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The Sunday after the burn, I worked the medical tent at station 3 from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm. I expected a fairly quiet day. Boy, was I wrong. It turned out to be one of the busiest shifts in the week.  Our team of two doctors, 2 nurses, 2 EMTs, 2 medical assistants, and a radio dispatch chief saw over 60 patients in the eight hour span, mostly treating dehydration issues, lacerations from artists taking down installations, camps, and art cars, blisters, and the dreaded “playa foot” from too much exposure to the alkaline dust. The station was only equipped to handle basic life support services.  All advanced life support was directed to Reno Emergency Medical Services Association (REMSA) at center camp. However, the biggest stories of the day were:

1. Falls: Female patient, in her 20s, injures her neck after falling 5-6 feet from a burning bike ramp, somewhere near 4:00. The camp is a wild group known for their Black Sabbath Sunday brunches and hardcore lifestyle.  Mohawks, tattoos, black leather, and scowls are the norm in this camp. Luckily the patient’s camp is located near the Emergency Services Department at 6:00. Within three minutes of the radio call, ESD was at the site to assess the situation and transport her to the REMSA tent at Center Camp.  She was probably flown to Reno for more advanced life support measures.

2. Dehydration and exposure: Man, 50-ish, falls asleep for two hours in midday sun on the playa. He comes into the camp shivering uncontrollably, his lips parched, his entire body sunburned.  The doctors cool his body which is in shock by placing wet cool towels on his body. The man cannot tolerate ice water, because the body needs to cool gradually. When an EMT applied an ice water towel, the man flinched and shook.  Eventually, he was transported to REMSA at center camp for advanced life support. 

3. Overdose: Man, tripping on drugs, needs to be restrained on the playa. He runs around naked, sits on the playa, defecates, and then proceeds to eat his waste.  It takes a team of dedicated EMTs to strap him down and take him to REMSA to receive advanced treatment.

All I can saw about that last story is “Eeew, that’s gross.” Kids—don’t let this happen to you.

Wow, Saturday night’s two burns of the Man and the oil derrick installation entitled “Crude Awakening” were incredible.  The word on the playa is that the Guinness Book of World Records was on hand to judge if the oil derrick burn was going to be recorded as the world’s tallest fire.  The sculpture itself is a 99-foot oil derrick surrounded by metal figurines made of Tesla coils.  The artists who created this piece are Dan Das Mann, Karen Cusolito, Black Rock FX, Pyrokinetics, Nate Smith, Mark Perez and MonkeyBoy.

Crude Awakening is a biting commentary on modern day society’s dependence on oil.  At the base of the derrick were nine metal worshippers.  Oil is the new religion of the 21^st century, and the figures were bowing to the derrick in positions of religious fervor. This was one of the more controversial pieces at this year’s Burn given the theme of Green (Eco-) Man and the recent media spotlight on the effects of global warming and the ongoing U.S. led- war in Iraq.

The burn of this project was a spectacular display of pyrotechnics, sound artistry, and performance art.  I loved the 15 minute pre-burn fireworks show set to patriotic music, like the National Anthem.  Any American could feel the significance and irony of the piece.

In another twist of irony, Crude Awakening seemed to trump the burning of the Man at this year’s gathering. Most people I spoke to were more impressed with the oil derrick burn because of its impressive 1000-foot flame.  A mushroom cloud emerged as the fire blasted from the base of the derrick.  A fog machine was used to cover the area surrounding the piece in the Deep Playa-- truly a work of art. Every detail was thought of.  The burn was originally scheduled for Friday afternoon but because of an intense dust storm that day with winds up to 80 mph, the burn was postponed until Saturday after the Man burned.  Definitely anti-climatic.

 The Man—

This year’s official burning of the Man went without a hitch.  So much anticipation was in the air after the unexpected Tuesday early morning arson act by alleged old-time burner, SF-based Paul Addis, 35. Flyers were made by the Black Rock Rangers as a joke, stating that Mr. Addis was going to be at Center Camp Friday and Saturday afternoon to sign autographs. This of course did not happen. I have a feeling Mr. Addis will not be coming to BRC ever again.

Folks at this year’s burn were divided about the arson act. Some argue that it’s a form of self-expression and that it takes the event back to its roots of “No Rules,” the way it was on Baker Beach in SF in 1986 when the founder, Larry Harvey, set the first Man on fire. Others believe that it’s a form of disrespect to the spirit of the event.  Someone could have gotten seriously injured, but no one did.  The Emergency Services Fire Department (EDS) were on hand as the Man was burned on Tuesday. Apparently, someone had noticed a man shimmying up the pyre supporting the 40-foot Man, and had alerted EDS. I was not witness to the event, but it must have been a sight to behold—the Man burning amidst the backdrop of a full lunar eclipse, sometime at 3 am in the morning.

The real burn was preceded by 15 minutes of fire performers in the 2nd ring.  The first ring was empty and manned by ESD firefighters; the audience sat at a safer distance in the third ring about 30 meters from the Man.  The overall burn was rather long, at about 20 minutes, and you could feel the audience stirring as the Man burned.  The pyre supporting the Man included five thick log beams.  Dust swirlies emanated from the Man in a northern direction as the wind blew.

After the Man toppled, the masses rushed in to the center to dance in counter-clock wise fashion around the massive bonfire.  The mood was hedonistic and celebratory, loud and uncontrolled.  The first 5 rows closest to the fire resembled a mosh pit, everyone feeling the undulations of the crowd.  My friend hoisted me to his shoulders and I was able to get a great look at the blaze from the 3rd row.  I was briefly able to get to the first row directly next to the fire. Some crazy man took his picture just about a foot from the flames. It is a dangerous place to be given that any stray elbow could knock a person into the burn.  I stayed for only a few seconds because it did feel too hot and too easy to fall in. I preferred the buffer space of one human body.

For all you Burning Man voyeurs: I've been here a few days, now and have already experienced some cool, shocking and hilarious moments -- both in and outside of the medical tent.

Here are the bullet points:

Three notable ailments seen in the tent (so far):

Second-degree burns to the face: A man tripping on acid, age 20, decides to blow fire using alcohol and matches. Not being a trained fire-blower, he received facial burns and had to be treated in the tent. Kids -- DON'T do this at home.

Neck lacaration: Packing and changing an absess wound that the patient received the week before in San Francisco,  the team worked to clean the absess with hydrogen peroxide, and pack the wound with fresh bandages.

Dehydration: This is by far the most common health malady on the playa due to the harsh environment of the desert. High temperatures in the 100s and low night temps in the 40s are not uncommon. The No. 1 motto for Burners is “piss clear.” Patients are given electrolyte drinks to rehydrate and are reminded to drink water every 20 minutes. Severe dehydration patients receive transport to REMSA where IV lines are administered.

Top five art installations:

1.    Thunderdome: Inspired by the 1985 "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" movie starring Mel Gibson and Tina Turner, this geometric dome is 40 feet high, climable, and hosts nightly fights. Fighers are strapped to bungee cords and the vibe is testosterone meets MadMax meets hard core -- leather, S&M, and Mohawks aplenty.
2.    Cubatron: 6114 lights embedded in pingpong balls, software, and hardware interact to keep this exciting light show, in 3-D, fascinating to tripped-out Burners who stay for hours.
3.    Steampunk Treehouse: SF art collective creates a Victorian, Tim Burton-esque house made of steel, sitting about 40-feet-high in the sky. The details of the steam machine and clever use of paintings and mechanical levers add to the charm. The view of the Man is unbeatable from the balcony telescope.
4.    The Temple: A plywood structure in the Deep Playa for burners to commemorate lost loved ones. A solemn, beautiful place where Burners cry, hug, and heal.  The temple is scheduled to burn at 9 pm on Sunday night.
5.    Art cars: A double-decker Ganesh-decorate bus replete wth sound system blaring funky party music to the masses as it motors through the playa. Many other vehicles exist each with a different look or idea. I've seen a moving birthday cake, a walking mechanical spider car, a pirate ship, a laundry chute, a giant shopping cart, and all types of weird mutant vehicles on the playa. See photo link (coming on Wednesday morning, 9/5).

Keep checking back here to get my coverage of this year's festival.

8/29/07 Thursday...

From Oakland, CA, I drove up to my first Burning Man Festival. After 7.5 hours of driving on the 80 and 447 highways and one last minute stop for supplies and a bicycle at Wal-Mart in Sacramento,  I arrive at Black Rock City (BRC), NV, a once a year makeshift city of roughly 45,000 inhabitants.

The theme for the 21st edition of Burning Man is Green Eco-Man, and the motto is “Radical Self-Reliance.” Nothing is bought or sold in BRC with the exception of ice and coffee at Central Café, with the proceeds going to help the neighboring town of Gerlach, a small town 12 miles south of the desert area known affectionately as “the playa” where the festival is held.  Imagine a flat expanse of alkaline white earth spanning as far as the eye can see. This is the playa, and the feeling out here is the Wild West.

The ticket price of roughly $300 per person for entry deters the faint-hearted, and all Burners are encouraged to participate with the art, not merely observe. Highlights of the event are the low and high-tech art installations, the shedding of social inhibitions, and a party-like atmosphere that runs 24/7. Strangers say hello, wave, and for a week people refrain from conventional judgment and find new modes of self-expression.

I spoke to staff volunteers at the Emergency Services Department (ESD), which provides free basic life support services in two medical tents staffed by volunteer healthcare professionals including doctors, nurses, EMT, and paramedics. The tents operate 24/7 with special emphasis during the event’s climax, the Saturday night burning of the Man, a 40-foot wood effigy in the shape of a human.  Fire staff, ranger service, and police enforcement are all present as well as REMSA (Reno Emergency Med Services Association), a team of paid doctors on duty to handle advanced life support measures, including psychiatric services, and emergency rescue transport to Reno.

It’s been but 2 days but already I have been warmly welcomed and accepted as a citizen of BRC.

Keep checking back to see my coverage of this year's festival on Burned Out.

UPDATE! Man commits suicide at Burning Man as onlookers believe he's doing an "art piece."

There were two men this week in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert (where I'm at now) who deserve special designations, IMHO:

JACKASS EXTRODINAIRE: San Franciscan Paul Addis (pictured) – who was seen torching the 40-foot-tall wooden “man” at this year’s Burning Man Festival.

PITIFUL VICTIM: The “man” itself.

The mood here can be summed up with: “Now what do we do?” -- a Burning Man-goer told the Washington Post.

The quote “the man is bringing me down” has taken on a whole new meaning. I must say, it’s been a bit of a damper for this to have happened during my first time at the festival. Yep, that’s right -- I’m here volunteering at the medical tent and am prepared to share the wild and crazy stories of the people who got, well, too wild and crazy for their own good.

To kick off my coverage, let me share my list of the top ten health hazards at Burningman:

1. Dehydration -- Make sure to drink water or Gatorade even before you feel thirsty. Hydrate every 20 minutes, especially if it's midday. Seek shade during peak sun hours from 10 am to 4 pm.

2. Sunburn -- Wear that SPF 15, and REAPPLY every hour! No one wants to look like a boiled lobster on their first day out.

3. Rebar stake in foot --  Rebar is the steel bar that holds freeways together; it's used as a tent stake because the playa earth is so dry. Regular tent stakes just don't cut it out there to hold shelters down.

4. Alcohol poisoning -- Remember to drink responsibly even on the playa. Serious party-pooper: getting your stomach pumped in the medical tent.  AA camps and meetings are also available.

5. Overdose on drugs -- See Medical Stories in my 2nd half-week update, to be posted on Wednesday, 9/5.

6. Infections on cuts and scrapes -- If you cut yourself, clean out the wound with soap and water or babywipes. You don't want alkaline earth and bacteria to infect the wound. Apply a thin layer of Neosporin, and cover lightly with a bandage. Change your bandages when wet or every day.

7. "Playa foot"-- The alkaline earth of the playa and the low humidity tend to crack the soles of your feet and the plams of your hands. Be sure to moisturize throughout the day. Wear protective shoes if possible, rather than walking barefoot on the playa. See number 3--rebar stake in foot. 

To treat playa foot, wash feet at the end of the day with a solution of three parts water and one part vinegar (to balance the pH). Dry feet thoroughly, and then apply a thick moisturizer. Wear thin breathable cotton socks.

8. Freaking out -- This usually cumulates because of too much sun, alcohol, or illicit drugs. Stop by any medical tent setup to see a mental health professional.

9. Undernutrition --  Because of the radical atmosphere, be sure to remember to eat at intervals. Try to  bring healthy foods from all food groups, including fruits and vegetables. While you can subsist on Powerbars all week, it probably will wreak havoc on your digestion patterns -- know what I mean?

10. Culture shock -- The playa is a radical environment full of extreme temperatures. Highs range from the upper 90s F to the triple digits -- lows in the 40s-50s F. Bring appropriate warm clothing, and ease into the new way of life on the playa where people wear different costumes and answer to different playa names.

1. water -- Figure 1.5 gallons per person per day at BM.  If you are there the whole week, that's about 10 gallons.

2.  food -- Everything you bring in, you bring out.  Best to bring Indian food pouches, bread, cereal, anything that lasts.  Don't bring canned goods, because it's a lot of trash to haul out at the end of the week.  Diversify with hardy fruits and vegs (apples, oranges, celery).

3. tent and camping gear -- to sleep in.

4. warm clothes -- fleece jacket, boots, long underwear, wool hat.

5. cool clothes -- shorts, skirts, sarongs, bandanas, broad-rimmed hat.

6. goggles -- this year's burn is supposed to be drier than usual due to the lack of rain (global warming, anyone?). Bring swim goggles, aviator shades that wrap around, anything to keep the dust out of your eyes. 

7. dust mask-- paint respirator face-masks are recommended if you want to venture out in a dust storm, as are gas masks which can be bought at army surplus stores. A cheap bet is: N-95 dust masks for about $5 at any Home Depot for a set of two. Today's dust storm, Aug 29, which lasted a good 3-4 hours (from 2-5 pm), showed that coming prepared is a good thing!

8. bike -- to cover large stretches in a short amount of time.  Be sure to bring a cheap lock and a helmet. 

9. EL wire -- lights up in the night to jazz up your outfit.  Also good for safety if you are biking in the pitch black desert night. Click link if you don't know what EL wire is:

http://www.elwire.com/

10. fuzzy fabric -- to dress up your ordinary clothes into BM outfits!