To: Hilda Solis, Supervisor, First District, Mark Ridly-Thomas, Supervisor, Second District, Shiela Kuehl, Supervisor, Third Distric, Don Knab, Supervisor, Fourth District, Michael D. Antonovich, Supervisor, Fifth District, The Honorable Nor...

BAN Raves In LA County!!!!!

At least TWENTY individuals have DIED attending Raves since 2006; at least three died in the last year within LA County alone. (LA Times 8/8/15). In addition, residents living close to Rave venues complain about unmanageable traffic, extreme noise, trespassing, lewd conduct and property damage.

Why is this important?

"If the county wants to make money while people are dying and medically compromised they should just come out and say it."
Dr. Philip Fagan Jr., Emergency Department Director at LA Good Samaritan Hospital (LA Times Article 8/8/15)

We the undersigned believe that Raves should be banned from taking place in Los Angeles County, especially on land that is owned and/or partially owned by Los Angeles County. The Rave held on August 1 and 2, 2015 at FAIRPLEX, in Pomona, resulted in at least two tragic deaths. Also at least 49 rave attendees were transported by ambulance to Emergency Rooms in several different hospitals in Los Angeles County. Many of these ended up in intensive care. Raves should also be banned as they cause numerous problems to residents who live in areas surrounding the FAIRPLEX.
Since the last Rave at the Fairplex (August 1 & 2, 2015), physicians and Emergency Room Personnel have gone on the record against Raves, based on what they witnessed.
According to an August 8, 2015 article in the LA Times written by Rong-Gong Lin II and Richard Winton, since 2006 there have been at least 20 drug related deaths from Raves. Almost half of those have been in southern California.
Many doctors agree no matter how many precautions are taken by event organizers or emergency planners, they are not working and Raves should end. Here are statements made by Emergency Room Doctors and Nurses regarding first-hand experience with Raves according to the 8/8/15 LA Times article:
Dr. Bradford Hardesty witnessed "quite a few who came in with drug-induced seizures. Some couldn't answer questions because they were so drugged. Some extremely aggressive patients had to be placed under constant care and under heavy sedation."
Dr. Brian Johnston, Chairman of Emergency Medicine Department at White Memorial Medical Center in Los Angeles: From Raves, teens have come into his ER suffering from heart attacks. "You just don't see that from other events. This is a different animal. When they were doing them in the Coliseum, they had so many casualties that they hired their own ambulances to wait. They know what's going on."
Laurie Sepke- ER Nurse at Pomona Valley Medical Center; " You have heat, you have a lot of energy drinks, alcohol, drugs that induce euphoria but also increase temperature and heart rate and blood pressure."

Dr. Kenneth Nakamoto- ER Physician at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center; "Ravegoers get so agitated and confused that they can't be controlled.... And we ended up having to admit several to the intensive care unit....it really creates a dangerous situation."

Dr. Marc Futernick, Emergency Services Medical Director at Dignity Health California Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles; "There's something about these events that leads to this rampant drug abuse....and young adults are really getting hurt and paying the price." Speaking of his experience with ravegoers he notes "These were patients that were just really ill. Altered. Comatose. Requiring ventilatory support. Temperatures I've never seen with infections, only with this kind of drug abuse....there's no other way to describe it other than it will melt your organs and do damage to your organs to the point you will die."

Dr. Philip Fagan Jr., Emergency Department Director at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles:
"If the county wants to make money while people are dying and medically compromised they should just come out and say it."

In addition, many who live near Rave venues such as Fairplex in Pomona where the two day August Rave was held, experienced multiple problems such as:
• Hours of nightmare traffic and air pollution from the miles of cars trying to enter and/or leave the area for the event;
• Rave lights shows shining directly into residents’ homes;
• Noise pollution including loud announcements, 65,000 people screaming, and hours of bass reverberation
• Emergency vehicles and sirens in constant operation;
• Scores of inebriated/stoned rave attendees invading quiet neighborhoods;
• Rave attendees parking numerous cars on residential areas blocking streets and driveways;
• Helicopters loudly circling above homes for hours day and night.
• Personal property vandalized and many families consciously kept children indoors so as to not expose them to the unruly crowds that were disrespectful and irresponsible (like driving at top speeds through alleys, driving on the wrong side of the street or urinating on resident lawns)

Please join us in banning Raves in Los Angeles County. It will help save lives and keep our communities peaceful and positive.