Former Palermo man receives award from MDIF&W

Zach Glidden

by Roland D. Hallee

Former local resident Zach Glidden, along with two other biologists, has been presented with the 2024 award from the Maine Department of Fisheries and Wildlife for a rescue last year.

On September 7, 2023, at approximately 3:30 p.m., retired fisheries biologist Nels Kramer took a direct phone call of a missing angler on Cold Stream Pond. The angler, an amputee of the leg, was reported missing by his wife. She called Nels, who is well known in the town, and said her husband had gone fishing on the lake and had not returned home, and was not answering his cell phone. Nels retrieved his personal boat and headed to the lake to initiate a search for the individual. While en route, Nels contacted his former colleagues in Enfield and asked for some help. Fisheries biologist Kevin Dunham and Zach Glidden immediately responded to assist in the search.

“This incident highlights that employees of MDIFW, even retirees, are truly committed to serving the public.”

– Maine Game Warden Joseph E. Bailey

About 45 minutes after the initial call, Nels, Kevin and Zach found the fisherman’s boat drifting in Sand Beach Cove with him aboard. The boater had fallen in the area of the transom and was in such a position that he was unable to get up or yell for help. He told the trio of rescuers he had fallen in the boat and later lost consciousness due to the heat.The three biologists were able to upright the fisherman and get him to shore. The estimation is that he was stuck there for up to five hours.

According to the nomination letter, “These three members of DIFW went outside of their wheelhouse to assist someone in need. Nels, Kevin and Zach acted quickly to rescue a boater in distress. Their decisive action saved the angler from further harm and potentially extended search incident by [the] warden service.”

According to Game Warden Joseph E. Bailey, who submitted the nomination letter, “this incident highlights that employees of MDIFW, even retirees, are truly committed to serving the public.”

Zach is the son of Rodney and Jane Glidden, of Palermo. He attended Erskine Academy, in South China, and was an Eagle Scout. He grew up in Palermo and now resides in Howland.