A Closer Look at Public Safety at SRPMIC’s First Responder Safety Day

By Kari Haahr

After last year’s weather-related cancellation, the return of Safety Day to the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community offered a memorable night showcasing all the ways public safety is ensured.

On Oct. 9, the Salt River Fire Department and the Salt River Police Department joined forces and filled the Salt River Ballfield parking lot with first responder vehicles, including a fire truck, an armored SWAT van, a police command truck, undercover police cars, and several drones, which could be seen buzzing overhead throughout the event. Each of the police vehicles showcased the new SRPD logo, a modified basket design featuring a blend of water (representing the river) and a whirlwind (representing force or power from the Creator), created by Community artist Dwayne Manuel.

3 Takeaways:

The annual event is a celebration of first resopnders in the community, including police and fire.
The event included firefighting and police K-9 demonstrations.
Drones showing heat signatures were an example of the importance of technology in managing public safety.

At the start, the SRPMIC Honor Guard presented the colors before the Salt River Traditional Dancers took to the field and shared a basket dance, warming up the crowd and bringing smiles to all.

A Closer Look at Public Safety at SRPMIC’s First Responder Safety Day — The line for a balloon animal was long, but brought smiles that were worth the wait.

A constant stream of visitors moved between the ballfields and parking lot, with many pausing to grab a hot dog and peach cobbler in between. Over on the field, tables and booths were set up by SRPMIC departments, enterprises and vendors sharing information and resources related to services and public safety. Many booths kept the whole family engaged with carnival-style games; there was even a balloon-animal station. Also on the field was an inflatable obstacle course and a fire department-themed bouncy house with a dalmatian on the front.

The evening was peppered with fire and police demonstrations, including police K-9 officers sniffing for illicit substances and a structure that was intentionally lit on fire.

For the police, demonstrating how K-9 officers like Kapi do their job can be tricky. Rez dogs were seen at the event participating in their own ways, waiting in line for cobbler or sneaking into the bouncy house, but it was all work for the K-9. An officer tossed several bags on the ground, and it was up to the hard-working “good boy” to identify which contained the illicit substance. Kapi’s cute face didn’t betray the serious nature of the work, and it was an important reminder that these dogs are very, very good at their jobs as he quickly discovered the substance and communicated with his handler.

The fire demonstration showcased the technique and response time of firefighters as they ran the scenario like a drill. The flames spread quickly on the makeshift structure and were put out with precision by the team at Fire Station 291. The brave firefighters showed how they work quickly together to move the hose and have all eyes on the objective, noting any points where the flames spread or weren’t suppressed. This demonstration also showcased the advanced technology in some of the drones, as one captured the heat signature from the fire, highlighting the importance of technology in keeping the public and our first responders safe.

The return of Safety Day was a success in many ways, and attendees left with insights into how the operations of the SRPD and SRFD are always improving and working toward a safer tomorrow.