What to Expect on a Desert Trip
Sign-Up
Desert trips include Searches and Water Drops. Sign up at a bi-weekly meeting; write down the name of the driver and his/her contact information. Call the driver if you have any questions or need to cancel. Search schedules are emailed to Samaritans periodically; if you missed a meeting, you may call a search driver to sign up or cancel. Email Ricardo to sign up for Water Drops.
Day Before The Trip
The driver should call you to let you know where to meet and what time to meet. Prepare your personal supplies. Bring a backpack with sunscreen, lunch/snack and water for yourself. Wear long pants, a hat, walking or hiking shoes and another layer, such as a long-sleeve shirt, sweatshirt or windbreaker.
Trip Members
Most trips have a driver, a Spanish speaker, someone with medical experience and another rider. Drivers have experience in safely driving a 4-wheel vehicle through what is sometimes rugged terrain; they know how to use GPS and SPOT emergency equipment; they are usually the ones who are experienced at interacting with migrants, Border Patrol and others.
Physical Requirements
Some Desert Searches require walking; many do not. Water Drop Trips usually require the ability to carry one gallon of water up to 1/4 mile. Discuss this with the driver ahead of time if you have any physical concerns. Trip requirements do vary.
There are occasional restrooms. There are frequent trees. Some trips stop for lunch but that is not always possible so bring enough snack so that you are prepared to skip lunch.
Water Drop trips follow fixed routes and usually last 4 to 6 hours; Desert Searches are more varied and usually last 6 to 8 hours. The actual length of time depends on the itinerary and any unexpected event which may occur.
Supplies On Board
Search and Water Drop vehicles somewhat vary in the supplies that they carry. Here is a general list:
Water jugs and LifeStraws
Food packets
Ice or hot tea-season dependent
Blankets, jackets, sweaters- season dependent
First aid kit
Desert Medical Care Instructions
Mechanical tool kit
Maps
GPS
SPOT emergency signaling device
Red Cross phone
Clothing, socks and shoes
Child’s stuffed toy, diapers
Bear Witness
Whether or not migrants are encountered, it is important for Samaritans to be in the desert. Our job is to constantly observe our surroundings, looking for people and for items abandoned in the desert. If we find someone suffering, we offer him/her water, food, clean socks or first aid. If we find someone, it is usually because he/she is giving up or is in need of serious medical attention and may want us to call Border Patrol. If we find identification papers, we notify the consulate. If we find a person who has died (Recovered Human Remains, RHR), we notify Pima County Sheriff to do a recovery operation.
We make a point to converse with others whom we encounter on our trips: Border Patrol, Fish and Wildlife officers, contract bus drivers who transport apprehended migrants, ranchers, hunters, birders, militia and other humanitarian aid groups. These people have a range of political views; we are respectful to all.
If you bring a camera, ask migrants for their permission to take a photo of their face before taking the photo. It is legal to videotape interactions with Border Patrol on private property, in vehicle stops, and at checkpoints; however, it is illegal to videotape or record on government property at a port of entry. For more information, read ACLU’s Know Your Rights: In the Border Zone and Arizona ACLU’s Know Your Rights with Border Patrol.
Desert trips include Searches and Water Drops. Sign up at a bi-weekly meeting; write down the name of the driver and his/her contact information. Call the driver if you have any questions or need to cancel. Search schedules are emailed to Samaritans periodically; if you missed a meeting, you may call a search driver to sign up or cancel. Email Ricardo to sign up for Water Drops.
Day Before The Trip
The driver should call you to let you know where to meet and what time to meet. Prepare your personal supplies. Bring a backpack with sunscreen, lunch/snack and water for yourself. Wear long pants, a hat, walking or hiking shoes and another layer, such as a long-sleeve shirt, sweatshirt or windbreaker.
Trip Members
Most trips have a driver, a Spanish speaker, someone with medical experience and another rider. Drivers have experience in safely driving a 4-wheel vehicle through what is sometimes rugged terrain; they know how to use GPS and SPOT emergency equipment; they are usually the ones who are experienced at interacting with migrants, Border Patrol and others.
Physical Requirements
Some Desert Searches require walking; many do not. Water Drop Trips usually require the ability to carry one gallon of water up to 1/4 mile. Discuss this with the driver ahead of time if you have any physical concerns. Trip requirements do vary.
There are occasional restrooms. There are frequent trees. Some trips stop for lunch but that is not always possible so bring enough snack so that you are prepared to skip lunch.
Water Drop trips follow fixed routes and usually last 4 to 6 hours; Desert Searches are more varied and usually last 6 to 8 hours. The actual length of time depends on the itinerary and any unexpected event which may occur.
Supplies On Board
Search and Water Drop vehicles somewhat vary in the supplies that they carry. Here is a general list:
Water jugs and LifeStraws
Food packets
Ice or hot tea-season dependent
Blankets, jackets, sweaters- season dependent
First aid kit
Desert Medical Care Instructions
Mechanical tool kit
Maps
GPS
SPOT emergency signaling device
Red Cross phone
Clothing, socks and shoes
Child’s stuffed toy, diapers
Bear Witness
Whether or not migrants are encountered, it is important for Samaritans to be in the desert. Our job is to constantly observe our surroundings, looking for people and for items abandoned in the desert. If we find someone suffering, we offer him/her water, food, clean socks or first aid. If we find someone, it is usually because he/she is giving up or is in need of serious medical attention and may want us to call Border Patrol. If we find identification papers, we notify the consulate. If we find a person who has died (Recovered Human Remains, RHR), we notify Pima County Sheriff to do a recovery operation.
We make a point to converse with others whom we encounter on our trips: Border Patrol, Fish and Wildlife officers, contract bus drivers who transport apprehended migrants, ranchers, hunters, birders, militia and other humanitarian aid groups. These people have a range of political views; we are respectful to all.
If you bring a camera, ask migrants for their permission to take a photo of their face before taking the photo. It is legal to videotape interactions with Border Patrol on private property, in vehicle stops, and at checkpoints; however, it is illegal to videotape or record on government property at a port of entry. For more information, read ACLU’s Know Your Rights: In the Border Zone and Arizona ACLU’s Know Your Rights with Border Patrol.