The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Officials hosts snowmobile safety event
REMSEN, N.Y. >> Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol recently hosted the Sheriff’s annual Snowmobile Safety & Tourism press conference at the Penn Mountain Snow Rider’s Club on French Road in Remsen as the snowmobile season prepares to kick off.
In addition to the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office Snowmobile Patrol Unit, Sheriff Maciol was joined by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Police, the Remsen and Barneveld Fire Departments, STAR Ambulance, Jim Rolf from the NYS Snowmobilers Association, Kelly Blasosky - President Oneida County Tourism, and several members of the Penn Mountain Snow Rider’s Club.
At the press conference, numerous safety tips were discussed along with areas of concerns that law enforcement will be focusing on this year.
Officials noted that some of the laws that will be strictly enforced will include operating a snowmobile while intoxicated, speeding violations, registration violations, and exhaust modifications. The need to respect the landowners that make nearly all of the groomed trails possible was also stressed during this event.
All of New York’s laws and regulations regarding snowmobiling can be found at https:// parks.ny.gov/recreation/snowmobiles/documents/SnowmobilersGuide.pdf .
“Snowmobiling is amajor component of the tourism income generated in Oneida County,” Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente said in a news release. “Thousands of people come each year to enjoy the natural beauty of our area, and in turn, purchase fuel and equipment, eat in our restaurants, shop in our stores and stay in our hotels. We are grateful for the opportunity to host these visitors, and it is of the utmost importance that we ensure their safety, and that of our local snowmobilers whenever they hit the trails.
“I want to thank Sheriff Maciol and all of the law enforcement agencies, first responders, and snowmobile associations who do an excellent job working together to make that happen.”