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Chapter 4 - Medical Logistics and Operational Planning for Patient Care at Mass Gathering Events
- Edited by William J. Brady, University of Virginia, Mark R. Sochor, University of Virginia, Paul E. Pepe, Metropolitan EMS Medical Directors Global Alliance, Florida, John C. Maino II, Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, K. Sophia Dyer, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Massachusetts
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- Book:
- Mass Gathering Medicine
- Published online:
- 11 April 2024
- Print publication:
- 18 April 2024, pp 41-56
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Summary
Mass gatherings create challenges for timely and efficient medical response. Compounded by exceptional noise from cheering crowds and ambient entertainment, compacted audiences form predictable barriers to patient sightings and access. Timely access also may be complicated by steep arena stairwells or poorly-defined locations along a longitudinal raceway, parade, or beachside festival. On-scene responders often encounter fixed barricades, inebriated crowds, obtrusive noise, and relative distances from on-site medical aid centers. Very often, potentially ill or injured persons are adamantly set against leaving their coveted position in the audience having purchased expensive tickets, traveled far and awaited many months, or even years, to be there. Once retrieved, patients need to be conveyed with protective measures and evaluated appropriately despite resource-limited settings and often pervasive heat, humidity and intoxication. Accordingly, patient identification, intra-site retrieval, evacuation, tracking, and communications need to be optimally planned and well-coordinated to mitigate these challenges. Recent experiences have provided evolving insights into best practices for mass gathering medical professionals. Many are addressed within this discussion including definitions for reportable patients, use of spotters and geospatial applications, coordinated tandem response with security personnel, dedicated record-keepers at medical care sites and electronic tracking devices for vulnerable populations and even entire audiences.
Chapter 12 - Mass Gathering Events: Music Concerts and Festivals
- Edited by William J. Brady, University of Virginia, Mark R. Sochor, University of Virginia, Paul E. Pepe, Metropolitan EMS Medical Directors Global Alliance, Florida, John C. Maino II, Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, K. Sophia Dyer, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Massachusetts
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- Book:
- Mass Gathering Medicine
- Published online:
- 11 April 2024
- Print publication:
- 18 April 2024, pp 158-178
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Summary
While all mass gatherings create significant challenges for delivering optimal medical care, music concerts and festivals engender additional concerns ranging from a higher likelihood of toxicological, topographical, meteorological and sociological risks to additional threats from violence, injury and even food-borne illness. Locating patients can pose challenges among packed audiences in the dark and din of massive crowds and blaring entertainment. Multi-day music-related festivals, particularly those including on-site overnight camping, can pose additional and often escalating risks day-by-day.
Planning risk assessments can be multi-variate and dynamic in nature. Medical planners may first tailor plans based on historical experiences, evolving new intelligence or even developing external threats, but available tools for calculating risk for each type of threat can better quantify concerns and justify additional funding and resources for the best possible medical care and health security. Beyond basic considerations such as estimated crowd size and density, location of the venue, and event-specific medical considerations, mass gathering medicine clinicians and planners need to navigate some variable considerations including climate, weather, type of event, specific site structures, the organizers’ expectations and even typically unanticipated types of events such as terrorism, stampedes, contaminated food and some previously-unrecognized lethal drugs being passed around to attendees.
Use of Medical Supplies at the Roskilde Festival 2016: A Prospective Observational Study
- Mads Lønnee, Kenneth Geving Andersen, Søren Stagelund, Ole Christensen, Kim Wildgaard
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- Journal:
- Prehospital and Disaster Medicine / Volume 36 / Issue 3 / June 2021
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 19 March 2021, pp. 306-312
- Print publication:
- June 2021
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Introduction:
Music festivals are popular events often including camping at the festival site. A mix of music, alcohol, drugs, and limited hygiene increases health risks. This study aimed to assess the use of medical supplies at a major music festival, thereby aiding planning at similar events in the future.
Method:The Medical Health Care Organization (MHCO) at Roskilde Festival 2016 (Denmark) collected prospective data on disposable medical supply use and injuries and illnesses presenting to the MHCO.
Results:A total of 12,830 patient presentations were registered by the MHCO and a total of 104 different types of disposable medical supplies were used by the MHCO from June 25, 2016 through July 3, 2016. Out of 12,830 cases, 594 individuals (4.6%) had a potential or manifest medical emergency, 6,670 (52.0%) presented with minor injuries, and 5,566 (43.4%) presented with minor illnesses. The overall patient presentation rate (PPR) was 99.0/1,000 attendees and the transport-to-hospital rate (TTHR) was 2.1/1,000 attendees. For medical emergencies, the most frequently used supplies were aluminum rescue blankets (n = 627), non-rebreather masks (n = 121), and suction catheters for an automatic suction unit (ASU) for airway management (n = 83). Most used diagnostic equipment were blood glucose test strips (n = 1,155), electrocardiogram electrodes (n = 960), and urinary test strips (n = 400). The most frequently used personal protection equipment were non-sterile gloves (n = 1,185 pairs) and sterile gloves (n = 189).
Conclusion:This study demonstrates a substantial use of disposable medical supplies at a major music festival. The results provide aid for planning similar mass-gathering (MG) events.