Music and sunshine and crowds are back, thank God! With festival season in full swing, McNabola Law Group wants to ensure our Chicagoland community stays safe and healthy while enjoying Chicago’s many outdoor festivals! We know how difficult it is to maintain social distance, so that’s why we want to remind you to make safe choices this party season. While most festivals have added additional Covid-19 safety precautions, McNabola Law Group would like to provide 6 additional tips for you to ensure safety during the good times:
1. Be aware of your surroundings!
When you arrive at the festival venue, look around to identify potential safety hazards. Obstructions in walking paths and unstable structures should be avoided as much as possible. Temporary structures can be extremely dangerous. At the Indiana State Fair, festival goers were severely injured, including deaths, when a temporary stage collapsed. Do not assume that structures are safe!
You should also be aware of crowd management. You cannot assume the festival organizers are properly managing traffic flow and crowd control. You need to avoid large crowds moving into smaller spaces or against large structures to avoid crushing injuries. Avoid the crowd entirely or at a minimum, identify a safe path away from the crowd to protect yourself from the risk of being physically crushed by the crowd.
Lastly, watch out for criminal pick-pockets who will grab your phone or other belongings right out of your hand. In a large crowd these types of “grab and run” incidents are very common as the thief can quickly get lost in the crowd. These criminals will also use a knife or razor to quickly slice your backpack open to grab your money or phone. Take only what you need to these events and be constantly aware of your surroundings.
2. Buddy System
The Buddy System works — come and go with a friend. You can keep track of each other and make sure you’re both safe for a win-win!
3. Communication
Make sure you have the ability to stay in communication with your friends and your family. Arrive with a fully charged phone and consider keeping a portable charger with you to ensure a working phone throughout the day for you and your friends.
4. Sunscreen & Shades
The John Stoddard Cancer Center recommends that you protect your skin by using SPF 30+ especially between the hours of 10am to 2pm (when the sun’s rays are strongest). Don’t forget to reapply and wear sunglasses to avoid damage to eyes!
5. Don’t forget your hand sanitizer!
We all know how easy it is to share germs in a large crowd. Instead, share your hand sanitizer and use it often! This is an essential habit, especially as we continue to battle the spread of COVID-19 and its variants. Keep yourself and others safe by washing your hands often and using hand sanitizer when you don’t have access to soap and water. Wash up! In addition, while the mask mandate has been lifted, a fun mask could be a great addition to your stylish outfit and will protect yourself and those around you from airborne illnesses.
6. Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated during these hot summer festivals is so important. Start hydrating the day before you plan to go and continue throughout the day of the event! According to First Aid for Life, dehydration is the number one cause of people collapsing or passing out at these often hot and crowded outdoor events. The website shares, “Many teenagers are just not aware of the importance of drinking water – particularly in hot sweaty conditions and when drinking alcohol or taking drugs (both powerful diuretics)”. So don’t make a rookie mistake — Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate!
Party on, Chicago.
