| Audio | Visual |
|---|---|
| Wind and waves at the beach. | A sandy beach with a banner flapping in the breeze. The banner reads Save the Harbor Save the Bay. A graphic reads Accessibility at the Beach. |
| Beach wheelchairs are free of charge and are available on a first come, first served basis when waterfronts are staffed, typically between Memorial Day and Labor Day. | Brought to you by: DCR Massachusetts, Save the Harbor, Save the Bay. Triangle Inc. Disability Services. |
| To get a beach wheelchair, you'll want to talk with the waterfront staff at the beach after you arrive. | A sign in a window reads WaterWheels® Beach Wheelchair Available Ask Lifeguard |
| DCR beaches have two kinds of chairs available: sand/sunbathing beach chairs for use on the sand, | A sand and sunbathing beach wheelchair on the beach with beach mat in the background. |
| and floating wheelchairs that can take you right into the water at beaches with calm conditions and lifeguards. | A floating beach wheelchair is pushed into the water. |
| The big balloon tires on the beach wheelchairs are designed to help you move over the soft sand, | A closeup of the 19”-diameter soft grey polyurethane tires of a sand and sunbathing beach wheelchair. |
| but they also mean they are difficult or nearly impossible to move alone. Instead, you'll need to bring someone with you who can help push and steer the chair, | A man in a sand beach wheelchair is pushed by his companion. |
| and provide any needed transfer support. | A man is helped into the sand beach wheelchair by his companion. |
| Sand and sunbathing wheelchairs are made of PVC pipe, have a cushion seat and four fixed wheels. The weight limit for these chairs is 275 pounds. | A closeup of a sand and sunbathing beach wheelchair. |
Look for a sticker on the right arm of the chair to see if the chair at your beach has a movable arm that swings out to make transfer easier. You unlock the arm with a button or strap, then lift it up and swing it out of the way. | The companion swings the transfer arm out. A man walks to the open side of the chair and sits on the seat before swinging his legs around to the front, while his companion holds his arm and steadies the chair. |
| You can also slide the footrest in to give yourself more room to get into the chair | The footrest is pushed in under the chair. |
| and slide it back out once you're in so you have a place to rest your feet. | The companion slides the footrest out so the man in the chair can rest his feet. |
| Please don't stand on the footrest. They are not designed to support full weight and could break. | A sticker on the footrest reads No Step. |
| Once you're in your chair, fasten the seat belt around your waist. | The man in the sand chair fastens his seatbelt. |
| lock the transfer arm back into place and slide the footrest back out. | The companion swings the transfer arm closed and presses the button to lock it, then slides the footrest out. |
| Now you're ready to head off and enjoy the beach! | The man using the beach wheelchair is pushed by his companion across the beach. |
| When you’ve found the perfect spot, set the parking brake to secure the chair. Look for a sticker with instructions on the parking brake. | A sticker on a sand chair with an arrow pointing left reads Parking Brake—Push back to lock. |
| On most models, you use a pin to unlock the brake and push it down to wedge against the tires. | The companion pulls a pin out of the parking brake on the side of a sand chair and presses it down between the two tires. |
| Other models, you press the brake backward and lock it in. | A person pulls a vertical parking brake back to wedge the end of the brake against the front tire. |
| You can get your toes wet in these chairs, but be careful not to go more than a few inches into the water, or the chair will tip over. | Waves rolling into the beach. |
| If you want to get into the water, try a floating beach wheelchair instead. | A smiling man is pulled up the beach in a floating beach wheelchair. |
| Floating wheelchairs have three wheels with a swiveling front wheel that makes turning easier. | The 9”-diameter wide yellow front wheel of a floating wheelchair turning in the sand. |
| The weight limit for floating chairs is 300 pounds. | A sticker on the chair reads Weight Limit 300 Pounds. |
| You'll find a bag in the back of the chair to store your personal items. Don't forget to check the bag before you leave to make sure you've got everything with you. | A woman opens a flat pouch on the back of the chair that is secured with Velcro, and puts her cellphone inside a plastic bag with a zipper that she tucks back into the pouch. |
| Both of the arms swing up to make transferring easier. | The woman swings a brightly colored plastic float up to open up the side of the floating beach wheelchair. |
| Just unscrew the black knob on the bright plastic float and lift it out of the way. | The woman rotates a knob next to the seat counterclockwise and releases a metal shaft attached to the plastic float. She swings the float up and to the back. |
| Once you're in the chair, you can lower it back down. Please be sure to tighten the knob to secure the arm. | A woman sits in the beach wheelchair while her companion swings the float down. |
| Whether you're in the water or still on the sand, you can lie back in a floating beach wheelchair with your legs out in front of you. | A man lays back on the chair, smiling. |
| You can adjust the seat angle between three positions | A woman pulls on a chain on the back of the chair underneath the seat and folds the chair forward. |
| by pulling the chain in the back of the chair. | A closeup of the chain, showing 3 slots in the frame. |
| Before you start moving, fasten the chest harness to keep yourself secure, and keep it fastened while moving. | A woman sits in a floating beach wheelchair while her companion fastens a 4-point harness across her chest. |
| There's also a strap for your legs, if you want. | A companion buckles a strap across the legs of a person sitting in the chair. |
| For the easiest and smoothest ride, your companion should pull the strap in front of the chair. | A woman clips 2 clips into a loop on the front of the floating beach wheelchair. A man pulls a woman in a floating beach wheelchair along beach mat. |
| If there's no strap on your chair, check the bag in the back. | A woman pulls up on the flap of a bag on the back of the chair and takes out a black strap with loops on each end. |
| If you're having trouble moving, you can grab another friend to push and pull the chair at the same time. | A man in a floating beach wheelchair wearing the harness and leg straps is pulled up a hill on the beach by one companion, while another companion pushes from the back. |
| Now it's time to get in the water! Floating chairs can only go into the water with good weather and calm conditions, when a lifeguard is on duty. | A man in a floating beach wheelchair wearing a lifejacket, the harness and leg straps is pushed into the water by his companion. |
| Please bring your own US Coast Guard-certified life jacket to the beach, and wear it while you are floating in the wheelchair. | A man zips up his lifejacket. His companion buckles the lifejacket, then fastens the beach wheelchair harness across the man’s chest. |
| Your companion should stay close to control the chair and help keep safe while in the water. | The man in the floating beach wheelchair is pushed into the water by his companion. |
| Some general reminders: Please treat the chairs carefully so they stay in good working order and avoid roughhousing. Only one person is allowed in the chair at a time. | Shots of floating beach wheelchairs being pulled across the sand and on beach mat. |
| Please only sit on the seat, never on the arms or the handles of the chair. | A man wearing a lifejacket sits on the seat of a floating beach wheelchair that has the float swung out of the way. |
Please visit the DCR Beach Wheelchair web page at mass.gov/DCR/BeachWheelchairs to find out if your beach has a wheelchair available. For staffing information, check out the waterfront services schedule at: mass.gov/DCR/Waterfronts | Closeup of gentle waves. |
| If you have questions about beach wheelchairs, please contact the Universal Access Program at: | Colorful beach wheelchairs lined up at the edge of the beach, with beach mat on the sand behind them. |
| DCR.UniversalAccess@mass.gov Or call (413) 461-7126. | A sticker on a beach wheelchair with the DCR logo and Universal Access Program logo and contact information, including www.mass.gov/dcr/universal-access |
| Thanks, and we hope we'll see you at the beach! | A group of people at the beach smiling and waving at the camera. Two of the people are sitting in beach wheelchairs. |
| This video was brought to you by Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Reservation and Triangle, Inc. | Sand and floating beach wheelchairs lined up on the sand, with beach mat behind them. |
| Save the Harbor is committed to making Boston Harbor, the islands, our beaches, and our programs clean and healthy, inclusive, equitable, diverse, and accessible for everyone and anyone. | Shots of beach wheelchairs in use and the lifeguard stands at the beach. |
| We provide free programs, events, and create opportunities for people to experience Boston Harbor and our spectacular urban natural resources firsthand, with an emphasis on breaking down barriers of race, language, income, and ability. | A woman is pulled along beach mat in a floating beach wheelchair. Text reads: Special thanks to: Stephanie, David, and Stephen for participating in the video! |
| To learn more about our work on beach accessibility, or to participate in a free program, go to SaveTheHarbor.org. | Sand and floating beach wheelchairs lined up on the sand, with beach mat behind them. |
transcript