FFA Students Join Sheriff in Ranch Cleanup Drill

LOYALTON — Sierra County Sheriff Mike Fisher teamed up with the Loyalton High School FFA program for a hands-on cleanup project at a local ranch in the Sierra Valley. Eleven enthusiastic FFA students joined their agriculture teacher, Toushulong Vang, Fisher, and intern Aubrey Roen on Saturday, May 24, for what became an exciting mock search-and-rescue exercise. The group spent about four hours methodically working the property. Students tracked their GPS locations in real time and plotted search areas to guarantee complete coverage of the ranch.

The effort stemmed from several gray wolf depredations at the ranch the previous summer. California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) officials later assessed the site and noted that numerous old, dispersed cattle bones could attract more wolves. CDFW advised the rancher that the bones would need to be removed before the agency could help install non-lethal deterrence tools, such as fladry flags. Fisher met with the students in advance and transformed the cleanup into a simulated evidence search using the SARTopo mapping program. Participants learned how first responders track movements and document areas during real incidents. Fisher says the students did an outstanding job being thorough and staying organized.

A letter from the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office to Loyalton High School highlights the students’ teamwork, leadership, professionalism, and eagerness to help the local ranching family. The project addressed an actual wildlife conflict while providing young people with practical experience with GPS technology, mapping, and search techniques used in law enforcement and search-and-rescue operations. The letter says that students represented themselves, the FFA program, and Loyalton High School exceptionally. Their hard work and community spirit earned warm appreciation from the sheriff’s office.