EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The Texas Rescue Patrol stationed near Red Sands is reminding El Pasoans heading out there for tonight’s Fourth of July celebration to be responsible.
“Red Sands, of course, is not managed. There’s no safety officers or security guards or management that’s managing this event. It’s just an open piece of desert that people have been congregating at for decades,” said Texas Rescue Patrol Chief Jamil Moutran.
“And so having that foresight and knowledge of knowing that you have to take extra precautions to be safe,” he said.
Moutran said they estimate anywhere from 8,000 to 15,000 people go to Red Sands every year for Fourth of July.
With the masses gathered, many off-roading and popping fireworks, music and drinking, it all poses many risks for the people out there celebrating.
“Fourth of July is not the day where you bring your friends out to teach them how to ride an ATV or ride side by side,” Moutran said. “It is extraordinarily crowded out here, there’s people everywhere, and as I stated before, there’s no traffic control patterns because it’s not an official park and nobody’s managing this. So, it’s really important that you are very careful when you’re out here, when you’re riding on the trails.”
The Texas Rescue Patrol has set up a first aid booth to attend people with minor injuries, but they will also be collaborating with other local authorities who will be on standby for any emergency.
Moutran also wants to remind people to stay hydrated and pick up after themselves, as Red Sands is always left riddled with trash the day after Fourth of July, and there’s no one tasked with picking it up.
People began arriving in the early afternoon to set up a space for themselves, and enjoy the trails in the dunes before it became packed and dangerous at night.
“There’s so many people out here doing the same thing, you know? It’s one love. All of these people, they’re all addicted to the dirt. That’s what it is. We’re addicted to dirt. It’s just so much fun being out here, the adrenaline, we’re adrenaline junkies,” said Matthew Tristan, an El Pasoan who frequents Red Sands.
“We come out here and just make it a fun time. It’s early right now, so it’s a perfect time because it’s safe. As you guys know in El Paso that the darker it gets, the more dangerous we get. So, we try to make it safe because we have the kids here, the family here. And then after we’ll go and enjoy at the pool, cookout, fireworks, all that good stuff,” said Marcela Ramirez, another El Pasoan.
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