Burning Man Update: The Jack Rabbit Speaks
Volume 11, Issue 16 HEALTH AND SAFETY
August 7, 2007
unsub Info at the bottom...regular issue coming up after this issue of:
HEALTH AND SAFETY IN BRC
WE GET QUESTIONS...and we are here to pony up some answers about Health
and Safety at the event, to help you with your playa planning. It's a
JRS Special Edition: Health and Safety in BRC, brought to you by the
Emergency Services Department of Black Rock City. There's info here for
everyone, so take a peek!
CONTENTS
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Some helpful advice from our friends at the Nevada Highway Patrol
Health & Safety Section at Burningman.com
Health & Safety Q and A
Build your own street sign - Adopt an Intersection
Frequency coordination: Are you using high power radios on the playa?
Emergency contact on playa
"911" Service in Black Rock City - New for 2007!
Join us in B.E.D.
Bureau of Health Protection Services on playa
Diabetics: Dispose of your needles safely
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Some helpful advice from our friends at the Nevada Highway Patrol
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Every year the NHP helps hundreds of burners who get stranded or
otherwise experience problems on the road to and from the event. At a
recent meeting they let us know some super-helpful tips to avoid the
most common problems that burners experience while on the road:
1) Fill your gas tank BEFORE heading out on 447. Turns out lots of
people run out of gas on the way to or from the event. Its a long way
and there are few gas stations between Gerlach and the rest of the
civilized world... fuel up when you have the chance...and do it on the
way IN. When the lines get long on the way out, folks apparently get
tempted to try to "make it" to Fernley/Wadsworth, and end up running
out. Keep it topped off.
2) The shoulders of 447 and the other rural highways have *very* soft
shoulders and the chance of getting stuck is much higher than you
expect, especially in the soft sands around Pyramid Lake. Only pull over
if you absolutely have to, and if at all possible only pull over on
fully developed gravel shoulders. This is especially important because...
3) ...the wait for tow trucks can be very long (think hours and hours).
Sitting on the side of the road is a major bummer so please be careful.
4) Be sure any loads on your roof rack or trailers are tied down
properly. This especially applies at the end of the event on the way
home, when you may be tired and less careful about how you load and tie
down. Taking a couple of extra minutes to tie down your load is a lot
easier than scurrying about on the highway trying to pick up your gear
while playing real life "Frogger" with the oncoming traffic. (More tips
on securing your load for Exodus at
http://www.burningman.com/preparation/event_survival/exodus.html)
*************************
Health & Safety Section at Burningman.com
*************************
Are you aware there is a Health and Safety section of the Burning Man
web site?
http://www.burningman.com/preparation/event_survival/health_safety.html
Here you can read FAQs and information about a variety of topics, including:
Asthma
Diabetes
Fuel and hazardous materials storage
Playa health and safety tips from the Nevada State Health Division
Playa foot
Pregnancy
Rebar safety
Medic Alert bracelets
Sober on the playa
Playa Fires: Health Risk?
Playa first aid kit advice
...and, of course:
How to gift food at Burning Man: Obtaining a "Temporary Food
Establishment Permit" from the Nevada State Health Division and
sharing food safely!
Check it out and be edified.
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Health and Safety Q and A
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Q: What do I do if I get hurt or sick on the playa?
A: We hope, of course, that you won't get sick or hurt...but being
radically self-reliant also means remembering to bring a first aid kit
(http://www.burningman.com/preparation/event_survival/playa_firstaid.html)
and self-treating yourself and your campmates for minor first aid needs.
Should your illness or injury be more severe than you can manage without
help, there are Emergency Services medical stations on the 3:00 and 9:00
plazas, and behind the Center Cafe at 6:00. Look for the neon blue cross
on top of the buildings. These stations are staffed by emergency health
are providers (doctors, nurses, medics, etc.) many donate their time and
medical expertise as their gift to the community.
Q: What if they can't manage my problem?
A: If the on-site medical providers feel that you have a medical
emergency that requires a higher level of care than can be provided on
the playa, you may need to visit a hospital in Reno. Depending on the
seriousness of your condition, that can be accomplished by either
getting a ride from a friend, or being transported by an ambulance or
helicopter. Remember to bring your ID, insurance card, cell phone,
ticket stub, and wallet when you go, so you can take care of yourself
accordingly. Also, note that if you get transported by ambulance or
helicopter, you'll need to arrange for a friend to pick you up after
your care. There are no shuttles from the hospitals back to the playa.
Q: Is there a clinic in Gerlach?
A: The Gerlach Medical Center <http://www.nvrhc.org/gerlach.htm> is open
Monday through Friday, 8 AM - 12 PM and 1 PM - 5 PM. The Gerlach Medical
Center is a family medicine clinic offering limited urgent care,
laboratory, x-ray, and women's health services.
Q: How much does it cost to see a doctor in Gerlach?
A: An average doctor visit usually costs between $100 and $300, plus the
cost of any laboratory tests, x-rays, and prescriptions you may need.
The clinic accepts insurance as well as Visa, Mastercard, Discover,
traveller's checks, personal checks (with identification) or cash.
Q: Where can I get a prescription filled?
A: It's best to bring adequate supplies that you need to the playa.
Should you need to get a prescription refilled, though, the closest
pharmacies are in Fernley or Reno. The Gerlach Medical Clinic has a
"closed pharmacy", meaning they can only fill prescriptions written by
their physicians during a visit to the clinic...not refills of your
existing scrip.
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Adopt-an-intersection in Black Rock City
*************************
As you might have noticed, people like to steal the street signs from
BRC on Sunday on their way out of the city. While this may be a cool
souvenir for some, it causes havoc for the medical units, fire trucks,
Black Rock Rangers and other resources, obfuscating the location of
those who need help in an emergency.
So how can you, as a participant, make a difference?
We'd really implore everyone, as a best-case-scenario, to leave the
street signs where they are on your way out of the city. These beautiful
signs are designed to be used in Black Rock City as part of our
infrastructure -- not to be ready-made souvenirs. It is truly imperative
that they stay up until at least daylight on Monday morning, and we're
not trying to give permission to steal them (there are still folks
working to take the infrastructure down, and yes, we'd like to know
where we're going in an emergency, too). Obviously not everyone is
guilty of stealing a street sign, but there will always be those that
persist...so we are asking some of you wonderful and awesome burners to
help by adopting an intersection.
The idea was inspired at last year's event when spontaneously
participants improvised street signs to make it possible to navigate the
city in absence of the originals. Using some cardboard, a marker, and
some duct tape, it's possible to make a legible replacement with just a
little effort if you find a sign that's missing. It will not only help
all the emergency responders but it will also be of great help to your
fellow citizens of Black Rock City. It's a small thing that makes a big
difference!
*************************
Frequency coordination: Are you using high power radios on the playa?
*************************
Are you planning on using high power radio applications (greater than 5
watts) on the playa? ESD coordinates spectrum and systems to alleviate
and proactively avoid interference between various projects on-playa
and the Burning Man radio infrastructure.
Please note that in general, we do not coordinate AM or FM broadcast
radio, WiFi, HAM, FRS (aka Talkabouts), GMRS, BRS, MURS, CB, or RC
bands. However, if you are planning a high power radio application in
any of these bands, please let us know so we can isolate the signal in
the RF noisefloor in case of interference.
Please contact ESD Communications via email at 911(at)burningman.com if
you have questions or to register your frequency.
*************************
Emergency contact on playa FAQ
*************************
Q: What if friends or family at home need to reach me for an emergency?
A: Unfortunately, given the nature of the event, finding a participant
on the playa is usually quite challenging. Cell phones don't work, and
people don't generally have satellite phones. There is only limited
Internet access, and it can be spotty. Now add the fact that addresses
on the playa are inexact even if you _do_ know where you're camping
ahead of time, and finding a person's camp can become very difficult.
Preparation will help you stay in touch in an emergency.
Q: How can friends or family send me a message?
A: Emergency messages should be sent to 911(at)burningman.com . The
message will be passed to the Black Rock Rangers, who if they have the
extra resources will attempt to deliver it. We will also make the
message available at Playa Info in Center Camp, so if you're awaiting
news or expecting emergency transmissions, you might want to plan to
check in each day.
Q: What details should be included in an emergency message?
A: The message should include first and last name, as well as any known
nickname that you might go by around camp. It should also include the
name of your theme camp or other affiliation (volunteer team, etc.), and
its location if known, along with your vehicle make/license plate and
any other unique features that will help with the search (such as, "camp
has a 20 foot inflatable duck," etc.)
A: What can prevent me from getting the message?
A: Just a few of the variables that can get in the way: your camp
relocates, or nobody's ever in camp when we come seek you out; your
camp spot is obscured from view by other camps; the 20 foot inflatable
duck deflates due to a leak; there are three camps with 20-foot
inflatable ducks, and none of the neighbors know anyone named "Chris"
because you have been introducing yourself all week as "Captain
Underpants, Lord of the Duck People!" You get the picture.
In other words, you're heading to the middle of the desert, and there is
no guarantee that we'll be able to deliver a message in an emergency;
it's important to weigh that before you leave home. If you are awaiting
news, you can actively check in at Playa Info, and in truly dire
circumstances, you can take the bus into Gerlach to use the pay phone there.
*************************
"911" Service in Black Rock City
*************************
In recent years Burning Man as an event and as a community has grown,
and the Emergency Services Department (ESD, for more info check out:
http://911.burningman.com/about.php ) has developed in tandem with Black
Rock City in providing 911 services such as EMS, fire, mental health,
and emergency communications. One service that ESD hasn't offered in the
past is a remote way for theme camps, art projects, and participants to
get help, but now we are able to participate in such an option.
While all the conventional ways to get help are still available (know
your local Ranger or where the nearest Emergency Services Station is,
for example), we wanted to enhance safety by providing an option for
those who might have a specific concern or for those who just want be
helpful to others in their neighborhood. Starting this year, the ESD
will test a new method to call for emergency or Ranger assistance, by
monitoring the license-free MURS (Multi User Radio Service) radio band.
MURS is a service similar to FRS (the frequencies that Motorola
Talkabouts and similar radios use). As radio users can tell you, FRS is
extremely overcrowded and in use by thousands of participants on the
playa. FRS radios are also not powerful enough to effectively
communicate throughout Black Rock City. MURS, in contrast, is currently
not in common usage and operates at a higher power so it can communicate
across the entire playa.
We hope that with the introduction of this "911" channel before MURS use
becomes widespread will set the expectation that this channel will be
for emergency use only. You will need to purchase your own MURS radio to
contact 911, but its other 4 channels can also be used by you and other
MURS radio owners. Large camps or villages might also choose to make one
part of their group planning efforts and store it in a public way for
neighborhood emergency use.
Why do I want one of these when my FRS radio works just fine?
* If you're part of a large theme camp it could be a good investment to
have a MURS radio around to call 911 for your group, especially if you
have members who have known health issues or the risk of injury is of
special concern.
* Large art projects working out on the open playa will be able to get
help faster.
* Camps that are on the outer-rings of the city and are far from a
Ranger outpost or Emergency Services station don't have to send runners
for help when an emergency arises.
* The other 4 channels on MURS can be a great alternative to crowded FRS
channels, especially if your camp has an art-car or event-wide project
they want to coordinate.
* Emergency Services Dispatch cannot be reached on an FRS radio.
Calling 911
FOR ALL MURS USERS: we ask that all Burning Man participants respect
that channel 5 will be used as a 911 channel only. While the other
channels are fine for use as an alternative to FRS, we want to stress
that channel 5 on MURS please be kept open for emergencies and not used
for any other purpose.
Set your MURS radio to channel 5, code 11 (154.600 / CTCSS 97.4) to
reach Black Rock City Emergency Services Dispatch. Using any other
"privacy codes" on channel 5 will interfere with 911. Instead please
choose channels 1-4 for personal use and share this information with new
MURS users you meet.
If you have further questions or need help in finding a source for
radios, please email 911@burningman.com for more information.
A partial list of compatible models:
Dakota Alert MURS portable (operational controls just like common FRS
radios, with selectable channel and code on the display) $89
http://www.dakotaalert.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=56
Fostek MURS Radio (set-up is easy with just a few switches to set
internally) $94 http://www.rkleef.com/handhelds/fostek/murs502.html
Motorola XV100 Business band radio (operational controls just like
common FRS radios, with selectable channel and code on the display) $189
http://www.rkleef.com/handhelds/motorola/xv1100.html
(the list of suggested models in no way endorses them over other brands
or compatible model radios)
*************************
Join us in B.E.D.
*************************
The Bureau of Erotic Discourse is seeking B.E.D. Buddies...come peek
under our sheets!
Remember the signs in the porto-potties last year talking about
preventing sexual assault? That was us! Remember the 'How to Get Laid at
Burning Man' workshop last year? That was us too! Maybe you got a sassy
button from us talking about how 'No Means No'? Great news! We're back
with our sex-positive message for 2007, and B.E.D. needs YOU (and you
too, hot stuff!) to help us. If you're gonna have sex at Burning Man, we
want it to be incredible, consensual, hair-raising, amazing, consensual,
hot, thrilling CONSENSUAL sex.
Get into B.E.D. at http://www.bureauoferoticdiscourse.org and check out
who we are and how you can help! Be the first in your camp to own B.E.D.
gear and show your support in two vital ways: you help fund our efforts
and you also show the citizens of BRC that you care about preventing
sexual assault in our fair city. See you in B.E.D.!"
*************************
Bureau of Health Protection Services on playa
*************************
For 10 years now a couple of very dedicated and positive members of
Nevada State Health Division have been inspecting the Cafe and other
theme camps that have large kitchens or gift food on the playa to make
sure you stay healthy on the playa. This year they will be at Playa Info
in the mornings from 9am to 10am, Monday through Friday of the event, so
if you have any questions or need to pick up your permit feel free to
drop by and chat with them. They also explore the event looking for
kitchens to inspect and to give advice. Their goal is prevent problems
so if you see them thank them and take their advice on food handling
safety... they know their stuff!
*************************
Diabetics: Dispose of your needles safely
*************************
Diabetics: please don't put your used needles in the porta potties.
Dropping your sharps into the porta potties, besides the obvious
violation of the mantra "if it wasn't in your body..." is a public
health hazard to the sanitation workers who have to deal with them
further down the sanitation process. Please instead dispose of them
safely in a sharps container at any of the three medical clinics on
playa (center camp, 3 & Coral Reef, or 9 & Coral Reef). That way you get
two bonus karma points for the price of one!
{Soundtrack to this JRS: C'mon, you already knew I'm that kind of dork:
"Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats. Duh.}
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