Howdy! We’d like to help everyone have a lovely time at the Palace by setting some expectations around what we can provide for you as first aiders on site, and also giving you a few pointers we hope will help.
What we encourage you to look after yourself
Basic cuts and scrapes - for the most part these just need to be cleaned, either with soap and water or saline/disinfectant which we will have available. If this is on an area of your body that is likely to get dirty/wet very often, we suggest dressing the wound and then changing/cleaning the area regularly. We will have dressings available, just ask the first aider on duty
Headaches - again, we would encourage you to maybe think ahead and bring your preferred pain meds with you (eg. paracetamol, ibuprofen etc)
Allergies - if you know you have allergies to something you’re likely to encounter onsite (eg dust, pollen etc) we encourage you to bring antihistamines yourself
Otherwise, please signal for one of your first aiders and we’ll do our best to support you!
What we can’t offer:
Please be aware that what we will be able to offer onsite is first aid, not medicine. If you get really sick or injured, we may need to consider moving you offsite (up to and including evacuating with an ambulance)
Drug testing - there are services in Berlin (and other major cities) where you can test your substances or buy test kits yourself. Please consider your limits when packing, and at the festival
Dos
Wash your hands before and after eating
Wash your hands after rummaging through any rubbish heaps
If possible, wear a mask or respirator if clearing any areas with a lot of bird poop that could end up floating in the air
Please wear solid footwear especially during build and break. Be aware of hazards such as rusty nails that might be sticking out of walls/floors etc
Know your limits/substances. Tell a friend what you’re taking, how much and when, especially if you’re less familiar with a substance
Let a first aider know if an earlier wound swells later or develops a really red border - we’re happy to take another look
If an emergency happens and you can clearly identify it as such (someone has breathing difficulties, someone collapses, etc) - PLEASE CALL AN AMBULANCE! You can always send one person to find a first aider whilst someone else calls an ambulance. We want to be very clear that in an emergency, we always recommend that you immediately call the emergency number rather than wait for advice from a first aider. The emergency number for Poland is 112 and they support multiple languages including English. Please try to describe what happened and where the palace is located. We can always come and help you out while the ambulance is on its way.
Don’ts
Please try not to drink directly from any taps, especially anything near the food prep or sanitation areas
Climbing on roof structures / exploring areas of the site which have not been explicitly cleared for entry - there may be loose or missing floorboards, roof tiles, old metal
If you have upper respiratory tract symptoms (coughing, sneezing, sniffing) and you are meant to be on kitchen duty, please see if you can swap a shift with someone else
If you have any open cuts on your hands, please check with first aid for a colourful bandaid
If you get injured on site especially during build or break with any kind of metal/puncture or a wound that occurs outside in the dirt, you might consider a DTAP (tetanus) vaccination when you get back home. These are generally good for around 10 years but if you’re at 5+ years since your last shot and you step on a rusty nail, we would highly recommend getting a booster.
