Border Patrol Deploys Rescue Beacon

DEL RIO, TX – U.S. Border Patrol Del Rio Sector’s Foreign Operation Branch/Missing Migrant Program deployed the sector’s first state of the art Rescue Beacon in the wilderness outside Comstock, on Dec. 8.

“Too often, migrants are abandoned by human smugglers in the harsh Texas terrain. These individuals are often left with little to no provisions, lost in a foreign country, and without any avenue for rescue,” said Del Rio Sector Chief Patrol Agent Austin L. Skero II. “These beacons enhance Del Rio Sector’s capability to respond to those in distress and save lives.”

Del Rio Sector’s intent is to help save lives through placement of Rescue Beacons in areas with the highest environmental risks, migrant rescues, and deaths. These beacons allow agents to quickly locate subjects and mitigate the risk of death or bodily harm.

Approximately 30 feet tall and equipped with a high visibility strobe light on top of the structure, the Rescue Beacon contains a red button that allows someone in distress to activate a call for medical assistance or rescue while automatically providing their geographic location. This beacon also has drinkable water and cellular charging capability available to assist subjects in distress.