WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — As the BUU 250 reaches its final day, the Navajo Nation is recognizing the public safety personnel who have been alongside runners and cyclists throughout the 10-day, more than 250-mile series, helping keep participants safe from the first mile to the finish.
Criminal Investigator Unit member Greg Secatero and Police Lieutenant Crystal Thinn were among the public safety personnel who participated in all 10 days of the BUU 250. Along with them, representatives from the Navajo Nation Police Department, Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services were present throughout the series as several first responders joined on different days throughout the series.
Public safety personnel responded to injuries, heat exhaustion and other ailments while remaining prepared to assist runners and cyclists along the route. Firefighters, police officers and EMS personnel maintained a steady presence throughout the series, helping ensure that medical assistance and emergency response were available whenever they were needed.
Public safety support extended across the roadways as well. The Navajo Nation Department of Transportation helped ensure routes remained clear and safe for participants, while Navajo Nation Rangers, the Land Department, resource officers and Executive Protective Services (EPS) helped monitor the routes and keep an eye on runners as they traveled across the Nation.
Their work included helping manage traffic, watching for potential hazards and making sure runners remained hydrated as they took on long stretches of road, difficult terrain and high temperatures. Each day required coordination among multiple departments to keep the runners moving safely.
The BUU 250 has taken participants across hundreds of miles of the Navajo Nation, from community roads to some of the Nation’s most recognizable landscapes. Behind those miles has been a public safety network working throughout the day to protect participants and respond whenever assistance was needed.
The final day of the BUU 250 honors the many police officers, firefighters, EMS personnel, transportation workers, rangers, resource officers and other public safety personnel who provide services each day. Their work helped make it possible for runners and cyclists to complete this journey safely.
That commitment reflects the work our first responders provide across the Navajo Nation every day. No matter the day or the hour, when a call for help comes in, our emergency services answer. The BUU 250 gave us another opportunity to see that commitment firsthand, but their service does not begin or end with this event. It is a responsibility they carry every day for our communities, our families and our people.
