Event staff are currently exploring options for medical services for this year’s event, though a new contract could still include Humboldt General Hospital, said Jim Graham, event operations director for Black Rock City, in an interview with the Reno Gazette-Journal.
About 450 attendees use medical services each day at the festival, most often for dehydration-related issues or abrasions and lacerations. Few cases are related to alcohol and drugs, according to the report.
Since 2011, Humboldt General has provided an on-site medical clinic and emergency services at the event. The hospital staffs the event with roughly 300 to 350 employees, many of which are hired temporarily for the event, according to the report.
However, Humboldt General does not have a fleet of ambulances large enough to serve the event, which drew a crowd of more than 65,000 “burners” in 2014. If it resigns for this year’s festival, the hospital may need to use five ambulances from Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority of Reno, the ambulance service that served the festival for the 12 years prior to Humboldt General’s contract.
Mr. Graham expects a new contract by April, according to the report.
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