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| 16th Annual SNIRT Run Has Successful Year April 25, 2019 09:00 a.m. By; Nick Altmire |
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for the most part, according to the agencies tasked with making sure the event is a fun and safe time for the 4,880 registered participants. "There were no major injuries or deaths, which is always a good thing," Lewis County Undersheriff Jason McIntosh said after the event. The 4,880 registered participants was up about 67 from the previous year, with around 3,500 ATVs and UTVs involved in the event. The event is a huge boost to area businesses, with riders coming in from near and far to spend the day on the Tug Hill. Registration fees from the event, hosted by the Sno-Pals snowmobile club, are used primarily for trail grooming expenses during the snowmobile season. "We saw a lot of families participating this year," said Robert MacKenzie, Director of Lewis County Emergency Management. "It seemed to be more of a family- friendly ride, with a lot of UTVs and younger folks. We noticed a lot of self- policing as well." Emergency agencies spend a lot of time planning for the event, making sure they are ready to respond when and where they are needed. A series of meetings with participating law enforcement and emergency responder agencies take place to develop the best plan for the day. Ambulance and fire squads were staged at strategic locations throughout the area, with area fire departments also staffing their stations with personnel for quicker response times. "There is a structure and a plan to every aspect," Mr. MacKenzie said. This year, six accidents were reported, mostly involving minor injuries. Area law enforcement agencies police the event, with twelve NYS Forest Rangers, thirteen Lewis County Sheriff Deputies, two Jefferson County Sheriff Deputies, six NYS Environmental Conservation Officers, three NYS Park Police Officers, and three NYS Troopers participating in the SNIRT enforcement at some point during the day. Most of the tickets issued during the event were for minor violations. The DEC Forest Rangers issued 28 tickets for illegal all-terrain-type vehicle operation on state lands. The Lewis County Sheriff's office issued 8 tickets for minor offenses and responded to 7 complaints. Park Police issued an additional 9 tickets. State Police did not get back with their number of tickets issued at the time of this article's publication. There was just one DWI arrest during the event this year. NYS Park Police say they were trying to stop a UTV in the town of Martinsburg when the operator tried to enter a field off the Cemetery Road and overturned. Taylor Philo, 28, of Camden, was not injured during the incident and was subsequently charged with a misdemeanor count of Driving While Intoxicated. With a soaking rain the night before the event, dust wasn't an issue ,as has been the case during some past events. Most areas were without snow as well this year, quite the change from last year's event. The combination of less snow and muddy conditions resulted in some damage to a number of seasonal roads. Overall, the event was very successful, with agencies already making notes for next year's event. |
