New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents statewide. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations, and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured, or distressed people from the backcountry.
In 2017, DEC Forest Rangers conducted 346 search and rescue missions, extinguished 55 wildfires that burned a total of 191 acres, participated in 29 prescribed fires that burned and rejuvenated 564 acres, and worked on cases that resulted in nearly 3,000 tickets or arrests.
“Across New York, DEC Forest Rangers are on the front lines helping people safely enjoy the great outdoors,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “Their knowledge of first aid, land navigation, and technical rescue techniques are critical to the success of their missions, which take them from remote wilderness areas with rugged mountainous peaks, to white-water rivers, and throughout our vast forested areas statewide.”
Recent missions carried out by DEC Forest Rangers include:
Town of Waverly
Franklin County
Wilderness Search: On Oct. 10 at 10:47 a.m., New York State Police in Plattsburgh requested Forest Ranger assistance for a missing 80-year-old man from Ogdensburg. The man was initially reported missing from his camp situated near the Santa Clara Conservation Easement. At 4:25 p.m., the man was located in good health by Rangers David Russell and Peter Evans. The Rangers had followed his tracks for approximately one-half mile from his camp before making voice contact. At 5:49 p.m., the man was turned over to St. Regis Falls EMS for transport to Canton-Potsdam Hospital for evaluation. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents also aided in the search.
Town of Webb
Herkimer County
Wilderness Mountain Rescue: At 1:15 p.m. on Oct. 10, DEC's Ray Brook Dispatch was contacted by a hiking group leader on Bald Mountain concerning a 73-year-old female from Apache, AZ, who fell near the summit, injuring her ankle. Five Rangers from Region 6 and two Rangers from Region 5 responded along with volunteers from the Old Forge Fire Department. Rangers reached the woman at 2:10 p.m. After treatment, she was packaged into a litter and prepared for a carry out. As the trail was muddy and slippery, low angel rope rescue techniques were used at five different locations along the trail. The rescue team arrived at the trailhead at 3:30 p.m., and the woman was transferred to Old Forge EMS and transported to St. Luke's in Utica for treatment. The incident concluded at 4:30 p.m.
Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Search: On Oct. 11 at 9:09 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a request for assistance from two hikers, 25 and 26 years old from Buffalo, who became disoriented while descending the Great Range. Coordinates provided by the subjects placed them slightly off the trail. Ranger Robbi Mecus was dispatched to search for the subjects and arrived on scene at 10:30 p.m. Ray Brook reestablished contact with the subjects and transferred the call to Ranger Mecus, who advised the pair to head in a direction for 15 minutes to locate the trail. This attempt was unsuccessful. Ranger Mecus then advised the hikers to head in the direction of Deer Brook. Once they reached Deer Brook, the pair followed it down to the falls. Ranger Mecus located the subjects at 11:56 p.m., and escorted them out to the trailhead to her Ranger patrol vehicle. The subjects were given a courtesy ride back to their vehicle and the incident concluded at 12:45 a.m.
Town of Wilmington
Essex County
Wilderness Mountain Rescue: On Oct. 13 at 12:23 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from Essex County 911 reporting a 20-year-old woman who had fallen while climbing Esther Mountain. She proceeded ahead of her group and was later found shortly after, unconscious from hitting her head on a nearby rock. The hiking group was about a half-mile up the trail from the parking lot at the Atmospheric Science Research Center in the Wilmington Wild Forest. Under the direction of Lt. Gary Friedrich, Rangers Robert Praczkajlo and Kevin Burns responded to the trailhead. At 1:15 p.m., Rangers Praczkajlo and Burns and the Wilmington EMS were preparing to carry the subject back to the waiting ambulance. At 1:45 p.m., the hiker was at the ambulance and en route to the local hospital for additional medical attention.
Town of Diana
Lewis County
Wilderness Search: On Oct. 13 at 4:24 p.m., Ranger Peter Evans was called by Lewis County 911 requesting assistance with locating a disoriented 51-year-old hunter from Harrisville. The hunter had started his day off of Route 812 when he realized he had become disoriented. He called for assistance, and the coordinates obtained by Lewis County 911 placed him about half a mile off Route 3. Under the direction of Lt. Scott Murphy, Rangers Luke Evans and Brandon Poulton were assigned to assist with the search. At 5:22 p.m., Rangers located the man and guided him to Route 3 where he got a ride back to his vehicle.
Town of Fort Ann
Washington County
Wilderness Search: On Oct. 13 at 6:48 p.m., a call came into Ray Brook Dispatch through Washington County 911 reporting two hikers in their 20s stranded off trail on Buck Mountain. The pair started their hike from Pilot Knob and on the descent found themselves in unfamiliar territory without headlamps and darkness setting in. The hikers were roughly three-quarters of the way up the mountain from the Pilot Knob Trailhead and were losing cell phone battery power. Under the authority of Lt. Jaime Laczko, Rangers Anthony Goetke and Mark St. Claire responded to the trailhead to assist the hikers off the mountain. At 10:26 p.m., Rangers found the men in good health and started the long hike back to their vehicle. At 12:06 a.m., everyone was back to the trailhead and en route to their residences.
Town of Princes Bay
Richmond County
Wildfire Prevention: On Oct. 13, Forest Rangers John Gagne and John Franceschina attended the second DEC Outdoors Day at Mount Loretto Unique Area. Smokey Bear was also in attendance. Forest Rangers gave demonstrations on wildland fire fighting and discussed public safety, specifically targeting wildfire prevention and wilderness safety. The Forest Rangers’ wildland firefighting engine and other apparatus were on display. Smokey Bear also helped to stock largemouth bass in the pond on the property.
Towns of Keene and North Elba
Essex County
Wilderness Mountain Rescues: On Oct. 14 at 3:36 p.m., Essex County 911 transferred a caller to DEC's Ray Brook Dispatch reporting a 33-year-old woman from Ottawa, Ontario, with a possible broken ankle below the summit of the first of the Three Brothers. The hiker had slipped and fallen on the trail and was immobile. Six Forest Rangers responded per Lt. Gary Friedrich’s orders for a carryout. The hiker was returned to the trailhead at 7:51 p.m. Her ankle was re-splinted by Rangers and she was transported by her hiking party back to Canada for further medical care. Just as this rescue concluded, Rangers were directed to a second rescue in progress involving a second ankle injury on the Lake Arnold Trail. Initially, Rangers Robert Zurek and Thomas Gliddi responded to a call at 6:43 p.m. for a 19-year-old woman from Bay Shores with a broken ankle. The Rangers from the first rescue met up with the injured party and assisted Rangers Zurek and Gliddi with the long carryout to Marcy Dam. The woman was returned to Adirondack Loj by 11:38 p.m.
Towns of Brookhaven and Riverhead
Suffolk County
Law Enforcement: On Oct. 14, Forest Ranger John Gagne was working as a member of an off-road vehicle enforcement detail with the Central Pine Barrens Commission Law Enforcement Council, a group of various law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction within the 50,000-plus acres Central Pine Barrens. The team’s efforts netted a total of seven illegal all-terrain and motor vehicles operating on various public and private properties throughout the day. Violators were charged with illegally operating off-road motor vehicles and all-terrain vehicles on public and private lands and some for not possessing a valid New York State inspection. Four ATVs were impounded for failure to register.
Be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC’s Hiking Safety and Adirondack Backcountry Information webpages for more information.
