Many of the people illegally crossing the border into the U.S. are dehydrated, or even at risk of dying in the brutal Arizona heat.
Medical attention can be crucial, but also hard to find in the remote borderland areas.
That’s where Border Patrol’s Search, Trauma and Rescue ( BORSTAR ) team comes in.
BORSTAR agent Zachary Fowler is a highly-trained paramedic in the wild.
“You can go from law enforcement to medical, or from medical into law enforcement,” said Fowler. “You have to stay fluid, but I really need to make sure I prioritize the medical care and medical treatment.”
KGUN 9’s Ryan Fish drove hundreds of miles with him in the areas around Sasabe and Arivaca, one of the routes he patrols for emergency calls.
Most of his patients are border crossers unable to handle the harsh heat and rugged journey across the desert.
“Somebody on an ambulance generally has a response time under 10 minutes,” he explained. “We are in a lot more rural of an area. So our general response time could be hours.”
In the scorching heat, every minute counts. Highs above 100 are common through the entire summer. Fowler says nearly all of his calls in the summer involve heat-related illness.
“This IV set-up is definitely my most crucial piece of gear,” Fowler said. “This is what we use most frequently for the patients that we see that are dehydrated. Out here, a liter of fluid is gonna go a long way.
“Anything that you’re gonna see in your standard ground ambulance, I’m gonna have in this truck.”
Border crossers in distress end up calling 911. They also can hit the red button on one of 35 rescue beacons scattered across the Tucson sector.
“There is no way for any person to carry enough water to make some of these treks,” said Border Patrol agent Benjamin Salcido. “They’re lied to by these smuggling organizations.”
When someone hits the red button on a rescue beacon, it notifies Border Patrol where that person is. They also feature a reflector that can be seen up to 10 miles away, and at night features a flashing blue light.
Across the desert, Border Patrol also uses seismic sensors and cameras that track motion and send images to agents’ phones. Agents can also track who is closest to the next call that comes in.
During the ride along, KGUN 9 followed an emergency call involving a U.S. citizen who claimed to be camping in the area, before getting lost looking for his dog.
“Pretty rural area,” said Fowler. “Border Patrol found this guy. Didn’t quite seem right so wanted to get him looked at.”
The man was dehydrated, but luckily he ended up being okay. Others in his situation haven’t been.
“People can die out here without water for a day, in these temperatures,” said Fowler.
Later, a more harrowing call for help came from high up in the mountains: two border crossers with a third member of their group left behind and likely dead.
Three BORSTAR agents worked together to respond. One of them went up in a helicopter to get a better look in case the callers needed to be taken down to a paramedic, like Fowler.
“It’s exhilarating. It’s different every day,” he said. “There’s a sense of fulfillment for directly helping somebody and seeing a patient condition improve… From absolutely critical to like, yeah, this guy’s gonna make it. This guy’s gonna live.”
That feeling is why he takes on this tough job. Even those who illegally cross are still people who may need help.
——-
Ryan Fish is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9 and comes to the Sonoran Desert from California’s Central Coast after working as a reporter, sports anchor and weather forecaster in Santa Barbara. Ryan grew up in the Chicago suburbs, frequently visiting family in Tucson. Share your story ideas and important issues with Ryan by emailing ryan.fish@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter .
Most Popular
Comments / 0