News Release

For Release:  October 28, 2002                                                      

Contact: Stephen Razo, (909) 697-5217

CA-610-03-06

 

Safety Primary Focus as Dunes Season Gets Underway

 

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Imperial County sheriff will emphasize safety and maintain a "zero tolerance" policy on serious offenses at the Imperial Sand Dunes as the upcoming Halloween weekend kicks-off the 2003 dunes season.

 

"We saw a significant decrease in undesirable behavior and a greater focus on safety in the latter half of last season," states Greg Thomsen, BLM El Centro Field Office manager. "The reason was because of a strong inter-agency law enforcement effort and tremendous cooperation and support from groups such as the American Sand Association (ASA) and also from responsible 'duners'," Thomsen said.

 

Along with the BLM and the Imperial County sheriff's office, California State Parks and the ASA are teaming up to promote a new "Keep it Clean, Keep it Safe, Keep it Around" campaign aimed at increasing visitor satisfaction in the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area. Billboards at strategic locations, a new safety brochure, message boards, flyers, and public service announcements are all part of the campaign.

 

"The partnerships we enjoy at the Dunes are truly beneficial," states Thomsen. "Along with federal dollars, funding from recreation fees and state OHV grants are helping us to promote a more safe and enjoyable recreation experience for the thousands of enthusiasts who visit us throughout the year."

 

Law enforcement and support personnel from California Highway Patrol, U.S. Forest Service, the California Department of State Parks and Recreation, California Department of Forestry, and the U.S. Border Patrol, will again team-up with the BLM and Imperial County through a multi-agency "Incident Command and Control System."  The system was successfully deployed last season and provided immediate capabilities to handle incidents quickly, providing an effective security net throughout the Dunes.

 

"The BLM along with our partners from the state, county and local interest organizations look forward to a safe and fun 2003 season and we encourage responsible recreation enthusiasts to come out and enjoy one of the most popular off-highway vehicle recreation areas in the country," states Thomsen.

 

-BLM -

 

California Desert District Office - 6221 Box Springs Blvd, Riverside, California - (909) 697-5220