Established in June 2017, Rickilee Response & Rescue (Triple R Response), a 501-3(c) charitable organization based in Houston, Texas U.S.A. and operational on Ambergris Caye has had quite the positive impact on the island. Triple R response was formed by Traci and Jim Curtin in memory of Rickilee Mercer. Mercer was an American National who was found dead on the leeward coast of Ambergris Caye on March 1, 2017, after she had been reported missing on February 28, 2017. The young woman had gone jet skiing around the area of Secret Beach. In June 2017, the Curtins initiated the Triple R Response program in hopes of organizing a program that coordinates community resources to respond to water emergencies.
So far, the Triple R Response team has responded to approximately 18 incidents on land and five water incidents, with golf cart and boat accidents being the most common ones. According to Traci Curtin, one of the major challenges Triple R Response team encounters is coordinating volunteers as they all hold full-time jobs. Getting them all to a meeting, raising funds to properly equip responders, getting firm commitments to be on call, sharing the responsibility of answering the phone 24-7 and the price for transportation to the mainland for proper medical care can be difficult.
In the future, Triple R Response Team would like to have two trained and paid dispatchers to answer phones 24-7 in order to have a well-coordinated emergency medical service where lack of money is not a deterrent to proper medical care for locals and visitors. They hope to also equip boats with mounted spotlights and radios, as well as have base station radios to monitor distress signals on the marine channel, and equipped and manned transport vans, one north, one in town and one south of San Pedro Town. Their mission is to continue to make San Pedro safer every day by responding to the needs of the community. They have been talking with young people in schools and educating them about water safety and how to properly handle an emergency should they encounter one, as well as being on standby at sporting events on the island to help with both major and minor injuries, to mention a few examples of their commitment to the San Pedro community. However, to continue their great work and mission, funding is needed.
As such, Triple R Response team will host a fundraiser event at the Fortress Beerworks in Houston Texas, USA on Saturday, May 18th. Their goal is to raise enough money to offer proper training in everything from dispatching calls to multi-boat searches as well as properly equipping their team of volunteers. Fortress Beerworks is donating kegs of their popular beers and the event space. Decant Urban Winery will be showcasing their wine and donating some to the event as well.
The silent auction is gearing up to be the main focus, with items such as a framed and signed JJ Watt (Houston, Texan) jersey, deep sea fishing day trip for six on a yacht, sky diving, tickets to Astro games, Aggie Football tickets paired with a Speedy Noel signed football, an acoustic guitar signed by Chris Young, spa days and trips to Ambergris Caye to mention a few. Not only is the community in Houston pulling together to help bring triumph from tragedy but the San Pedro community as well! Local vendors have happily pitched in to create great trip packages to the island with stays at Ramon’s Village Resort, Banyan Bay Suites, Costa Blu and Day Dreamin’ Bed and Breakfast, excursions including Seaduced, Jet Surf, Castaway Caye Sports and meals from Hidden Treasures to Pirates at Secret Beach and everywhere in between.
Rickilee Response and Rescue is committed to properly equipping and training RRR to be an effective, efficient, timely emergency response that will have a permanent presence in San Pedro Town. They might not be able to prevent accidents from happening, but they can surely respond when they do. Donations can be made with a credit card or PayPal via their website on www.rrr.lfe, or you may give your donation by check made payable to Rickilee Response and Rescue to Jodie Harnish at Palapa Bar & Grill, and she will deliver it to the fundraiser in Houston.
 is hosting a major fundraiser at the Fortress Beerworks in Houston Texas, USA on Saturday, May 18th.){kind=link}