Border Patrol adding rescue beacons for migrants in Yuma sector
By ARTHUR H. ROTSTEIN - Associated Press | ∞
TUCSON, Ariz. ---- The Border Patrol's Yuma sector will erect five more rescue beacons in remote desert locations to help illegal immigrants in life-threatening conditions.
As temperatures build toward triple digits, people crossing the border increasingly find themselves in danger from lack of water, food and shade as they make their way through the Arizona desert.
Border Patrol spokesman Michael Bernacke said 19 beacons have been deployed in the sector since 2002, with 317 people rescued.
The new 30-foot towers, operated by solar panels that charge a battery for night operation, will be placed in areas with an increased influx of illegal immigrants "to mitigate the threat and danger of being in the desert," Bernacke said.
"It's a big desert out there, and you can get lost out there very quickly." He said that is a possibility for people camping as well as for illegal immigrants.
A message in English and Spanish advises anyone pushing the button for help that an agent will respond within an hour.
Bernacke said some of the existing beacons are located where a lot of the illegal crossings occur, east of San Luis but on the west side of the Gila Mountains. Others are located in the desert around Wellton.
Meanwhile, the Tucson sector, which has 22 rescue beacons, has no plans currently to add any more. It's last two were installed last year.
Spokesman Jesus "Chuy" Rodriguez said 22 people were rescued from Oct. 1 to March 31 after using beacon signals.
"They're a useful tool," Rodriguez said. A large number of the sector's beacons are situated on heavily trafficked portions of the Tohono O'odham Indian Reservation.
The Yuma sector's first new beacon, to be installed Wednesday, will be on the north side of the Sierra Pinta mountains, Bernacke said.
While the Border Patrol's traditional role is to catch people who break the nation's immigration laws, "we are also there to save lives and help people out," he said.
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dave from oceanside wrote on Apr 8, 2008 5:30 AM:
These beacons are necessary until we get the border fence built.
Watch the movie "Borders" it shows the gruesome facts on the illegal's dying in the desert.
They don't belong here, but they don't deserve to die for making a stupid mistake.
Could be the more that are saved at deaths door and sent back across the border, they will convince people attempting to cross the border illegally it is too dangerous a trip.
I don't get it. wrote on Apr 10, 2008 1:03 AM:Place the beacons south of the border. I don't like the idea of the safety nets called "rescue beacons". This could actually have the opposite affect on these folks. They already know the area is dangerous to cross, but realize that these beacons will save them if they get into trouble. Could it be that more will attempt it because they know they'll be saved if they fail? It's a waste of tax dollars, and manpower.
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