Fair Park has been the venue of choice for several youth-friendly summer music festivals of late, and gee whiz, those darn kids can certainly raise a ruckus.
Two fans died at this past week's Electric Daisy Carnival in spite of seemingly some fairly intensive preparation on the part of the festival. Which begs the question: Will Friday's Warped Tour, also at Fair Park, see the same tragic results? We sure hope not.
But one fan did die of dehydration at last year's Warped Tour in Kansas City, where temperatures rose into the triple digits. Thing is, Warped has allowed fans to bring their own water to every tour stop for a couple years now, so it appears that this tragedy was preventable.
Friday's concert in Dallas will probably see the same high temperatures -- WFAA forecasts a high of 96 for Friday. So how can we work to prevent tragedy at this weekend's show?
Don't worry, parents: The city and the tour will both have the security and emergency personnel on site.
But the main source of prevention comes from the fans themselves. So, on that note, if you're headed to Warped this year, we have some tips for you on how to stay safe and hydrated -- tips that might just save your life.
- Bring your own water. Warped has an agreement with all venues that
states that fans are able to bring their own water bottles onto festival grounds. Water is
very expensive to purchase at some venues -- including Gexa Energy Pavilion -- so pack your own water bottle, and refill
it often at the free water refill stations that will located throughout the venue. Can't find those stations. Fill your water bottles in the bathrooms. Just make sure to drink more water than you think you need. Frequent pee breaks
are better than heat stroke, trust us.
- Know the symptoms of heat exhaustion. We've done the research for you. Symptoms include dizziness, confusion, fatigue, headache, muscle cramps,
nausea, rapid heartbeat and pale skin. If you notice any of these
symptoms, drink some water (remember: caffeinated beverages make things worse),
sit down in the misting stations that Warped will have set up, and take
some deep breaths. If your symptoms haven't subsided in about 30
minutes, it's time to get help from the on-site emergency officers.
- Don't be stupid about taking drugs. We're not condoning drug use by any
means, but let's face it: It's a concert, and people are gonna take drugs
no matter what anyone says. Just remember: If you are gonna get all hopped up on the
goofballs, don't buy these things from strangers. And, if you do take something, please don't
drive. There's a DART rail stop right outside Fair Park, and a cab ride is less
expensive than a DUI. If you start to feel funny, tell someone. Telling the purple leprechauns dancing in your peripherals doesn't
count.
- Use the buddy system. Yes, the same one that they taught you in kindergarten
works surprisingly well at concerts. The young man who died at
the 2010 Electric Daisy Carnival in 2010 might have been able to get help if he hadn't been separated from
his friends. Keep track of everyone in your group, and if you get
separated, check in frequently via text. Pick out a predetermined
meeting spot in case everyone gets separated.
- Prepare for the worst. Write down a couple important phone numbers on a piece of paper and put it in your pocket in case you lose your phone. It also might be a good idea to visit the DART website and map out a train route home in case your ride home doesn't work out.
