GENE'S JOHNS RENTALS, INC.
23330 Ridge Road ♦ Germantown, MD 20876 ♦ 301.601.9010 ♦ 301.601.3253 fax
Servicing your portable toilet needs in
Montgomery, Frederick, and Washington Counties of Maryland
               
Frederick News Post
Port-a-potties ready for fireworks

By Ike Wilson News-Post Staff
Wilson@fredericknewspost.com

Frederick – When you gotta go, you gotta go.

Gene’s Johns Rentals Inc. has been working to ensure that the good for 15 years.

The Germantown company provides portable toilets for many Frederick events, including today’s Fourth of July celebration at Baker Park.

“We’re No. 1 in the No. 2 business,” said Valerie Lufskey, office manager at Gene’s.

They’re called port-a-potties, sani-johns or port-a-johns. But no matter what name they go by, they’re integral to large public events.

While everybody is enjoying the festivities, people in th portable toilet business are working, Ms. Lufskey said. Some cities even require delivery, set-up and pick-up the same day of an event, she said.

Frederick’s rules are not quite so tight. Gene’s Johns had set up Baker Park’s 52 potties by 10 a.m. Monday. They’ll be back Wednesday to haul them away.

The units for today’s festivities cost less than $4000 to rent, and they’ll serve an estimated 50,000 people expected to gather in the park.

The toilet fee is funded by Frederick’s Fourth and Independence Day Celebration Committee, a nonprofit group that sponsors several city events.

Susan Whiting, events coordinator at Frederick’s Office of Special Events, said the number of potties rented increases about every other year as attendance grows. Frederick’s July Fourth and In The Street celebration use the largest number of portable toilets, she said.

Public Reaction

Members of the public, for the most part, are pretty good about using the toilets, Ms. Lufskey said. The problem arises when clients don’t order enough units because they are trying to save money.

“That’s where we run into trouble, when customers don’t order as many units as they should,” Ms. Lufskey said.

To ensure a tolerable experience for users, Gene’s Johns Rentals recommends one unit for per 100 people for an eight-hour event, Ms. Lufskey said. So for 500 people, you would want five units, she said.

O.J. Keller, a Baker Park neighbor, testifies to the wisdom of having enough seats available.

“They’re wonderful when there’s enough of them,” said Mr. Keller, a special events volunteer who on Monday was helping to get a tent ready for today’s celebration.

“I’d recommend using them early and often. You don’t want to get in there, say, after 5 p.m.”

Jessie Farrell of Frederick said she prefers not to use a port-a-potty at all.

“I’d hold it as best as I can before heading for a potty,” Ms. Farrell said. “But when you have to go, you just have to go.”

Frederick resident Shirley Adcock said she has used a port-a-john many times and might use one today as a member of the Harmony Silver Cornet Band, which is scheduled to play in Dundalk.

“It’s a necessity,” Ms. Adcock said. “Being out in the warm, we drink a lot of fluids.”
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Servicing your portable toilet needs in
Montgomery, Frederick, and Washington Counties of Maryland