Larry Seward joined CBS Miami in February 2023. He brings to South Florida more than a decade of experience telling stories.
Tens of thousands of people are flocking to Bayfront Park for the Ultra Music Festival, an annual electronic music event that has once again brought both excitement and concerns over noise and safety to downtown Miami.
The festival is in its 26th year at the park and is running alongside other major events in the area this weekend, including Mana' at Kaseya Center and a Cleveland Orchestra show at the Adrienne Arsht Center.
Dehydration is a top concern, according to a Miami Fire Rescue spokesman. The department has deployed hundreds of firefighter-paramedics in ambulances, SUVs, trucks, and scooters to the area. Last year, 140 people in the Ultra crowd called fire rescue for help, with 37 people transported to a hospital for treatment.
Ultra has hired off-duty fire rescue crews to patrol the event, utilizing emergency aid kits and scooters to navigate the crowds and get patients to an ambulance faster. Miami Fire Rescue also deployed drones to help spot for paramedics on the ground and fire rescue boats nearby in Biscayne Bay.
"You have so many people in this venue and a lot of them are a little young and inexperienced and make some mistakes and have a little too much fun," said Nico Quiroga, an Ultra fan who lives and works in downtown Miami.
Lt. Pete Sanchez of the City of Miami Fire Department acknowledged the challenge of navigating the crowds, particularly at night, but assured that the department has "enough personnel on scene throughout the entire event to get there relatively quickly."
Angel Tellez, a festival customer from Los Angeles, was glad to hear how many first responders were deployed. "I think everybody should feel at ease knowing that firefighters and medics are on standby," he said.
Ultra's staff has agreed with neighbors to pay attention to noise levels, which annually rise when music begins. This year, Downtown Neighbors' Alliance President James Torres reported receiving "several complaints right now in terms of the traffic and then some of the construction stuff that's been going on" in the two days leading up to the event.
CBS News Miami obtained an email from a woman who works nearby who complained that the crews setting up "thumped and banged equipment so loud" after 6 p.m. that it distracted her work. Ultra's security chief responded to the complaint by asking for the location of her office to investigate the excessive noise. However, two days after filing her complaint, the woman felt ignored.
Ultra did not respond to messages from CBS News Miami seeking comment on the complaints.