Health and Safety

Rangers are Burners who volunteer to help their fellow community members. They act as a source of information, respond to emergencies and coordinate appropriate resources (medical, fire, security, harm reduction, or Production Team as needed), help disoriented participants find their way, and mediate disputes between participants.

You can find Rangers patrolling What If in pairs, wearing blue BC Rangers t-shirts and carrying radios. If you need help, just ask one. You can also find Ranger HQ on the event map.

aid medical and security staff are on-site 24 hours a day. Access their help by asking a Ranger or Production Team member (anyone with a radio), or by finding medics at the Medics Station (see the map). Security guards are stationed next to each gate in addition to roving security throughout the event.

Participants with known, life-threatening medical issues are encouraged to check in with the medical team upon arrival. Consider providing a photocopy of your ID and Care Card number, along with a brief description of your medical condition, medications, and allergies. This information is kept confidential as per privacy laws and destroyed after the event.

At What If, consent plays a crucial role in order to create a space for radical self-expression. To prevent harassment and assault, we must understand and respect each other’s boundaries. Everyone must be responsible to navigate the intersection between self-expression and the boundaries of others through clear communication, especially given the diversity of our community. 

Consent applies to ALL of our interactions with each other, not just intimate connections! 

When it comes to interactions, enthusiastic and explicit consent is the only acceptable form of consent. Anything less than a resounding ‘yes’ is NOT consent. The absence of a ‘no’ does not equal a ‘yes’. Consent is given freely, and can be withdrawn at any time. Creating an environment founded on consent acknowledges that a person has autonomy 

over their own body and respects each person’s decisions and that they know what is best for themselves. Coercion or emotional manipulation to obtain consent is strictly prohibited, and persistent violation of consent boundaries may result in expulsion from What If. 

Effective communication is key. Consent for one thing does not imply consent for anything else. Be aware of your personal boundaries and feel comfortable expressing them. Always seek and respect the boundaries of others, even if you have prior familiarity with someone. Remember that comfort levels can vary at different times and with different individuals.

Mindfulness regarding substances is crucial and healthy. According to Canadian law, individuals under the influence of substances are unable to give consent. You must be aware of your own state, and the state of others, when engaging in any interactions with people, artwork, and general surroundings. 

If you find yourself in a situation involving threatening behaviour, violence, abuse or assault of any kind (e.g. physical, emotional, sexual, cultural, racial) there are protocols and support systems in place. Seek assistance from any person with a radio (Ranger or Production member), visit Ranger HQ  or go to the Medic Station  for immediate help.

Theme camps that involve explicit sexual activity will be clearly marked and only open to participants 19+

Harm reduction is a set of practical strategies and tools designed to lessen the negative social and physical consequences of various human behaviours. It’s guided by kindness, compassion, and respect for all, and aims to empower people to protect their own health and safety.

Ask Wellness

Ask Wellness provides on-site education, substance testing, and free harm reduction supplies, including sunscreen, ear plugs, safer sex and drug use supplies, and more.

Open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 2pm to 11pm, and Sunday from 12pm to 2pm.

Sanctuary

Sanctuary is a safe space for anyone feeling temporarily overwhelmed. It offers a quiet, calm, comfortable area to relax, or someone to help talk you through a difficult experience. Volunteers provide peer support guided by harm reduction and trauma informed principles, working alongside security and medics to help keep participants safe. Anyone at risk of harm to themselves or others may be referred to offsite resources for additional support.

• Available 24/7 from Thursday, July 23rd at 8:00pm until Monday, July 27th at 4:00am
• Spaces to sit and lounge, plus pillows, blankets, and rugs to keep things cozy

• The Effigy will not be burned this year. Due to ongoing forest fire risks, only pre-approved fire performances and fire art are permitted at What If. This means no open flames of any kind, including fire spinning, propane fire pits, candles, or heaters with a flame.

  Smoking cigarettes is only permitted in marked smoking areas, shown on the event map.

  Only unmodified cooking appliances and outdoor flameless enclosed heaters are permitted, and all heating devices must be CSA approved. Be extremely careful and monitor these at all times. They should never be left unattended. If costumes, grass, or other materials could touch the device and instantly catch fire, it’s realistically an open flame and is not allowed.

  Camps with significant cooking or battery charging facilities are asked to keep a fire extinguisher within reach at all times, and fire extinguishers are strongly encouraged for all camps. All camps should also keep a bucket full of water on hand in case of grass fires.

If you bring a generator, please follow these rules:

• Place it on a spillage tray, or a less-combustible surface like a piece of plywood, to keep hot components off dry grass and away from fuel spillage.
• Bring the quietest generator you can afford, and the smallest one that meets your actual needs. Consider covering it with a sound shield or baffle, or fitting it with a motorcycle muffler. Never bury it to muffle the noise.
• Never run generators late at night or early in the morning (11pm to 9am).
• Place your generator as far from other campers as possible.
• Direct the exhaust away from sleeping areas.
• Secure power cables so no one can trip over them.
• Turn it off whenever no one is in camp.
• Take great care when refuelling. Refuel on a spillage tray and make sure no fuel spills.

There’s a river that runs through the property, and swimming or entering it is at your own risk. What If assumes no liability for any accidents or injuries that occur in or near the water.

The water can run fast and the bottom is rocky, so it’s easy to lose your footing and get carried away. There may also be debris in the water. We’ve thought about lifeguards and swimming restrictions, but we’re trusting everyone here as adults: please don’t drown, and look out for each other so no one else does either.

Contrary to what you see in movies, a drowning person is usually quiet and not moving much. Water in the lungs and shortness of breath make it hard to call out, and low oxygen makes it hard to move. If you have any doubt about whether a swimmer is okay, ask them. If they don’t respond, they need help.

The river is also a vital habitat for salmon spawning and egg-laying, so please avoid wearing sunscreen, bug spray, perfume, lotions, or other skin and hair products while swimming. What If doesn’t have showers, and the river isn’t a substitute for one. Please don’t move the river rocks either, to help minimize impact on the ecosystem.

Closely monitor minors at all times. Kids 12 and under must stay in view of their responsible adult, both at the riverbank and in the water.

Additional swimming information may be posted on-site. Please follow any signage you see there.