Editor,
Burning Man has the utmost respect for Jim Parrish and we have loved the level of service that Humboldt General Hospital has provided to Burning Man for the past four years. They have grown with us and, with oversight from the BLM, have tremendously upgraded the level of care we provide to participants.
Burning Man and the BLM have always had a commitment to the highest safety standard. Our new medical services provider, CrowdRx, will provide the same level of hospital service that HGH has provided.
Since 2011, when HGH joined us on the playa, our population has grown from 54,000 to nearly 67,000 last year. HGH staff, in cooperation with our Emergency Services Department, has provided a level of medical support that is the envy of large scale events worldwide. Despite the harsh environment, we averaged less than 200 visitors — not 500 as publicly stated — to the on-playa hospital each day it was open last year.
Our goal is to provide the best possible medical care to participants and work with a company that has a proven track record of scalability. In addition to maintaining the same level of service delivered by HGH, we will be opening extra aid stations at the event to make it even easier for participants to get the care they need. Very shortly, CrowdRx will begin a local recruitment effort and expects to employ many of the same Nevada-based medical professionals that HGH has employed for the event in the past. With our population remaining almost the same for 2015 we foresee no additional impact on area hospitals and support services.
Burning Man and its participants contribute an estimated $45 million into the Nevada economy annually and the event is the largest single special recreation permit gathering held on BLM land. Burning Man has grown to be a global movement, but we will never forget where we came from. There is every possibility we will be working with Jim Parrish and HGH in the future.
Sincerely,
Harley K. DuBois
Chief Transition Officer
Burning Man
