Festival Angels are pulling together some resources to help up-skill our volunteers to be aware of issues they may face at festivals. Festivals are generally safe places with teams of medics, security, welfare and others that our teams can call on for assistance, however we are sometimes the first people on the scene and so some awareness is essential to our role.
We invite Festival Angels to work through the following resources before the festival. Further training will be offered ahead of or at the different festivals.
We invite Festival Angels to work through the following resources before the festival. Further training will be offered ahead of or at the different festivals.
Anti-Terrorism - to be aware of what to do in case of a terrorist attack is essential. Festival Angels, along with the festivals, recommend you complete the ACT Awareness e-Learning (as an individual) and have a look at the Crowded Places document and the First Aid awareness below:
Citizen Aid App - the Citizen Aid App is a great tool to help you with a range of emergency incidents including knife attack, active shooter. vehicle attack, acid burns, unattended / suspicious item and treatment. It is free to download via App / Play Stores - see here.
Drink Spiking - have a look at the Stamp Out Spiking website to help you to understand the effects and issues around drink spiking (the process of adding an additional substance, such as drugs or alcohol, to somebody’s drink without their knowledge or permission). This news clip from SKY News is worth a watch:
- Counter Terrorism Police on-line training course (this course has a certificate which you need for some festivals)
- Scan (See Check and Notify) Training
- Crowded Places Security Advice
- Terrorism First Aid (BBC Web Site)
Citizen Aid App - the Citizen Aid App is a great tool to help you with a range of emergency incidents including knife attack, active shooter. vehicle attack, acid burns, unattended / suspicious item and treatment. It is free to download via App / Play Stores - see here.
Drink Spiking - have a look at the Stamp Out Spiking website to help you to understand the effects and issues around drink spiking (the process of adding an additional substance, such as drugs or alcohol, to somebody’s drink without their knowledge or permission). This news clip from SKY News is worth a watch:
Festival Safety Tips - check out the Festival Angels page on festival safety - this is useful for everyone who attends a music festival.
Festival Safe has a page of Event Workers tips for a safe festival - click here.
Mental Health Awareness
- MIND have a page of information and support.
- HubofHope.co.uk is a postcode driven list of support agencies.
- Andy's Man Club is a great free to attend, peer to peer support groups for men - see here for the website and to find a local group.
- NHS Suicide Let's Talk Training
Sexual Abuse - 24/7 Support Line for victims of rape and sexual abuse in England to provide victims with round-the-clock help on 0808 500 2222 and via www.247sexualabusesupport.org.uk
Strangulation - Strangulation is where there is pressure on the neck. This pressure leads to the blood vessels and sometimes the airways (windpipe) in the neck being squashed. This will end up with less oxygen getting to the brain. People can be strangled in different ways. It could be by a hand or hands on the neck, being put in a headlock or by something wrapped tight around the neck, like a scarf, belt or rope. Strangulation is serious and there is no safe way to be strangled. There is a risk to life every time it is done. Information for Victims of Strangulation / Guidelines for Clinical Management of Non-Fatal Strangulation / Signs and Symptoms of Strangulation / Institute for Addressing Strangulation
Safeguarding - Festival Angels is part of ROC (Redeeming Our Communities) - please look at the ROC Safeguarding Training - we all need a good understanding of safeguarding and work as a team to safeguard those we help and support. You can read the full ROC Safeguarding Policy here.
First Aid - medics will be on site at most festivals. If you have a radio please use this to call the medics or find the nearest security and ask them for support. You can also walk people to the medical tent if this is appropriate. Here is a First Aid overview (where the advice says 999 this could mean the on-site medical team who will be contactable on the radio):
Most injuries are minor, requiring common-sense action, such as cleaning and covering a small cut or graze, but it’s helpful to have an idea of a few common incidents and what the best course of action is.
Quick tip: download the British Red Cross first aid app which is free and has lots of short learning bites, videos, tips and FAQs.
Have a read through the following advice and look at the associated items on the App. This should give you a good general understanding and a bit of confidence to either manage it yourself or seek the correct form of further help.
Further information: Links are provided in the topics below, in case you want to learn a little more or watch videos about the first aid skills on the British Red Cross website. Resources such as posters to share with your teams are available online, for example from onlinefirstaid.com
Unresponsive and not breathing
This is potentially the most serious and urgent situation. Acting quickly is crucial!
Check if the person responds when you call their name and gently shake their shoulders.
If they do not respond to you in any way, open their airway by gently tilting their head back. This extends their windpipe and moves their tongue away from the airway. While holding the head in this position for up to 10 seconds, look, listen and feel for normal breathing.
If there are no signs of response or normal breathing, then you will need to call 999 for an ambulance or get someone else to do it. Tell the operator that the person is unresponsive and not breathing. They will give you instructions about how to do chest compressions and get the nearest AED (automated external defibrillator). If you have been trained to do so, you may also be able to give them rescue breaths to get some oxygen into their system.
Unresponsive and breathing
Top tip: If someone is unresponsive, there is a risk that they may stop breathing without appropriate care. Simply rolling them onto their side could save their life!
Check if the person responds when you call their name and gently shake their shoulders.
If they do not respond to you in any way, open their airway by gently tilting their head back. This extends their windpipe and moves their tongue away from the airway. While holding the head in this position for up to 10 seconds, look, listen and feel for normal breathing.
If they are breathing, lay them on their side and tilt their head back slightly so that the airway remains open. Watch them carefully to ensure they are definitely breathing steadily.
This position will allow fluids (saliva, vomit) to drain out of their mouth and onto the floor, so the risk of them choking on vomit is reduced. It’s advisable to tell festival goers to make sure their friends go to sleep in this position, if they are returning to their tent under the influence of alcohol.
Depending on the cause for them being unresponsive, it may be necessary to call 999 for an ambulance. In some circumstances you and your team may feel confident to watch over them while they ‘sleep it off,’ but ensure someone is regularly checking that they are breathing steadily and not getting too hot or too cold.
Seizures
Also known as fits or convulsions, seizures may be caused by medical conditions such as epilepsy, medical emergencies such as a diabetic emergency, extreme heat, a head injury, or by drug and alcohol use/withdrawal.
Make some space and try to keep the person safe while the seizure is in progress. If you can, time how long the seizure lasts.
Top tip: Place something soft like a rolled-up jumper under their head. Don’t allow anyone to hold or restrain them and never put anything in their mouth.
If they are with people they know, ask of this has ever happened before and if so, what they know about it.
If it is due to a head injury or something they have taken, it is likely that they will need urgent medical assistance. Call 999 for an ambulance if necessary or get someone else to do it.
Once the seizure is over, place the person on their side with their head tilted back to rest, and gently reassure them while you wait for help. Check to ensure that they are still breathing steadily and that they are not too hot or too cold.
Substances – Drugs and alcohol
Sometimes police or event organisers alert Angels of a particular substance ‘doing the rounds.’ There may be specific advice provided, and so it’s always helpful to try and find out what they have taken, when, how much and where they got it from – ie obtained locally or brought from home.
Top tip: Act within the scope of your own skill and confidence levels to make/keep the person safe. If they are completely unresponsive or having a seizure (follow steps above), you will need to call 999 for an ambulance.
In some circumstances you and your team may feel confident to watch over them while they ‘sleep it off,’ but ensure someone is regularly checking that they are breathing steadily and not getting too hot or too cold.
If they are responsive and talking, they may say they feel scared or unwell. The unusual sensations caused by drugs and alcohol can affect people differently. If they have taken more than one substance, the effects can be unexpected. Give gentle reassurance and listen attentively as they may provide information about the substance or the wellbeing of others who have taken it.
If they are feeling sick, provide a bowl or somewhere where they can vomit. Offer small sips of water and somewhere to sit down until they feel better.
If they are feeling agitated or paranoid, find a quiet spot where they feel safe to sit down. They may want to talk, in which case, listen respectfully to what they are saying. If they are non-communicative, allow them space but let them know where you are if they need anything.
If they become aggressive or violent, it’s time to call police or security for support. Do not try to argue, reason or intervene – your own safety is your first priority. Encourage others to move away for their own protection.
Choking
Choking is a complete blockage of the airway (windpipe), so the person is unable to breathe, cough or speak.
Top tip: if someone says “I’m choking” they probably aren’t (because they would not be able to speak if they were): ask what the problem is (apart from telling them to cough if appropriate, don’t follow the other choking treatment below unless they are actually unable to breathe, cough or speak).
Encourage them to cough it up if they can.
Give up to 5 back blows between their shoulder-blades, firmly using the heel of your flat hand.
Give up to 5 abdominal thrusts, clasping your fist just above their bellybutton, and pulling in and up sharply. (if you’ve done an abdominal thrust, tell the person to seek medical advice because this procedure can cause injury)
Call 999 if they are still choking or get someone else to do it. Continue with sets of 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts if necessary.
Bleeding
Top tip: if you haven’t got access to handwashing facilities, hand sanitizer or gloves, you can often get the person to use their own hands and treat themselves, reducing the risk of contaminating the wound and the chances of getting their blood on you.
Small cuts and grazes: should be cleaned with water or an alcohol-free wipe and covered with a plaster. The same applies to blisters – don’t pop blisters!
Nosebleed: sit down and squeeze the soft part of the nose for about 10 minutes. Release the pressure and repeat for another 10 minutes if it hasn’t stopped. A nosebleed that does not respond to this treatment after 30 minutes needs medical attention. Beware that if the nosebleed was caused by a heavy blow/fall/punch there may be a head injury which requires appropriate medical investigation.
Heavy bleeding: requires firm direct pressure to be applied to the source of the bleeding. Use a piece of clothing if you haven’t got a bandage/first aid kit. Arrange urgent medical assistance or call 999 for an ambulance. Top tip: wiping or washing a heavy bleed stops the blood from being able to clot properly, so only wash a wound if it is small enough for a plaster.
Burns/scalds
Get the affected part under cold running water as soon as possible. Use bottled water or even a cold drink if there is a delay getting the person to a running tap. Keep the burn under the cold running water for at least 20 minutes, or longer if it still hurts/looks bad.
Seek medical attention as appropriate. Large and deep burns will require further treatment in hospital.
Top tip: in the case of a chemical burn, the advice is to use water to wash the substance off their skin as soon as possible. Continue to cool with water and call 999 for an ambulance.
Diabetic emergency – low blood-sugar
Someone who is diabetic will know about managing their condition, but the change in routine, eating, sleeping and activity levels can all affect the amount of energy our bodies need. Drugs and alcohol can interfere with the hormones and sugar-balance within anyone’s body.
Top tip: a person who has low blood-sugar may not recognise it in themselves, but they may seem ‘hangry’, irritable, tired, confused, unsteady on their feet and just not be themselves. Many of the signs are similar to being under the influence of alcohol. Without urgent help they will become unresponsive and deteriorate to a life-threatening condition.
Giving them something sugary to eat (sweets, chocolate, biscuits) or drink (fruit juice, sugary tea) should improve their condition fairly quickly. Beware that many canned soft drinks contain artificial sweeteners instead of sugar so will not help in this case. If they have their own testing kit, they should check that their levels are correct for them. Stay with them until they are feeling better. If they do not improve, seek medical attention.
Head injuries
Top tip: There are some myths and old-wives’ tales around how to tell if a head injury is serious. The best advice is to take all blows to the head seriously and even if you are only slightly worried, seek medical attention – better to be safe than sorry!
Some indications of a serious head injury include confusion, unconsciousness (even if it’s only for a moment), difficulty with normal things like speaking/walking/seeing, a wound/cut/lump on the head, drowsiness, vomiting/nausea (feeling sick), significant forces involved when they got the injury, loss of memory.
Encourage the person to sit down in a quiet place if possible. Apply a bandage to any actively bleeding wounds. Apply an ice pack to cool and soothe any bumps or swelling. Ice packs should be wrapped in a cloth, so the ice doesn’t come into direct contact with the skin. If you haven’t got an ice pack, you can improvise with a piece of clothing soaked with cold water.
Arrange appropriate transport to hospital or call 999 if necessary.
Extremes of heat and cold
Attending outdoor events, unexpected weather, partying, enclosed spaces, changes in usual food/sleep routines, drugs and alcohol can all have an impact on the body’s ability to stay at the right temperature.
If someone is unwell, check to see if they are very warm or very cold – you don’t need a thermometer, just compare them with yourself or someone else who’s feeling well.
If someone is very warm, it’s likely they are also dehydrated so giving them some water to drink is a good starting point.
There is some evidence about the risks of over-hydrating, especially in the case of drugs like ecstasy/MDMA and this would require urgent medical attention, so monitor them carefully if they consume more than a pint or so of water in a short space of time.
Water can also be used to soak clothing such as a t-shirt which will help their body to cool down (so long as they are otherwise normally fit and healthy) – more water can be poured on their t-shirt if they are still very hot, but ensure you monitor them, and they have a dry top to wear once they are feeling more comfortable.
Top tip: Heat can make people feel faint, so as well as offering water and a small snack to eat, it can be helpful to sit or even lie them down in a cool/shady spot if possible. Lying down with the legs raised on a chair (or similar) is a good way to rest and counteract light-headedness, especially if the person is looking paler than they normally would.
If someone is very cold, it may be due to them wearing clothes that have got wet. If possible, wet clothing should be removed and replaced with dry clothing.
If the weather is very cold/wet, do not give someone else your own clothing, but it’s helpful to have spare coats, jumpers, hats, socks and blankets to use when warming people up.
Foil blankets are a convenient way to stop people from getting even colder and can be combined with conventional blankets and extra clothing.
It may be appropriate to sit friends close together so that they can benefit from shared body-heat – after all, it works for Emperor penguins!
Top tip: High-energy foods such as sweets, biscuits and chocolate and if possible warm drinks and warm food will also help to warm a person up.
If they become unresponsive (you can’t wake them up) call 999 for an ambulance. This applies to both extremes of heat and cold.
Bone muscle and joint injuries
Without x-ray vision, it can be impossible to know the severity of an injury. Even seemingly minor falls can result in very painful injuries requiring hospital treatment. There may be redness, swelling, bruising and the person may have difficulty moving the body part or putting weight on it.
An ice pack can provide temporary relief from swelling caused by things like a sprained wrist, but ice should be wrapped in a cloth, so it doesn’t come into direct contact with the skin. If you haven’t got an ice pack, you can improvise with a piece of clothing soaked with cold water.
Encourage the person to stay still and support the injured part of their body in whatever position feels best for them. You can provide cushions or rolled-up clothing to help with the support/padding. You may be able to apply a sling or improvise with a scarf or similar to support an injured arm.
Top tip: Generally, it’s best to stop things from moving, and take a few minutes to assess how to proceed: for example, a sprained ankle requires rest while a broken leg needs A&E treatment. If necessary, call 999, but in many cases, it may be suitable to arrange alternative transport for the person.
Calling for help
On some festival sites, you/your team will have a radio to contact the event control office. They can make arrangements to support with first aid or for more serious incidents onsite medical cover or local ambulance services.
Familiarise yourself with the arrangements at the site beforehand or at the start of your shift. Make sure you know if you need to escalate first aid incidents to your team leader. Do you need to keep records?
Is there a first aid post, information stand or security post nearby that you could directly call on if required? Familiarise yourself with other staff members nearby on your shift – say hello when you see security staff and marshals. They may become your best allies in an emergency situation.
If the mobile phone signal is not reliable, consider how you would raise the alarm if you needed to.
There are certain pieces of information which will help the call-handler to prioritize your call, so have these in mind when you make the call/pick up the radio:
If you don’t know what to do to help the person, ask the call handler – say you want to help but you don’t have experience of this situation, so can they tell you what to do?
Your location
You will need to give information as accurately as possible about your location, as well as guidance on how to get there and find you. This can save vital minutes in getting emergency help to your casualty.
At some festivals you can download an app with a sitemap. Event organisers may have provided location information/maps to Angels teams in advance.
GPS locators and apps like What Three Words can be helpful to pin-point locations even without a mobile phone signal.
If you know you don’t have a good sense of direction, make sure you know which of your team members are the opposite. Ask them to describe how to find you.
Send a couple of volunteers to a specified point (eg gate 3, the north entrance to blue campsite) and ask them to meet up with and show the emergency help the way to your exact location.
Most injuries are minor, requiring common-sense action, such as cleaning and covering a small cut or graze, but it’s helpful to have an idea of a few common incidents and what the best course of action is.
Quick tip: download the British Red Cross first aid app which is free and has lots of short learning bites, videos, tips and FAQs.
Have a read through the following advice and look at the associated items on the App. This should give you a good general understanding and a bit of confidence to either manage it yourself or seek the correct form of further help.
Further information: Links are provided in the topics below, in case you want to learn a little more or watch videos about the first aid skills on the British Red Cross website. Resources such as posters to share with your teams are available online, for example from onlinefirstaid.com
Unresponsive and not breathing
This is potentially the most serious and urgent situation. Acting quickly is crucial!
Check if the person responds when you call their name and gently shake their shoulders.
If they do not respond to you in any way, open their airway by gently tilting their head back. This extends their windpipe and moves their tongue away from the airway. While holding the head in this position for up to 10 seconds, look, listen and feel for normal breathing.
If there are no signs of response or normal breathing, then you will need to call 999 for an ambulance or get someone else to do it. Tell the operator that the person is unresponsive and not breathing. They will give you instructions about how to do chest compressions and get the nearest AED (automated external defibrillator). If you have been trained to do so, you may also be able to give them rescue breaths to get some oxygen into their system.
Unresponsive and breathing
Top tip: If someone is unresponsive, there is a risk that they may stop breathing without appropriate care. Simply rolling them onto their side could save their life!
Check if the person responds when you call their name and gently shake their shoulders.
If they do not respond to you in any way, open their airway by gently tilting their head back. This extends their windpipe and moves their tongue away from the airway. While holding the head in this position for up to 10 seconds, look, listen and feel for normal breathing.
If they are breathing, lay them on their side and tilt their head back slightly so that the airway remains open. Watch them carefully to ensure they are definitely breathing steadily.
This position will allow fluids (saliva, vomit) to drain out of their mouth and onto the floor, so the risk of them choking on vomit is reduced. It’s advisable to tell festival goers to make sure their friends go to sleep in this position, if they are returning to their tent under the influence of alcohol.
Depending on the cause for them being unresponsive, it may be necessary to call 999 for an ambulance. In some circumstances you and your team may feel confident to watch over them while they ‘sleep it off,’ but ensure someone is regularly checking that they are breathing steadily and not getting too hot or too cold.
Seizures
Also known as fits or convulsions, seizures may be caused by medical conditions such as epilepsy, medical emergencies such as a diabetic emergency, extreme heat, a head injury, or by drug and alcohol use/withdrawal.
Make some space and try to keep the person safe while the seizure is in progress. If you can, time how long the seizure lasts.
Top tip: Place something soft like a rolled-up jumper under their head. Don’t allow anyone to hold or restrain them and never put anything in their mouth.
If they are with people they know, ask of this has ever happened before and if so, what they know about it.
If it is due to a head injury or something they have taken, it is likely that they will need urgent medical assistance. Call 999 for an ambulance if necessary or get someone else to do it.
Once the seizure is over, place the person on their side with their head tilted back to rest, and gently reassure them while you wait for help. Check to ensure that they are still breathing steadily and that they are not too hot or too cold.
Substances – Drugs and alcohol
Sometimes police or event organisers alert Angels of a particular substance ‘doing the rounds.’ There may be specific advice provided, and so it’s always helpful to try and find out what they have taken, when, how much and where they got it from – ie obtained locally or brought from home.
Top tip: Act within the scope of your own skill and confidence levels to make/keep the person safe. If they are completely unresponsive or having a seizure (follow steps above), you will need to call 999 for an ambulance.
In some circumstances you and your team may feel confident to watch over them while they ‘sleep it off,’ but ensure someone is regularly checking that they are breathing steadily and not getting too hot or too cold.
If they are responsive and talking, they may say they feel scared or unwell. The unusual sensations caused by drugs and alcohol can affect people differently. If they have taken more than one substance, the effects can be unexpected. Give gentle reassurance and listen attentively as they may provide information about the substance or the wellbeing of others who have taken it.
If they are feeling sick, provide a bowl or somewhere where they can vomit. Offer small sips of water and somewhere to sit down until they feel better.
If they are feeling agitated or paranoid, find a quiet spot where they feel safe to sit down. They may want to talk, in which case, listen respectfully to what they are saying. If they are non-communicative, allow them space but let them know where you are if they need anything.
If they become aggressive or violent, it’s time to call police or security for support. Do not try to argue, reason or intervene – your own safety is your first priority. Encourage others to move away for their own protection.
Choking
Choking is a complete blockage of the airway (windpipe), so the person is unable to breathe, cough or speak.
Top tip: if someone says “I’m choking” they probably aren’t (because they would not be able to speak if they were): ask what the problem is (apart from telling them to cough if appropriate, don’t follow the other choking treatment below unless they are actually unable to breathe, cough or speak).
Encourage them to cough it up if they can.
Give up to 5 back blows between their shoulder-blades, firmly using the heel of your flat hand.
Give up to 5 abdominal thrusts, clasping your fist just above their bellybutton, and pulling in and up sharply. (if you’ve done an abdominal thrust, tell the person to seek medical advice because this procedure can cause injury)
Call 999 if they are still choking or get someone else to do it. Continue with sets of 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts if necessary.
Bleeding
Top tip: if you haven’t got access to handwashing facilities, hand sanitizer or gloves, you can often get the person to use their own hands and treat themselves, reducing the risk of contaminating the wound and the chances of getting their blood on you.
Small cuts and grazes: should be cleaned with water or an alcohol-free wipe and covered with a plaster. The same applies to blisters – don’t pop blisters!
Nosebleed: sit down and squeeze the soft part of the nose for about 10 minutes. Release the pressure and repeat for another 10 minutes if it hasn’t stopped. A nosebleed that does not respond to this treatment after 30 minutes needs medical attention. Beware that if the nosebleed was caused by a heavy blow/fall/punch there may be a head injury which requires appropriate medical investigation.
Heavy bleeding: requires firm direct pressure to be applied to the source of the bleeding. Use a piece of clothing if you haven’t got a bandage/first aid kit. Arrange urgent medical assistance or call 999 for an ambulance. Top tip: wiping or washing a heavy bleed stops the blood from being able to clot properly, so only wash a wound if it is small enough for a plaster.
Burns/scalds
Get the affected part under cold running water as soon as possible. Use bottled water or even a cold drink if there is a delay getting the person to a running tap. Keep the burn under the cold running water for at least 20 minutes, or longer if it still hurts/looks bad.
Seek medical attention as appropriate. Large and deep burns will require further treatment in hospital.
Top tip: in the case of a chemical burn, the advice is to use water to wash the substance off their skin as soon as possible. Continue to cool with water and call 999 for an ambulance.
Diabetic emergency – low blood-sugar
Someone who is diabetic will know about managing their condition, but the change in routine, eating, sleeping and activity levels can all affect the amount of energy our bodies need. Drugs and alcohol can interfere with the hormones and sugar-balance within anyone’s body.
Top tip: a person who has low blood-sugar may not recognise it in themselves, but they may seem ‘hangry’, irritable, tired, confused, unsteady on their feet and just not be themselves. Many of the signs are similar to being under the influence of alcohol. Without urgent help they will become unresponsive and deteriorate to a life-threatening condition.
Giving them something sugary to eat (sweets, chocolate, biscuits) or drink (fruit juice, sugary tea) should improve their condition fairly quickly. Beware that many canned soft drinks contain artificial sweeteners instead of sugar so will not help in this case. If they have their own testing kit, they should check that their levels are correct for them. Stay with them until they are feeling better. If they do not improve, seek medical attention.
Head injuries
Top tip: There are some myths and old-wives’ tales around how to tell if a head injury is serious. The best advice is to take all blows to the head seriously and even if you are only slightly worried, seek medical attention – better to be safe than sorry!
Some indications of a serious head injury include confusion, unconsciousness (even if it’s only for a moment), difficulty with normal things like speaking/walking/seeing, a wound/cut/lump on the head, drowsiness, vomiting/nausea (feeling sick), significant forces involved when they got the injury, loss of memory.
Encourage the person to sit down in a quiet place if possible. Apply a bandage to any actively bleeding wounds. Apply an ice pack to cool and soothe any bumps or swelling. Ice packs should be wrapped in a cloth, so the ice doesn’t come into direct contact with the skin. If you haven’t got an ice pack, you can improvise with a piece of clothing soaked with cold water.
Arrange appropriate transport to hospital or call 999 if necessary.
Extremes of heat and cold
Attending outdoor events, unexpected weather, partying, enclosed spaces, changes in usual food/sleep routines, drugs and alcohol can all have an impact on the body’s ability to stay at the right temperature.
If someone is unwell, check to see if they are very warm or very cold – you don’t need a thermometer, just compare them with yourself or someone else who’s feeling well.
If someone is very warm, it’s likely they are also dehydrated so giving them some water to drink is a good starting point.
There is some evidence about the risks of over-hydrating, especially in the case of drugs like ecstasy/MDMA and this would require urgent medical attention, so monitor them carefully if they consume more than a pint or so of water in a short space of time.
Water can also be used to soak clothing such as a t-shirt which will help their body to cool down (so long as they are otherwise normally fit and healthy) – more water can be poured on their t-shirt if they are still very hot, but ensure you monitor them, and they have a dry top to wear once they are feeling more comfortable.
Top tip: Heat can make people feel faint, so as well as offering water and a small snack to eat, it can be helpful to sit or even lie them down in a cool/shady spot if possible. Lying down with the legs raised on a chair (or similar) is a good way to rest and counteract light-headedness, especially if the person is looking paler than they normally would.
If someone is very cold, it may be due to them wearing clothes that have got wet. If possible, wet clothing should be removed and replaced with dry clothing.
If the weather is very cold/wet, do not give someone else your own clothing, but it’s helpful to have spare coats, jumpers, hats, socks and blankets to use when warming people up.
Foil blankets are a convenient way to stop people from getting even colder and can be combined with conventional blankets and extra clothing.
It may be appropriate to sit friends close together so that they can benefit from shared body-heat – after all, it works for Emperor penguins!
Top tip: High-energy foods such as sweets, biscuits and chocolate and if possible warm drinks and warm food will also help to warm a person up.
If they become unresponsive (you can’t wake them up) call 999 for an ambulance. This applies to both extremes of heat and cold.
Bone muscle and joint injuries
Without x-ray vision, it can be impossible to know the severity of an injury. Even seemingly minor falls can result in very painful injuries requiring hospital treatment. There may be redness, swelling, bruising and the person may have difficulty moving the body part or putting weight on it.
An ice pack can provide temporary relief from swelling caused by things like a sprained wrist, but ice should be wrapped in a cloth, so it doesn’t come into direct contact with the skin. If you haven’t got an ice pack, you can improvise with a piece of clothing soaked with cold water.
Encourage the person to stay still and support the injured part of their body in whatever position feels best for them. You can provide cushions or rolled-up clothing to help with the support/padding. You may be able to apply a sling or improvise with a scarf or similar to support an injured arm.
Top tip: Generally, it’s best to stop things from moving, and take a few minutes to assess how to proceed: for example, a sprained ankle requires rest while a broken leg needs A&E treatment. If necessary, call 999, but in many cases, it may be suitable to arrange alternative transport for the person.
Calling for help
On some festival sites, you/your team will have a radio to contact the event control office. They can make arrangements to support with first aid or for more serious incidents onsite medical cover or local ambulance services.
Familiarise yourself with the arrangements at the site beforehand or at the start of your shift. Make sure you know if you need to escalate first aid incidents to your team leader. Do you need to keep records?
Is there a first aid post, information stand or security post nearby that you could directly call on if required? Familiarise yourself with other staff members nearby on your shift – say hello when you see security staff and marshals. They may become your best allies in an emergency situation.
If the mobile phone signal is not reliable, consider how you would raise the alarm if you needed to.
There are certain pieces of information which will help the call-handler to prioritize your call, so have these in mind when you make the call/pick up the radio:
- Is the person breathing?
- Is the person responsive?
- A brief description of the injury/incident/emergency.
- Are they bleeding severely?
- For injuries like burns and wounds, can you give an idea of the size/depth of the injury?
- For burns, wounds and other injuries eg head injury, broken bone, do you know what caused it, eg broken glass, a fight, campfire, a fall from height?
- If they took a substance, do you know roughly what, when and how much?
- What has already been done/is being done to help?
- If it’s due to a pre-existing medical condition – what can you tell the call handler about it?
If you don’t know what to do to help the person, ask the call handler – say you want to help but you don’t have experience of this situation, so can they tell you what to do?
Your location
You will need to give information as accurately as possible about your location, as well as guidance on how to get there and find you. This can save vital minutes in getting emergency help to your casualty.
At some festivals you can download an app with a sitemap. Event organisers may have provided location information/maps to Angels teams in advance.
GPS locators and apps like What Three Words can be helpful to pin-point locations even without a mobile phone signal.
If you know you don’t have a good sense of direction, make sure you know which of your team members are the opposite. Ask them to describe how to find you.
Send a couple of volunteers to a specified point (eg gate 3, the north entrance to blue campsite) and ask them to meet up with and show the emergency help the way to your exact location.
