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Medical, Safety, and Crisis Resources at Lakes of Fire

Session: 9 Applies to: All group members — especially first-timers and Amber (professional context) Source: ESD department page, Rangers department page, lakesoffire.org

Overview

Lakes of Fire has three intersecting safety systems: 1. ESD — Emergency Services Department (medical) 2. Rangers — Situational response, de-escalation, orientation 3. CIT — Crisis Intervention Team (mental health, assault, complex social crises)

All three are staffed by trained volunteers. All operate 24/7 during the event. These are not "security guards" in the conventional sense — they are community members with specific credentials and training.

ESD (Emergency Services Department)

What they are: Credentialed volunteers — EMS, ER nurses, ER techs, ER doctors, military medics, NSP, advanced first aid / CPR holders.

What they handle: - Medical emergencies (injury, heat illness, dehydration, allergic reactions, cardiac events) - Intoxication that requires medical monitoring - Any situation where a person needs physical medical assessment

Fire classification system: - Fire I: Completed Lakes of Fire Fire 101 class + NIMS IS-100.C (free online) + CPR - Fire II: NFPA, state, or military credentialed personnel - This determines what role an ESD volunteer takes; attendees don't need to know classification — just find them

Contact: esd@lakesoffire.org (pre-event planning) At event: Go to or radio ESD. Rangers can call ESD for you.

For the group: - In a medical emergency: go to or send someone to find an ESD member or call for Rangers to summon ESD - ESD will have a base of operations on-site — developer locates this during Day 1 site walkthrough - Amber: as a social worker/activities coordinator, CIT and ESD contacts are worth knowing in advance

Rangers

What they are: Trained community mediators and situational responders. Not police. Not "event security." They are community members trained in de-escalation and FLAME protocol.

What they handle: - Lost persons (including "I'm disoriented and can't find my camp") - Disputes between attendees - Welfare checks - Connecting people to medical or crisis support - Perimeter security (pNinja shifts) - Situations that are weird but not medical emergencies

2026 update: All Rangers — new and returning — must complete mandatory training for 2026 (including a mandatory quiz via Volunteeripate before shifts unlock). Training options: in-person (Detroit, Chicago, Safety Weekend June 5–7, on-site) or virtual.

FLAME protocol: Rangers' guiding framework for responding to situations — they are trained de-escalators first.

Contact: rangers@lakesoffire.org (pre-event) At event: Find a Ranger (they wear khaki) or ask any staff/volunteer.

For the group: - If you're lost, confused, or something feels wrong but it's not a medical emergency: find a Ranger - Rangers are the most accessible entry point to the safety system - For first-timers: Rangers are a good Day 1 contact point (who to find, where to go) - Developer should locate the Ranger HQ during Day 1 site walkthrough alongside ESD location

CIT (Crisis Intervention Team)

What they are: A 24/7 on-call unit for complex social crises beyond standard Ranger capacity. Staffed by trained and licensed mental health professionals.

What they handle: - Mental health crises - Domestic violence situations - Sexual assault response - Social service situations that require professional-level response

Contact: Activated through Rangers — a Ranger calls CIT when a situation requires it At event: Tell a Ranger what's happening; they call CIT if appropriate

For the group: - Amber: CIT is the most relevant professional-context resource given your background; if you encounter a situation that warrants CIT, Rangers are the activation point - For any attendee who is struggling emotionally or in crisis: find a Ranger → they engage CIT - This is a strong safety net for first-timers who may be surprised by the emotional intensity of a burn-type event

Emergency Framework for the Group

Medical emergency (physical)

  1. Identify: is this immediately life-threatening? If yes: find ESD directly or shout for help
  2. If not immediate: find a Ranger and describe the situation — they contact ESD
  3. Developer identifies ESD base location during Day 1 walkthrough

Person in crisis (mental/emotional)

  1. Find a Ranger
  2. Describe the situation without diagnosis — "My friend is very distressed and I can't help them"
  3. Rangers assess and engage CIT if needed

Lost / separated

  1. Stay in place if safe
  2. Find any Ranger or volunteer
  3. Rangers have communication infrastructure — they can help locate camp and reunite people

Camp-level incident

  1. Any neighbor conflict, property issue, or rule violation: find a Ranger
  2. Do not attempt to resolve enforcement-level disputes yourself

Self-Care Notes for the Group

Heat and sun: - Peak sun hours (noon–4 PM) are highest medical-risk time for dehydration and heat illness - Symptoms: confusion, stopped sweating despite heat, nausea, dark urine - Prevention: shade during peak hours, 1+ liter water per hour in heat, electrolytes

Sleep deprivation: - Multi-day events with loud overnight environments cause cumulative impairment - Don't volunteer for early-morning responsibilities after late nights without protection (earplugs, eye mask, scheduled rest) - Build in deliberate rest hours each afternoon — this is not optional; it is operational

Emotional intensity: - First-time burn-type events frequently produce unexpected emotional responses (joy, overwhelm, loneliness, liberation, grief, overstimulation) - This is normal — not a sign something is wrong - Amber's professional context makes this worth naming explicitly: you may find yourself in a support role for fellow attendees; protect your own energy first

Decision memo

  • Keep: ESD, Rangers, CIT as the three-tier safety system reference
  • Standardize: Developer locates ESD and Ranger HQ on Day 1 and tells Amber and Matt their locations
  • Assign: Amber is aware of CIT protocol as professional background context; she is NOT on call
  • Assign: All three group members know "find a Ranger" as first response to any uncertain situation
  • Keep: Self-care heat and sleep protocols in this memo
  • Reject: Treating Rangers as "security" — they are de-escalators and connectors, not enforcement