Grab a friend, some gloves and the trash bags and do your part to help tackle the refuse and litter that accumulates over time in the alleys, residential streets and neighborhood parks.

Residents throughout Pima County and Tucson will be cleaning up their yards and neighborhoods in the Operation Clean Sweep anti-litter campaign held on Oct. 20.

“Neighborhoods are key in helping us create a vibrant, healthy future,” said Pima County Supervisor Ray Carroll. “In working together, we can not only make them safer, cleaner and more livable, but we can build relationships that strengthen connections with one another.”

Board of Supervisors Chairman Ramón Valadez agreed. “This is a wonderful opportunity to not only make the community cleaner and more beautiful, but it is a chance to offer a helping hand to one another at the same time.”

The one-day event is supported by a host of governments and community organizations, including Pima County, the City of Tucson, Green Things, the Tucson Metro Chamber, Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities and Tucson Clean & Beautiful.

Residents are encouraged to keep safety in mind.

Please refrain from picking up trash along streets with speed limits higher than 25 miles per hour and be watchful of other threats to public safety, from snakes and insects, to hypodermic needles and medical waste. Don’t forget the water and sunscreen.

For more information, contact greenthingsaz@gmail.com or at 520.299.9471.

Pima County has installed GPS devices on about 800 vehicles in its fleet including 97 pieces of heavy equipment, allowing the County to encourage safe driving.  As an additional benefit, departments are able to know where vehicles are at any given time. GPS is one more tool for ensuring safety and efficiency in Pima County government and encouraging employee accountability.

The County monitors vehicles for speed, locations visited, engine idle time, harsh braking, harsh accelerating, harsh turns, and seatbelt use. Speed is a major factor in the safe operation of vehicles, and the GPS system helps identify driving behavior.

If the County notices potential unsafe driving behaviors or unusual travel patterns, a GPS Incident Report is provided to the driver’s manager for follow up to address the driving behavior.

In addition, GPS tracking augments the familiar “How’s My Driving?” hotline (903-2117) bumper sticker found on County vehicles. It enables the County to investigate citizen complaints about County drivers.  In one recent case, a County resident complained about “Ten Pima County employees sitting around all day and five trucks parked in Amado,” says County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry. Pima County Department of Transportation (DOT) checked its GPS records, and no DOT vehicles were in the area. Risk Management checked the GPS records for other County vehicles, and found there were none in Amado at any time on that day.

County departments also believe GPS helps ensure the safety of County employees. Health Department inspectors, for example, use a fleet of 20 vehicles to inspect restaurants, motels, hotels, swimming pools, mobile home parks, and to investigate complaints about rodents and mosquitoes. “We have inspectors out in remote areas. Using GPS, we can make sure they’re safe, and that they’re on their way back to the office after the inspection,” says Jeff Terrell, Program Manager with Consumer Health and Food Safety.

Now that Pima County can track vehicles using GPS, there is a lower risk of County vehicles being used for unofficial or personal use. “Because of GPS, we know where our vehicles are 24/7. It’s all about efficiency, management, control, and safety,” says Huckelberry.

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There are a number of reasons visitors and residents can run into trouble when they explore their desert surroundings.

Whether they get lost, become dehydrated, injure themselves in a fall or just take ill, Pima County now has another tool to help them get back to safety.

Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik said at a press conference Monday that the County’s new rescue-capable helicopter will be vital in responding to such calls.

Previously, the County had to rely on military or state-owned helicopters, which often weren’t available because those agencies have their own missions, Dupnik said.

The American Eurocopter AS350B3e – with a federally-sanctioned call sign of “Sheriff 1” – is able to operate at high altitudes and use a hoist to carry people out of dangerous situations and bring them in for medical treatment if necessary.

Dupnik said it also has the ability to pick up heavy, large-capacity buckets of water, known as “Bambi Buckets,” to perform water drops in the case of wildfires.

Equipped with the latest surveillance equipment, Sheriff 1 also will be used along the border to support some U.S. Border Patrol operations, as well as the Sheriff’s own border crimes unit.

The $3.8 million helicopter was purchased with drug seizure money, federal grants and an insurance settlement after the department’s last helicopter tragically crashed in 2011, killing pilot Loren Leonberger and injuring three others. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined by the National Transportation Safety Board..

“Since then, we’ve worked very hard to get another helicopter,” Dupnik said, adding, “What you see out there hasn’t cost the taxpayers of Pima County one dime.”

Pima County Supervisor Sharon Bronson said the new helicopter will assist the County in its goal of remaining engaged in regional activities. “This is going to allow us to partner and collaborate with the various emergency management agencies throughout the County,” she said.

Pima County Supervisor Richard Elías concurred, noting the County’s new regional communications center will provide communications services for 29 police and fire agencies and put 7,000 new radios into service. When it is activated in December 2013, Elías said it will further strengthen public safety and emergency response capabilities. “That’s the kind of cooperation it takes and that’s the kind of cooperation we look forward to in the future,” he said.

In attendance to show support were representatives from the Tucson sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, the state Department of Public Safety, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and the Tucson Airport Authority, as well as police officials from the City of Tucson, the Towns of Marana and Oro Valley, and the City of South Tucson. Also present were representatives from various fire districts.

ASSIGNMENT EDITORS NOTE:  The helicopter will take off from Kino Sports Complex following the 10 a.m. press conference. The helicopter will support law enforcement personnel from the bomb squad, SWAT and search-and-rescue functions, who will have their equipment on display at the event.

Pima County will unveil a new crime-fighting and life-saving tool on Monday, Sept. 24.

The American Eurocopter AS350B3e helicopter will be introduced to the community at 10 a.m. at Kino Sports Complex, 2500 East Ajo Way.

 The helicopter, which will be used to complete search-and-rescue operations and to help extinguish fires, will be the County’s first rescue-capable helicopter.  The County previously had to rely on helicopters from the Department of Public Safety or the military, depending on availability.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department is the first law enforcement agency in the country to purchase the model for law enforcement uses.

This model of helicopter, typically used for high performance missions in hot conditions and high altitudes, will allow Pima County to more readily respond to threats along the border and will serve as a key asset in rescuing hikers off Mount Lemmon or in rescuing those suffering from heat exposure in the desert.

The new helicopter replaces a different model that crashed in January 2011 northwest of Tucson, killing pilot Loren Leonberger and injuring three others. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined by the National Transportation Safety Board.

No general fund appropriations supported the $3.8 million purchase.

Instead, Pima County used three funding sources: an insurance settlement from the crash, federal grant funding for urban areas with potential terrorism threats and approximately $1 million in racketeering funds.

The new helicopter will complement the other aircraft in the Sheriff Department’s Air Unit.

The department has two planes used for the extradition of prisoners, a single-engine and a twin-engine Cessna.

The department also uses two Vietnam-era, fixed-wing Helio-Courier aircraft that are extremely fuel efficient and can stay in the air flying as slow as 25 miles per hour. This capability provides these aircraft an efficient and practical use in patrol operations.

The helicopter now ensures the department will have a diverse fleet that will allow it to respond to a diverse range of situations.

It’s monsoon season in the Sonoran Desert, and heavy rains can cause isolated flooding and erosion. This year has been a typical year for citizens reporting erosion and flooding with the Regional Flood Control District (RFCD) receiving 50 to 60 calls per storm, according to Chris Cawein, Deputy Director.

Residents in unincorporated Pima County can report erosion or flooding by calling RFCD at 243-1800. Problems on private property or roads or within incorporated cities are not RFCD’s responsibility. Problems on County roads should be reported to the Pima County Department of Transportation at 740-6410.

“When a citizen calls, we get as much information as possible about the problem,” Cawein said.  “Then we dispatch an investigator if it’s the District’s responsibility and handle it from there. We forward the complaint to the Pima County Department of Transportation or refer the caller to the appropriate jurisdiction if the complaint lies within their area of responsibility.”

Two divisions handle residents’ concerns. The Floodplain Management Division processes drainage complaints for most single-lot drainage issues. These are situations in which an individual has done something on his or her property that may adversely impact a neighboring property. Classic examples of this type of diversion are filling in or altering the alignment of regulatory washes, construction of walls, or creation of berms on the property. The Infrastructure Management Division processes drainage complaints related to public infrastructure such as public drainage-ways, bank protection, and/or detention/retention basins.

RFCD reminds residents that monsoons are dangerous and offers these tips for safety:

• A flash flood can travel miles beyond the storm that generated it, catching unwary hikers and motorists by surprise.
• Never attempt to drive across a flooded roadway. Nearly half of all flash flood fatalities are auto-related and about 75 percent of fatalities occur at night.
• If you come upon a flooded roadway, STOP. The depth of the water is not always obvious. The roadbed may be washed out under the water and you could be stranded or trapped. Wait for the flood waters to recede or turn around and go another way.
• It only takes two feet of flowing water to sweep most vehicles downstream. Low profile vehicles can be moved by smaller flows.
• Do not drive around a barricade. Barricades are there for your protection.
• When driving at highway speeds excess water on the roadway can cause your vehicle to lose traction. Slow down to a safe speed to avoid hydroplaning and losing control of your vehicle.
• Monsoons often contain high winds and cause dust storms, presenting additional driving hazards.

For detailed information about monsoons and flash flooding, read the RFCD monsoon safety brochure at: http://rfcd.pima.gov/outreach/pdfs/brochure_monsoon.pdf

It’s monsoon season and that means more mosquitoes in the air. Regional Flood Control District (RFCD) staff use several methods to reduce the numbers of all types of mosquitoes.

The District is responsible for maintenance of 62 detention basins in the unincorporated areas of Pima County.  Two older regional stormwater detention basins, Camino Verde Basin on Camino Verde Road south of Ajo Way and the Massingale Basin on Massingale Road and Camino de Oeste, are slow to drain naturally. When these basins receive significant amounts of drainage, RFCD first uses heavy-duty pumps to reduce the amount of standing water. Then the remaining water is treated with a granular larvicide called BTI. BT stands for Bacillis thuringensis, a group of natural soil-dwelling bacteria; the I stands for israelensis, the specific strain of the bacteria that kills mosquitoes in the larval stage. It is safe for birds and all other animals. In fact, BTI is available in floating “dunks” for home use at local hardware stores.  Smaller basins are also treated with BTI as required if water remains in them for more than several days.

Most mosquito bites are irritating, but harmless. “Floodwater mosquitoes (so-called ankle biters) are not typically mosquito species that are disease vectors and they don’t carry West Nile virus,” explains Chris Cawein, Deputy Director at RFCD. “Whenever rain hits, we look at the storm report and gauges” to determine which large and small basins or areas might need treatment. “Most basins drain within one to two days, but if they retain water for more than three days, they’re on the list to treat.”

“We do a lot of preparatory work before the monsoon season to improve drainage in certain problematic basins and other areas to reduce mosquito breeding habitat,” says Cawein. Regardless of the preparatory work, some areas just will drain slowly.

He says mosquito abatement activities can run anywhere from April to October, but “our season is driven by rain events, with July through September being the primary months. After the first frost – typically in October, mosquitoes aren’t too much of a problem.”

Pima County Health Department monitors mosquitoes in four areas and provides counts to RFCD from traps at Cortaro Mesquite Bosque, Mesquite Circle Pond, Arroyo Chico Phase 2, and Rillito River/Swan Wetlands.  RFCD uses this data to determine which areas need treatment.

Some areas are treated weekly, like the Kino Environmental Restoration Project area on Ajo Way across from Kino Veterans’ Memorial Stadium, “because people use the trails there, it’s near other parks, and there’s a large body of water,” says Cawein. “The larvicide lasts a week and keeps the mosquito population under control.”

Contact RFCD at 243-1800 to report mosquito activity, and standing water in basins, washes or on District property.

Want to know just how much rain is coming down when thunderstorms rattle your windows and lightning streaks across the sky?

The Pima County Flood Control District has a network of rainfall and streamflow gauges within most of the large watersheds affecting eastern Pima County that can give residents real time information on storms in their area.

The system is comprised of 93 precipitation gauges, of which 36 include stream gauges, and is used to assist the National Weather Service with its flood watch and warning advisories.

This information is also readily available to residents who want a better read on what’s happening closer to home, since seasonal storms can produce rather localized periods of heavy rainfall.

“Naturally, we can all look out the window and see that it’s raining, but by checking this system, residents can be more aware of whether there are areas around their homes or along their routes that might be at risk of flash flooding,” said Chris Cawein, deputy director of Flood Control.

The equipment consists of one-foot diameter pipes that house a tipping bucket rain gauge and a transmitter that send signals every time .04 inches of rain is collected. Stream flow is also measured at some of the sites.

That field information is collected, transmitted to a central location and downloaded instantly to the website.

County professionals watch areas more closely that are getting one inch of rain or more in an hour, keeping an eye on road crossings, for example, that might become problematic during heavy rainfall.

By tracking rainfall in the mountains, viewers can have a better idea of what may be headed their way. The system also allows users to go back and look at historical data, which may be useful in reconstructing storm events.

The County started the ALERT system in the 1980s, and has added new rain and stream gauge sites as needs are identified, with recent additions within the City of Tucson and Oro Valley.

To check out the system for yourself, click here: http://rfcd.pima.gov/wrd/alertsys/index.htm

Another Internet resource residents may find helpful is rainlog.org, which is a network of volunteer weather observers who help record daily rainfall amounts using rain gauges they have installed at their homes.

Agencies participating in Pima County’s first integrated public safety communications system are selecting the radios, dispatch consoles and other equipment their personnel will use to talk directly to each other in emergencies and other coordinated efforts.

The Pima County Wireless Integrated Network (PCWIN) will provide communications services for 29 police and fire agencies in Pima County and put 7,000 new radios into service.  It is scheduled to activate in December 2013.

Much has been done and still needs to be done to go live on that date, but PCWIN is on schedule, according to Capt. Paul Wilson of the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, who is the Project Sponsor, and Motorola Solutions Inc., which is providing the equipment.

More than 200 representatives of participating public safety agencies attended a PCWIN Radio System Expo on Wednesday, Aug. 1, where they got a chance to see end user equipment demonstrated and hear an update on the status of network implementation.

Radio towers are being updated or built on more than 27 sites. The network equipment for the main facilities has passed factory tests and been shipped to Tucson.

“It’s time to actually start installing equipment,” Wilson said.

The handheld radios; mobile radios for cars, trucks and motorcycles; and dispatch consoles for the participating agencies will be ordered this fall. After that equipment arrives and is installed, Motorola will provide training.

Pima County voters approved bond funds in 2004 for PCWIN. Wilson said the bond funds will provide up to $18 million for “base level” equipment for participating agencies.  The agencies are responsible for the costs of any upgrades or accessories they choose.

The PCWIN Executive Management Committee, which includes the heads of several area public safety agencies, will consider a recommendation to transfer ownership – and responsibility for maintenance – of the agency equipment from Pima County to the agencies to control PCWIN membership costs.

The Pima Emergency Communications & Operations Center, a new 9-1-1 dispatch facility at 3434 E. 22^nd St., is under construction and expected to be occupied early in 2013, Wilson said. The County Emergency Operations Center will relocate to the new facility later this year.

The City of Tucson will be renovating its 9-1-1 dispatch facility at the Thomas O. Price Service Center at 4004 S. Park Ave. The two dispatch centers will operate as backups for each other providing a level of 9-1-1 and public safety dispatch service not currently available.

The Southern Arizona Rescue Association, a non-profit group comprised of roughly 300 volunteers, has been saving lives in the region since 1958.

And when a 70-year-old hiker became disoriented in Sabino Canyon earlier this month, the search-and-rescue effort that ensued served to highlight the assistance the group brings to the table.

In the six months ending March 2012, the group responded to 45 calls for help, ranging from a 19-year-old ejected in a rollover, to a 66-year-old suffering from heat illness and a 37-year-old hiker who became too ill to continue.

With the county required under state law to provide search and rescue services, the Pima County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 7 approved a three-year contract with the organization, at $25,000 a year, to help provide equipment and supplies used in rescue efforts.

“When we have a call that we feel is going to warrant more resources than are immediately available, they’re always willing to help and get us the resources we need,”

said Lt. Robert Kimmins, who oversees the search and rescue unit within the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. “It would be a tremendous challenge to try to run search and rescue operations without them.”

Henry Jacobs, a local attorney, has been involved with the group for the past 30 years, since he was in high school.

From a taxpayer perspective, he said, the contract is a great deal for the county.

“The taxpayer pays nothing from a human resources perspective for thousands upon thousands of hours of very skilled volunteer time,” Jacobs said. “It would cost significant resources to afford this pool of talent in this quantity.”

Joining the group isn’t for the faint of heart.

Just the training alone is roughly nine months, covering wilderness searches, swift water rescues, technical rescues and first aid training.

Volunteers pay for their own personal rescue clothing and gear, although they are able to use group assets such as vehicles, radios, ropes and other technical equipment.

Above all, the conditions can be rigorous. After all, they’re often called out because hikers are suffering in the sweltering heat or stranded in downpours. “We’ve gone out when it’s 115 degrees in the shade and we’ve gone out in blizzards,” Jacobs said.

Jason Bowman, a 23-year-old engineering student, has been on hundreds of rescues since joining the group five years ago. An avid rock climber and hiker, he said joining the group was a chance to hone his skills. “And it’s a chance to give back,” he added.

Pima County Supervisor Ray Carroll’s district sees much of the rescue activity, given that it encompasses vast areas of the Coronado National Forest. His first in-depth look at the group came when they assisted with the Aspen and Bullock fires that ravaged Mount Lemmon in 2002 and 2003.

“It became clear to me then that the Southern Arizona Rescue Association serves a vital purpose in this region, providing a safety net for outdoors enthusiasts and literally saving lives,” Carroll said. “We welcome their assistance in keeping residents and visitors safe.”

Anyone interested in volunteering is encouraged to come to a volunteer orientation meeting Aug. 9. For more information, check out http://sarci.org/sara.htm