LAUSR

Study/Objective: To evaluate whether non-medical personnel feel adequately trained and prepared to act as first responders to potential medical emergencies at a multi-day music festival. Background: Music festivals are a high-risk environment for medical presentations. Although dedicated medical services are often present at such events, non-medical volunteers and staff generally outnumber those with formal medical roles and are more likely to make the first point of contact with attendees in distress. Preparation for foreseeable emergencies makes sound safety sense, and more recently litigation has also underscored its importance in minimizing liability. Using the chain of survival model, the provision of timely first responder care by appropriately trained personnel has the best chance of affecting outcomes by minimizing morbidity, mortality, liability and impact on local health care infrastructure. Methods: This study used an online survey provided to 2,200 non-medical staff and volunteers, at the 2016 edition of a weeklong electronic dance music event for 15,000 attendees. Results: A total of 369 personnel participated, of that 87% had direct contact with festival attendees and 85% had some form of formal first aid training. However, only 51% of this training was up to date, 19% had no CPR training at all, and 49% of those who had did not consider it up to date. A majority of respondents felt first aid training would benefit attendees, but that it should not be a requirement for their position. Respondents were receptive to basic and advanced training free of cost. Most felt comfortable acting as a first responder in scenarios dealing with unconscious, agitated, non-breathing or pulseless patients. Conclusion: Preparation of non-medical personnel for medical emergencies at music festivals can potentially increase safety and minimize negative outcomes. Such personnel appear comfortable with first response roles but may need help in maintaining training currency. Results may be applicable to other event types.