Rave expected to keep medics busy

"We’re not going to do a knee-jerk reaction because of Dallas," police spokesman Marcus Martin said Monday.

Unlike Dallas’ one-night Electric Daisy Carnival, Las Vegas is planned as the traveling rave’s much larger and more elaborate main event.

The rave — a dance to electronic music and pulsating lights — will run from dusk to dawn for three nights, starting Friday, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. And 80,000 people are expected each night, four times that of the indoor event in Dallas.

Las Vegas authorities and the event promoter, Insomniac, are convinced they’ve done all they can to prepare for drugs — namely Ecstasy, the man-made stimulant and hallucinogenic that allows ravers to dance for hours.

"We are certainly taking note," said Martin, who will be one of the 160 police officers working the event on Insomniac’s dime. "We’ll be looking for transactions but can’t do much more."

He said Insomniac also has hired hundreds of private security guards to search all attendees upon entrance and scan their IDs to enforce the 18-year-old age requirement for attendance.

Ecstasy inevitably will make its way in, Martin said.

"Having worked raves before, the pills are so tiny that even big bags of them aren’t easily located," Martin said. "Medical will have the lion’s share of work."

That was definitely the case in Dallas. Not only did a 19-year-old man die, 30 other people were taken to the hospital for heat-, drug- and alcohol-related issues. Even without hot weather, Ecstasy users experience dehydration and overheating because the drug increases heart rate and blood pressure, which can cause stroke, kidney failure or seizures resulting in death.

Those on Ecstasy will be in even more danger of hyperthermia, or overheating, this weekend. Highs are predicted at 105 degrees with overnight lows of 77.

Dallas authorities haven’t pinned down the cause of the 19-year-old man’s death, but raves such as the Electric Daisy Carnival are known for the use of Ecstasy.

An Ecstasy overdose killed a 15-year-old girl at last year’s main Electric Daisy Carnival in Los Angeles, which has a lot to do with why it’s now in Las Vegas.

The main event was in Los Angeles for 14 years, but promoters experienced pressure to leave that city after last year’s event, which ended in one dead and 230 other people needing emergency medical treatment.

Insomniac owner Pasquale Rotella released a statement Sunday regarding the death in Dallas: "Our condolences and deepest sympathy go out to the family and friends of the man who passed away."

Rotella didn’t mention Las Vegas, where workers have been building stages every night for the past week. An Insomniac representative said the main event won’t see any changes.

"We’ve been working with Metro (Las Vegas police) for a long time," she said.

But that was the case in Dallas, where 36 police officers staffed the event with 10 medics and private security, according to a city report released Monday detailing the night’s chaos. Nevertheless, the rave at Dallas Fair Park got out of control, forcing police to call in 11 additional officers.

The rave had started slowly.

No police-related incidents occurred from 4 to 8 p.m. Medics took a couple of people to the hospital for possible drug- and heat-related issues. By 8:30, the additional officers were called in after the teenager died. Medic and police leaders met at 10:30.

"All parties agreed the event could be suspended due to public health issues," the city’s report said.

Nevertheless, authorities decided to let it continue for fear of a riot if they shut it down. That potential was realized when a fire alarm was pulled inside the crowded building. The music was stopped and the lights were turned on as everyone was told to leave the building.

The crowd turned into a mob, yelling "(expletive) the police," as seen in a video posted online.

Despite the scene and strong police presence, only two arrests were made: one for public intoxication and the other for possession of Ecstasy.

That seems to prove Las Vegas police officer Martin’s point: Police are unlikely to spot the pill and make arrests, but the aftermath is obvious.

And the medics will bear the burden.

Contact reporter Trevon Milliard at tmilliard@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0279.