The rodeo is coming to town.

Douglas Fire Department Engineer Vega and Lt. Villareal show some of the items that will utilized during its traffic safety event at Castro Park on September 27.

While the traditional rodeo will be held t the fairgrounds the last week of the month, a bicycle rodeo will be part of a special safety event at Castro Park, on Saturday, September 27.

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at that Saturday. La Protectora, a program of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, will be participating in the safety event, along with: The City of Douglas Fire and Police Departments, City of Douglas Magistrate Court, Cochise County Sheriffs Office, and The U.S. Border Patrol to promote traffic safety and life saving programs during National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Besides the bicycle rodeo and helmet giveaway will be:

√ Child seat installation checks by trained technicians

√ Information brochures related to keeping you and your family safe on Arizona’s roads.

√ Local Air Ambulance displays

√ Emergency Vehicle displays

√ On-site child identification finger printing through Cochise County Sheriffs Office.

√ Zero, Nada, None Campaign race car to educate young people on the serious effects of underage drinking.

Guest Speakers scheduled for the event are:

• Blessing of event by Pastor Montano

• State Rep. Manny Alvarez

• Mayor Dr. Mike Gomez

• Police Chief Alberto Melis

• Fire Chief Mario Novoa

• Pediatrician Dr. John Lee Melk

The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety has implemented La Protectora, a proactive Hispanic focused traffic safety outreach program in an effort to reduce traffic safety crashes among Arizona’s Hispanic population. La Protectora is a bilingual program that places special emphasis on traffic safety by means of outreach and education through direct contact with our Hispanic community. This public affairs project emphasizes prevention rather than focusing on enforcement measures.

The bilingual program is promoted at local neighborhood/town hall meetings, educational functions, and media events and at other community related forums. The program features education and training by a Spanish-speaking officer, who promotes a positive image of the Hispanic driver who cares for his/her family by taking responsibility for traffic safety.

GOHS is the focal point for highway safety issues in Arizona. It provides leadership by developing, promoting, and coordinating programs; influencing public and private policy; and increasing public awareness of highway safety.

The goal of the La Protectora Program is to reduce the disproportionate number of Hispanic surnamed drivers and victims involved in traffic related collisions. Activities are designed to educate and encourage positive traffic safety behavior and to build better community relations between the community and law enforcement agencies. The driving force and focus of this program is the use of a Spanish speaking police officer of Hispanic ancestry.

Arizona is one of 6 states in the United States with the largest Hispanic population. The leading cause of death for Hispanic males ages 1-44 in Arizona are motor vehicle collisions. Contributing factors which result in serious injuries and/or deaths are low safety belt usage, low child safety seat usage, and collisions involving alcohol.

The partnership between agencies of all levels and safety advocates promoting safety will be working together to help raise traffic safety awareness. It is anticipated that useful safety measures will take the community to a higher level of commitment in taking a more responsible approach while driving, walking, and bicycling on our paths and roadways.