Jefferson Drowning

Man Drowns In Blazer Pond

By Liz Page

STAMFORD – The body of a 36-year-old man was recovered from Blazer Pond near Stamford late last Sunday morning by a state police dive team. Two others were successfully rescued from the pond the day before after the boat the three were in capsized.

Members of the Stamford Fire Department were dispatched just after 2:30 p.m. to the pond adjacent to Camp Oorah's Boyz Zone in the town of Jefferson. Stamford Fire Chief Don VanEtten, who was first on the scene, said he had two victims hanging onto an overturned canoe and a reported third victim who was not visible.

He called mutual aid for additional EMS, ambulances, and water rescue resources to the scene. 

Members of the Stamford Fire Department were able to deploy their rapid deployment craft (RDC) to get to the two men who were clinging to the canoe and get them safely back to shore. Both men were suffering from exposure to the cold water. They were each transported by the Hobart Fire Department ambulance and AMR to a landing zone at the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) building on Route 10 in Stamford where they were put into separate LifeNet helicopters and transported to Albany Medical Center Hospital. 

They were listed in stable condition, according to state police, and were treated for hyperthermia.

Hobart Fire Department  and Jefferson Fire Department responded with additional personnel and equipment to assist Stamford with the search for the missing man, traffic control and to establish the landing zone. Also responding were members of the Schoharie County Technical Rescue Team with their boat and a New York State Police airboat, New York State Forest Rangers responded and helped with a perimeter search of the water. A state police aviation unit was responded to do an overhead search of the pond and the state police Underwater Recovery Team responded to help locate the missing man.

VanEtten said the search for the missing man was suspended by the state police at dark, with the state police dive teams to return Sunday morning to resume the search.

The third individual was located at about 11 a.m. Sunday, deceased in the water. He has been identified as  Juann E. Parco Saez, 36, of Ecuador. Parco Saez  had traveled to Jefferson from his home in Ecuador to work at Camp Oorah. The investigation is ongoing, according to a state police press release, and the drowning is believed to be accidental.

The incident was reported quickly by a trio of people who were out enjoying Saturday's warm weather. They called 911 as soon as they saw the boat capsize. They also held the point where they last saw Parco Saez attempting to swim to shore when he disappeared. The caller reported none of three men were wearing life vests. 

VanEtten credited everyone involved with saving two lives on Saturday and indicated that members of the Stamford Fire Dept. realized the value of the RDC. They held a training on cold water rescue with NYS Forest Rangers just one week earlier. During that training, VanEtten said he learned how to triangulate the location of the boat. "It paid off  big time today," said VanEtten. The RDC easily paid for itself with the saving of two lives on Saturday.

The Stamford Fire Department would like to thank: Hobart and Jefferson Fire Departments; Schoharie County Technical Rescue Team; NYS Forest Rangers; NYS Trooper and their dive team, aviation unit, and airboat; AMR EMS; Lifenet of New York; Delaware County (NY) Department of Emergency Services Coordinators and Dispatchers. Also  Stewart’s Shops for providing refreshments for all responders on scene. 

The Stamford Fire Department would also like to thank the community for supporting its 2021 fundraiser which resulted in the purchase of the RDC Boat that helped members of the Stamford Fire Dept. save two lives.