violence
• Threats of violence
• Assault
• Intimidation involving fear of harm
• Dangerous aggressive behavior

Credible threats toward participants, volunteers, staff, or the organization may result in immediate removal and long-term participation restrictions.

Endangering others

Participants may not engage in conduct that creates significant safety risks.

Examples include:

• Unsafe or intoxicated vehicle operation
• Unsafe fire performance or fuel storage
• Violations of fire safety protocols
• Unauthorized fireworks
• Reckless conduct that endangers others
• Ignoring established safety perimeters or emergency procedures

Trespassing and Unauthorized Entry

Participants must remain within event boundaries and comply with event entry requirements.

Unauthorized entry, aiding unauthorized entry, or trespassing onto neighboring private property may result in removal from the event and additional sanctions.

Property Violations

 Participants may not steal, vandalize, misuse, or intentionally damage property belonging to:

• Participants
• Volunteers
• Vendors
• Landowners
• FirePony Creative Society

Consent applies to property as well as people.

Media Without Consent

Participants must obtain consent before photographing, recording, or publicly sharing identifiable images, video, or recordings of others from FPCS events.

Commercial use of media depicting FPCS events or participants requires prior written authorization from the FPCS Board.

Other Behaviors

Other types of behaviors that are prohibited include:

• possession of a firearm
• serving alcohol to someone under 21
• impersonating a volunteer
• repeatedly breaching a fire perimeter
• harassment of wildlife
• negatively impacting the surrounding community by dumping trash in local dumpsters, trespassing, or repeated violations of a FPCS sponsored event’s sound policy.

Possible Outcomes

Violations of this Code of Conduct may result in:

• Educational warnings
• Behavioral agreements
• Leadership or volunteer restrictions
• Removal from an event
• Suspension from future participation
• Indefinite suspension
• Permanent bans from FPCS events and spaces

The severity of the response may depend on:

• Severity of conduct
• Pattern of behavior
• Participant safety concerns
• Prior conduct history
• Compliance with prior restrictions
• Risk of future harm

FPCS reserves the right to restrict participation in its events, programs, volunteer roles, and spaces when necessary to protect participant safety, community wellbeing, or organizational integrity.

Conduct that may violate federal, state, or local law may also be referred to appropriate authorities.

Good-Faith Reporting

Reports made in good faith will not result in repercussions solely because insufficient evidence exists to substantiate a concern.

Knowingly fabricated reports or intentional misuse of the reporting process may itself constitute a conduct violation.

Final Note

No Code of Conduct can address every possible situation.

Participants are expected to exercise good judgment, respect the autonomy and dignity of others, and contribute to a safer and more respectful community environment.

Nothing in this policy limits the authority of FirePony Creative Society to take actions it determines are necessary to protect participant safety, organizational operations, or community wellbeing.

Updated and Adopted:  May/2026