Lots of people asking about opinions on harm reduction/first aid and I just wanted to say this to drive home my point about Shambs med tent: I was one of the paramedics working Saturday at shambs. Its my 4th year at the festival and 2nd year on the med team. Every year I work there the talent and organization of the med tent gets better even though you only show up in the morning for a 1/2 hour orientation and then get have to work. It always just seems to flow so smoothly though and people fall into their roles automatically. There is never any ego between the doctors, nurses, paramedics, or basic first aid attendants. Everyone pulls together to give the highest level of care and also the most non-judgemental compassionate care to not only the patients but their friends/family. As I posted on the shambs page, the most important thing I see every year that makes the difference between people getting fixed up by us or having to get sent to the hospital is peoples friends. You see so many people not wanting to come into the medical tent but being encouraged by friends to seek medical attention or friends coming to us to come get their friends or asses them. I think the care each festival goer shows for each other throughout the festival is what makes the difference between many people leaving shambhala with a smile as opposed to in a ambulance. I saw so many people going up to others when they looked anxious, concerned, or even passed out to make sure they were ok or if they needed help. The medical tent and everyone that works in it truly embraces shambhalove whether it be when were working or partying and in saying that the most rewarding part of my shambs was having to breathe for a patient while racing through the packed vendor area in the back of one of our 4x4s while being held in the cart by the patients FRIENDS so I didnt fly out the back and getting to see him later (after the doctors worked their magic) to tell him Im glad he was ok, happy shambhala, party safe, and of course give him a hug. One of the other nurses sat there with him through the entire time he was unconscious to conscious and did the same thing. I guess thats the the difference between a hospital or other festivals and Shambs...you leave with a hug and knowing youre loved! Thanks for listening :)
Posted on: Thu, 21 Aug 2014 01:02:23 +0000
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