Chasing Summer Festival organizers say drug, alcohol emergencies handled well
CBC News | Posted: August 10, 2015 9:38 PM | Last Updated: August 11, 2015
17 attendees taken to hospital during weekend event at Fort Calgary
The organizers of a music festival that saw 17 people taken to hospital over the weekend say the company's "comprehensive emergency response plan" allowed them to respond quickly and efficiently to the incidents.
Ten women and seven men ranging in age from 18 to their mid-30s were among the patients at the Fort Calgary event, EMS officials said.
- 17 Chasing Summer Festival attendees taken to hospital for drug, alcohol consumption
- At least 6 treated for overdoses at Chasing Summer festival
Five people were listed in serious condition while one woman was reported to be in serious, potentially life-threatening condition for severe breathing problems.
In most cases, the patients had ingested large amounts of alcohol, and at least one illicit drug, including MDMA, ecstasy, cocaine, GHB, ketamine or marijuana, EMS spokesperson Stuart Brideaux said.
"Festival producers at Union Events would like to express our support for all of our patrons and wish those few who needed further attention a quick and full recovery," Union Events said in a release on Monday.
At last year's two-day electronic music party, which was also held at Fort Calgary, at least six people were treated for suspected drug overdoses.
Addictions counsellor Brent Lloyd says he's not surprised by the incidents. "A lot of these drugs … they're made in labs, they're not regulated. So you can't say with certainty what you're getting," he said. "So certainly stronger and stronger potency is an issue as well.
Getting help early important
A researcher who looks into illegal substance abuse says people who experience adverse reactions often wait too long to get help.
Dr. Matthew Young with the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse says there are as many as 250 new synthetic drugs showing up at music festivals and on the streets — and that makes it difficult to know what symptoms to look for.
"The people who may be using these substances may be worried about getting in trouble, they may delay seeking medical attention too," he said.
"And so one of things that we recommend is don't delay, seek medical attention immediately. Your health is more important than anything else."
Ryan Fitchett, who was at the event, says the electronic dance music (EDM) scene gets unfairly singled out.
"You could go anywhere and you'll have these problems. I just think it's a stigma our genre has been given," he said.
Union Events bills itself as one of Canada's biggest live entertainment producers, staging over 800 shows annually across North America.