Nelly lovers, Slope Day veterans and freshmen new to the Cornell tradition are not the only ones who have been preparing for Friday’s festivities.

“Planning for Slope Day starts the day after the previous Slope Day,” said Sharon Dittman, associate director of community relations of Gannett Health Service.

To accommodate demand for its services, Gannett removes furniture from its main lobby and replaces it with 16 mattresses, IVs for dehydrated patients and vomit basins, according to Dittman.

Last year, Gannett treated 30 students for alcohol poisoning and 16 for alcohol- related injuries, not including those sent to Cayuga Medical Center, Dittman said. 

“We haven’t seen much variation in those numbers, and we don’t take that as reassuring. That’s a lot of people who have a pretty bad time on Slope Day,” Dittman said.

With students congregating en masse on the Slope, Cornell Police service receive extra support from Ithaca Police and surrounding SUNY schools to help with security. CUPD Chief Kathy Zoner said the Slope Day Committee also contracts private security for the day.

Eighty CUEMS staff will patrol the slope on foot. CUEMS will also operate three ambulances and four ATVs to assist in transporting patients, said Daniel Maas ’87, CUEMS Supervisor.

CUEMS runs a command post where people from all of the different organizations managing medical issues can communicate, according to Maas.

“Most of the people we deal with are those pre-gaming and drinking off the Slope beforehand. Typically, they’re the ones drinking hard liquor, not drinking water and not eating,” he said.

Last Slope Day, there were also several non-medical incidents. For instance, police were dispatched to Court Hall to take a report regarding an individual pouring maple syrup on the fourth floor carpet.

Dittman asked students to call Gannett or EMS if they witness any medical issues on the Slope.

“One of the most difficult things for us to deal with … is when people choose to take their partying to a level where they are unable to enjoy the day, or see the main act,” Zoner said.

Dittman agreed, saying Gannett fully supports Slope Day as a “wonderful mental health day for students."