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Meet RödaKorset at the Sweden Rock Festival

While attending the Sweden Rock Festival over the first weekend in June as occasional European Correspondent for Q107 Classic Rock Toronto radio station, FMS website editor David Wilson also took the opportunity to talk to Lena Ottusson (see gallery), Saturday director of the Swedish RödaKorset (Red Cross); providers of medical cover at the prestigious Scandinavian event.

The Swedish Rock Festival at Sölvesborg attracts an average attendance of 25,000 fans from all over Europe and according to Lena, 1,800 of them required treatment from Swedish RödaKorset over the duration of the four-day rock-fest in 2007. She is expecting a similar total this year when figures are finally tallied and added that most treatment is for minor injuries and ailments, as well as alcohol and drugs related conditions; which will all sound very familiar to FMS veterans!

The amount of volunteers required by RödaKorset over the entire length of the Sweden Rock Festival is around 40, most working in the medical tent (see gallery) situated plum centre in the middle of the site, but also includes a small number of car drivers who transport those requiring further treatment to a local hospital.

Although on-site medical cover provided by RödaKorset is officially restricted to first aid, a fair proportion of the volunteers are qualified doctors, nurses and paramedics. Other RödKorset members hold down day jobs totally unrelated to the medical profession but do possess first aid qualifications.

However, Lena was keen to point out that RödaKorset also have a separate fully-equipped major incident mobile unit known as the ‘Katastrofvagn’ (see gallery) located next to the medical tent. They also rely on access to one ambulance on site, and a further two on standby based at the local hospital. A documented major disaster plan is in place and every volunteer must read the policy and procedures manual before treating anyone on site.

Swedish RödaKorset organises local groups that operate within a 60 mile radius of their base. So, in addition to music festivals the volunteer team covers town festivals, farm festivals and any just about any other major event within their coverage area.

Sweden Rock Festival makes a financial contribution to RödaKorset for the cover it receives, and in addition the hospital in Sölvesborg provide vital equipment and supplies on the basis that patients would all have to be ferried to them if RödKorset didn’t provide the coverage at the event.

When informed of the size and level of medical cover provided at Glastonbury and Reading Festivals by FMS Lena admitted that it’s something she’d like to experience provoking this correspondent to wonder whether this could be the start of some sort of fabulous twinning arrangement between FMS and RödaKorset at the Sweden Rock Festival. What do you think? Email the editor and let him know!

Updated 12/06/08