Police to stand watch over pilgrims
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Authorities to hand out glow sticks, water, along with holding DWI checkpoints
3/19/2008 - 3/20/08
Pilgrims making their way from Santa Fe to the Santuario de Chimayó on Good Friday and throughout the weekend will encounter local authorities who have prepared for the annual event.
The route marked off by the Department of Transportation will be the same as last year, Sheriff Greg Solano said, and pilgrims will get the same care they've grown to expect from authorities.
Solano said deputies will be handing out glow sticks to walkers leaving Santa Fe and will also patrol the highways today through Easter Sunday.
"Tie the glow sticks where you can see them, and wear reflective clothing," Solano said. He urged pilgrims to stay out of traffic and cross roads only at designated areas.
"Over the years, we have had individuals struck while doing the pilgrimage," he said, noting that most incidents occurred while people were crossing the highway.
A lot of those incidents, Solano said, also involved drunken drivers. Because of that, there will be DWI checkpoints along the route, something that's been done since he's been sheriff, and on Friday there will be a DWI saturation patrol.
There also will be stations were walkers can ask for help and get water provided by the Sheriff's Department and county Fire Department. "We're not new at this game," said John Wheeler, assistant fire chief. "We now have a really coordinated response."
Wheeler said stations along the route will provide medical service for those who need it, and one unit will be dedicated to medical service at the santuario itself.
Contact John Sena at 986-3079 or jsena@sfnewmexican.com.
