The APOGEE English Press (AEP) sat down with Sriman Goud, the Coordinator of the Department of Firewallz, to gain insights into their work prior to the fest.
Sriman explained that Firewallz was responsible for the initial phase of registrations, which included frisking, issuing ID cards and temporary ID cards, and transportation for all guests, members of staff, and even vehicles during the fest. Firewallz also had the additional responsibility of organising night patrols around concerts.
He revealed that Firewallz did not require much pre-fest work other than reprography and the subsequent procurement of ID cards. He said that the pre-fest work mainly consisted of ensuring that things were in the right place in order for smooth operation during the registration process. This was done in tandem with RecNAcc, PCr-A, and Controls.
When asked about challenges faced by Firewallz, he stated that alumni often want to bring their vehicles in, but the administration was rigid about it. This was made especially difficult for members of Firewallz because of the summer heat. Additionally, he mentioned that identifying and frisking individuals in the concert, and sometimes confiscating restricted items, often proved to be a hassle, especially when said individuals were inebriated. However, Sriman did note that the cancellation of deductions this APOGEE had not impacted the department, as their work, being mainly on the ground, required no allocated budget.
One challenge that persisted from last year was regarding the shifting of the entry point for visitors from the main gate to the BEED Gate. Sriman elucidated that this decision was taken because the footfall of 1500–2000 people was too much to handle at one gate, thereby prompting them to shift the gate. However, this did cause downstream problems regarding transportation. Nevertheless, he added that the SU had been helpful, providing autos and other modes of transportation to alleviate the burden, but the situation remains less than ideal.
The unique position of being answerable to both the SU and the administration was also a hurdle Sriman revealed—as if not for their existence, students would be answerable directly to the admin, leading to harsher punishments. According to him, students often felt their experience was being tainted by Firewallz’s interference, but he described Firewallz as a wall separating students and the administration.
On the topic of maintaining a streamlined process during the fest, he went on to detail how the club made sure to clarify and explain the work at hand well in advance and added that he was in the booth from “Day -(-1)” in order to oversee registration.
Despite the many setbacks, Sriman mentioned that Firewallz made sure to have fun, playing games like volleyball, basketball, and other sports from their hometowns. According to him, spending time with his fellow department members has always been a good and memorable experience. He concluded the interview by requesting the students to cooperate with them in order to ensure a pleasant and enjoyable experience for all.