YUMA, Ariz. –CBP’s Border Patrol and Air and Marine agents working near the Imperial San Dunes, responded to an All-Terrain vehicle accident Monday.
U.S. Bureau of Land Management personnel notified Yuma Border Patrol Sector dispatch of a serious single vehicle ATV accident, resulting in serious injuries to the individual. Officials requested Border Patrol assistance near the Buttercup campground, in the Imperial Sand Dunes, west of Winterhaven, Calif. Yuma Sector Border Patrol Search Trauma and Rescue Team (BORSTAR) agents working nearby responded, but due to the remote location atop a large dune, an EC120 aircraft from CBP Air and Marine Operation’s Yuma Air Branch was asked to airlift personnel to the crash site. Once BORSTAR team members arrived & triaged the patient, a Reach Medical Transport helicopter was dispatched to remove the accident victim and travel to a nearby Trauma Center for further treatment.
Yuma Sector Chief Chris Clem applauded the efforts of BORSTAR members who responded. “Our personnel are called upon regularly.” He added, “The training they (agents) receive makes them a valuable resource in addressing a variety of situations such as this accident. The public doesn’t realize the job of a Border Patrol agent involves humanitarian duties as well as that of enforcement.”
Yuma Air Branch Director James Schuetzler addressed the cooperative works done with Border Patrol. “Our personnel work regularly to assist Border Patrol with a variety of taskings.” He concluded, “While most missions involve assisting personnel on the ground with interdiction, they also aid in a variety of rescue efforts each year.”
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials welcome assistance from the community. Individuals can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol and remain anonymous by calling 1-877-872-7435 toll free. Reporting illicit activity could result in saving someone’s life.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control, and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP’s mission includes keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws. Follow us on Twitter @CBPArizona.
AMO safeguards our nation by anticipating and confronting security threats through our aviation and maritime law enforcement expertise, innovative capabilities, and partnerships at the border and beyond. With approximately 1,800 federal agents and mission support personnel, 240 aircraft and 300 marine vessels operating throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands, AMO serves as the nation’s experts in airborne and maritime law enforcement.
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