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County Connections - December 2022

Rowing for First Responder Mental Health

By: Lt. Jarrod Slindee

Follow along at Row3000.com

As you may know, Captain Pfetzer, Retired San Juan Co. Sgt. Mike Hogue, and I will be rowing a boat 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean.  The race starts December 12^th.  We hope to be back in San Juan County at the beginning of February 2023.  You can literally follow us, and the 42 other teams, across the ocean by an app called “YB Races”.  Download the app and type in “Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge 2022”.  Save it to the feed and you can track our path/position, miles to go, speed, estimated arrival date, and other cool data.  You can download the app now, but this feed will not be online until a couple days before the race start.  Our team name is “Team Guardian”.  You can also follow along on our social media - @guardianinitiatives on Facebook or Instagram.  The race organizers @atlanticcampaigns will also put information, pictures and videos of the ocean crossing on their socials.       

For those that don’t know, in 2018 Captain Pfetzer and I created a non-profit organization called “Guardian Initiatives” to bring awareness, training, treatment and resource sharing to local first responders as it relates to mental health and suicide prevention.  With a loss in the ranks of the Sheriff's Office in 2021, it has reinforced the commitment of staff at the Sheriff’s Office and confirmed that at Guardian Initiatives there is work to do.  Over the years, we’ve done countless presentations, radio interviews, news interviews, podcasts, etc. on this important issue.  We have hosted numerous hours of classroom instruction reaching hundreds of first responders, clinicians and professional staff.  We’ve partnered with First Responder Support Network where we have funding in place for Four Corners first responders should they need to attend their retreat. And lastly, we have made important connections with other resources throughout the US who have the same mission, one of which is FHE Health in Florida.  With this, we know there is more work to do for first responders and their families.   

All of this was funded by our community. We have been able to raise just under $250,000 through monetary and in-kind donations.  This is a testament (keep in mind the majority of this was raised through COVID) to how much the community loves and cares for first responders, especially the Sheriff’s Office.

So, why row an ocean?  Other than Captain Pfetzer’s inability to sit still (Mount Everest TWICE!, his book “Within Reach”, marathons, bla bla bla) we felt crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a 28-foot ocean rowing boat would get people talking and amplify our awareness campaign for first responder mental health.  And indeed it has….it would not be as interesting to people if we were just running a marathon.  The row is big.  The problem is big.  First responders suffering from the effects of the job have their own ocean to cross.  This is the least we can do to get them the help they need.  We have more information on our cause and mission on our website: www.ROW3000.com.

Some common questions about the row:

• This is an unsupported race.  Everything we need for the crossing needs to be on the boat before we leave La Gomera.  We cannot take on any outside help otherwise we would be disqualified.  This is a race but our team, like most, are not in it to win it – our goal is to finish and have a safe crossing.
• We anticipate it taking us 45 days – weather, physical conditioning, boat & equipment depending.
• We carry all of our food (back packing dehydrated food) on the boat.  We are required to bring approximately 5,000-5,500 calories a day for each of us for 60 days (Again, we’re hoping for 45 days).  We filter sea water for drinking.
• We row in shifts, sometimes up to 3 hours at a time.  Someone will always be on the oars and the boat will be continually moving 24 hours a day, every day, until we reach Antigua.
• Storms- should we encounter bad weather there are several things that could occur.  First, if the boat flips over, it’s made to self-right, so it will roll and come right back up.  We are tethered to the boat so we will go for the ride.  There is other equipment on board, such as a para-anchor, where we deploy it and hunker down in the cabins.  Most likely we will just continue rowing through the weather.
• There are no motors or sails.  Just row powered.
• There are two small cabins on either side of the boat for sleeping, one of which has all our electronic equipment such as GPS, VHS radio, battery monitors, etc.  Our batteries are charged by two solar panels that are attached to the boat.
• We have limited connectivity to land- satellite phones, a BGAN (kind of like a wi-fi hot spot), where we can send stuff back to land.
• Where do you go #2? ….. bucket and chuck it.
• We are using vacation time.
• Was this a dumb idea….yes.

We appreciate everyone’s support over the years, especially those in the office that are picking up additional duties while we are gone.  To readily help even though you already have full plates means a lot to us and again confirms the commitment to all our certified and professional staff.  Lastly, thank you to Sheriff and Undersheriff for allowing us to take this on.  If 4 years ago they said no, none of this would have been possible.

We will see you all in Antigua!

Jarrod & Mark
Lieutenant Jarrod Slindee

Editor's Note: We at San Juan County are all pulling for this cause (While Pfetzer, Slindee, and Hogue will be doing the actual pulling). Wishing you Fair Winds, Following Seas and Godspeed, gentlemen.

Important Dates

• December 1, 5:30 pm- Farmington "Ringing in Christmas" Parade

• December 5, 6:30 pm- Bloomfield Christmas Parade "A Gingerbread Christmas"

• December 6, 4:00 pm- San Juan County Commission Meeting

• December 10, 6:00 pm- Aztec Sparkles Christmas Parade

• December 20, 4:00 pm- San Juan County Commission Meeting

• Friday, December 23, 2022- County offices closed (In observance of Christmas Eve)

• Saturday, December 24, 2022- Christmas Eve

• Sunday, December 25, 2022- Christmas Day

• Monday, December 26, 2022- County offices closed (In observance of Christmas Day)

• December 29, 4:00 pm- San Juan County Commission Elected Official Swearing In Ceremony

Tax Time First-half tax payments are DUE December 10 Go to SJCTreasurer.net for information on receiving your bill electronically, or paying your bill online.

News From Community Development

Yard of the Month

Not every beautiful yard is totally green! Check out our November Yard of the Month! Congrats to Nora    Let’s show our appreciation for those who set the example and make San Juan County Beautiful. (Dog tax included, but pupper not required to win Yard of the Month)

Don't Forget! It's time to renew your business registration! Renewal opens on December 1, 2022, renewals must be complete by March 1, 2023.  Learn more online: https://www.sjcounty.net/government/community-development/business-registration

Hot Topics

San Juan County Fire & Rescue

If you are like us, your Christmas tree is already up (Seriously! Come check it out!) But did you know, carefully decorating your home can help make your holidays safer. Between 2016-2020, US fire departments responded to an average of 160 home fires that started with Christmas trees per year. US fire departments responded to an estimated average of 790  home structure fires per year that began with decorations, excluding Christmas trees. We want to make sure that you don't need to call 911 this holiday- so (With apologies to the NFPA and Lisamarie Sinatra) we present: 9 Ways to Know That You're a Holiday Decorating Disaster 1) Your cat is delighted you've finally bought some great toys! Keep pets and children at least three feet away from burning candles and  electrical cords to prevent burns and electrical fires. 2) That ever-growing pile of fallen pine needles on the floor is receiving  more comments than the decorations for your Christmas tree. A dry tree in your home is a fire danger. Think of it as a huge pile of kindling in  your home. Choose a tree with fresh, green needles that do not fall off when touched. 3) You've spent more time trying to free yourself out of the tangled lights  than actually decorating the tree. Check the manufacturer's instructions to find out how many lights can be  connected to prevent electric shock and fire. 4) You know it's bad to put flammable material near a fire, but you can't  help yourself. These stockings just look so darn cute and festive!     Keep anything that can burn away from a heat source, despite how awesome  it looks. Flameless candles are also a great alternative to real ones when  decorating. 5) Your house is a holiday tourist attraction and you couldn't be prouder.   An overloaded electrical outlet is a major fire hazard. Plug strings of lights  directly into the wall and keep the number to a minimum. 6) Some of the bulbs on your string of lights have already taken time off   for the holidays. Replace any string of lights that has worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. These can easily start a fire. 7) You've remembered to keep yourself well hydrated, but the same can't be said for your Christmas tree. Always keep water in the tree stand. Check daily and add water as needed. Dried-out trees are a major fire hazard. 8) You're sure those strings of Christmas lights make the perfect hat to complement your holiday outfit. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both. And most certainly, not for your head. 9) You've been lazy about disposing your Christmas tree so you got creative and came up with a new tradition: a Valentine's Day tree! Dried-out trees are a fire danger and should not be left in the home or garage, or placed outside against the home. Check with your local community to find a recycling program. Let's face it, the holidays are never perfect, no matter how they're portrayed in magazines and on television. But by following a few simple practices and precautions, you can create a fun and perfectly fire-safe holiday for you and your loved ones! And remember, have working smoke alarms in your home and create a home escape plan. Practice it with your family so everyone knows what to do if a fire does occur. In the event of an emergency call 911 immediately. Happy Holidays!!

SJCSO Spot

San Juan County Sheriff's Office

Want to help give a child from our community a great gift this holliday season?!

What is Shop with Your Cops?

The San Juan County Sheriff's Office Foundation is proud to provide funding and support for the annual Shop with Your Cops program. The mission of the program is to build the relationship between law enforcement and the children of our community. This program provides gifts to children who have had a negative experience with law enforcement in the past. The children selected to participate through a process generated between law enforcement agencies, employees, social agencies and family shelters will go shopping at Target (our gracious host) with San Juan County Law Enforcement Officers on December 3rd and each will receive $125 to spend ($75 on essentials/$50 on toys/gifts). Our goal is to provide 100 children with this wonderful experience to build positive relationships.

Our Facebook fundraising goal is to raise $6250 by the date of the event. $6250 will provide this experience for 50 children. Your contribution will make an impact, whether you donate $5 or $500. Every little bit helps. Thank you for your support.

The San Juan County Sheriff's Office Foundation is a 501c3 whose mission is to support the Sheriff's Office, it's community policing efforts and the volunteer programs by helping to raise community awareness and to provide financial support to fund programs that enhance the ability of the Sheriff's Office to better serve the community

San Juan County is Hiring!

Are you looking for a fulfilling career where you can Build A Stronger Community? See our current openings at SJCounty.net/jobs

Check it out!

In November, San Juan County Fire & Rescue dedicated a new landing pad for medical helicopters serving rural eastern San Juan County. This was a volunteer-led effort using donated funds, materials, and land and will mean faster medical service for folks in that area. Thank you to the people who made it happen!

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