Self Awareness at Music Festivals

Self Awareness at Music Festivals

By: Diva Carter Here I am, jumping from stage to stage at the Electric Daisy Carnival (the largest dance festival in the nation). As I stage hop from the Basspod to the Kineticfield I run into a few of my friends, all of them wearing bright yellow shirts reading ‘EDC’. Now, I’m no music festival expert, but I do know that most people dress up in more than a fun t-shirt for these types of events. I saw every outfit from a neon pink tutu and coconut bra to a goth clown dripping fake blood. When I get a little closer to my friends, I notice that these aren’t outfits by choice...my friends are actually working as medical assistants.

Believe me when I tell you that none of the kids I grew up with know a thing about safety rules, especially in such a heavily populated place. This got me thinking...how safe are we at these music festivals? There have been 722 deaths at music festivals since 1999. You would think that the majority of those deaths came from drug/alcohol overdose, but those cases only add up to 13 percent of the deaths at music festivals. Outside of drug/alcohol related problems, the most common health issues at music festivals are: dehydration, fatigue, claustrophobia, hunger, hearing, heat exhaustion and swollen feet, according to Dr. Sarah Jarvis, a general practitioner from the University of Oxford. All of these symptoms are easily treatable with a little TLC, but when you are eight hours into the best night of your life and water is being sold $10 by the bottle, your mind is elsewhere. You don’t think about your health at times like this, which is why most festival-goers rely on the assistance of the lovely staff. Much of the staff are unqualified volunteers, mostly there for the free tickets and entertainment. Steven Joseph, a stage security guard at EDC Las Vegas 2016, said that the attendees were on their own. “The biggest thing that was told to us was if we saw anybody laying down, we had to make sure they sat up just to make sure they weren’t unconscious....but that was the only thing they told us,” Joseph said. He went on to say that the staff did not get any training, and were told to find the police if they saw that someone was passed out. Well...that’s refreshing. With thousands of people running around like kids in a candy store, how could officials with little to no training save us from our last dying dance? They can’t...not always. It’s our responsibility as attendees to handle these issues beforehand. Taking care of dehydration, hunger and fatigue could be handled simply by getting an adequate amount of rest and nutrients prior to the event. Pedialyte and fruit snacks are a great way to keep the body hydrated and lively. Other things like pre-bought water, earplugs, and comfortable walking shoes are a nice buy to ensure your safety in these big crowds. Go to festivals prepared, because even though there are $10 bottles of water available, you’ll probably pass out before you get to the front of the line. It’s easy to lose track of your health status when the big crowds and fun costumes reign in. Be aware of your body and health warnings this year, as you dive into the wonderful world of loud bass and pop culture.