Safety at forefront of Rio Grande race

HALF STAFF TODAY THE CORBIN HAYES TRAGEDY WAS ON EVERYONE S MIND AS THEY GATHERED FOR THE GREAT RACE DOWN THE RIO GRANDE HUNDREDS OF WATERCRAFT - OF EVERY SHAPE AND SIZE - FLOATED DOWN THE RIVER DURING THE ANNUAL TRADITION CRIS ORNELAS IS LIVE NEAR THE RIO GRANDE TO SHOW US HOW THE RACE WENT CRIS THIS IS WHERE EMERGENCY CREWS SET UP A BASE IN CASE THERE WERE ANY PROBLEMS ON THE RIVER TODAY BUT THEY TELL US EVERYONE MADE IT SAFELY OUT OF THE RIVER AND THERE WERE NO MAJOR INCIDENTS IT S A DAY FOR FUN AND SILLINESS BUT THIS YEAR THE RIVER RAFT RACE TOOK ON A LITTLE MORE SERIOUS TONE AFTER ALL THIS RACE WAS POSTPONED BY THE SEARCH FOR 13 YEAR OLD CORBIN HAYES 1 38-1 49 it is on our minds because how fast the river is flowing but for us we bring life jackets and make sure we have experienced captains that driving the boats 5 33-5 41 really makes me think that we really do need to be concerned about safety and it should be about fun but we should be safe FRIENDS OF THE HAYES FAMILY WERE ASKING FOR MONEY FOR A CORBIN MEMORIAL AND THE MAYOR FLOATED A MEMORIAL WREATH BEFORE THE START OF THE RACE AS RACERS PREPARED THEIR CRAFT SAFETY GEAR WAS FRONT AND CENTER AND EVERYONE WAS THINKING ABOUT HOW THE RIVER CAN APPEAR DECEPTIVELY TAME 17 05 you can tell the flow is really good it s the highest we ve ever seen it it s a little higher than it was last year so definitely everyone has to be cautious 9 02 were just gonna have fun in the river and respect it also MEANWHILE THE CITY HAD POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS LOOKING ON JUST IN CASE 22 37-22 47 we got our safety personnel out no one gets in the water without the vest no one gets in the water without a number so we can track them as they come out THE CITY SAYS MORE THAN 500 PEOPLE TOOK PART IN TODAY S RACE AND AGAIN THEY SAY THE RIVER HAS BEEN CLEARED AND EVERYONE MADE IT