Recent Statewide Forest Ranger Actions
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 across New York State.
In 2023, DEC Forest Rangers conducted 370 search and rescue missions, extinguished 146 wildfires covering nearly 1,400 acres, participated in 52 prescribed fires that served to rejuvenate more than 1,000 acres of land, and worked on cases that resulted in hundreds of tickets and arrests.
“DEC Forest Rangers are among the nation’s most versatile first responders, utilizing their expert training and wide-ranging knowledge to protect natural resources while encouraging responsible stewardship among those who visit State lands and sites,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “Their expertise in wildland fire suppression, technical rescue techniques, and law enforcement mean that Rangers are always prepared to successfully execute critical missions, here in New York State, as well as across the continent.”
Equipment Purchase: The Division of Forest Protection recently purchased 10 solo-pack canoes. The canoes are lightweight and easily carried by one person. The canoes will be distributed to Forest Rangers statewide to help Rangers access remote bodies of water and water-only campsites. A reminder, anyone riding in a pleasure vessel less than 21 feet long, including rowboats, canoes, and kayaks, between Nov. 1 and May 1 is required to wear a personal floatation device.
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Town of Mount Morris
Livingston County
Public Outreach: On March 20, Forest Rangers Cordell and Raffaldi-Smith attended a college and career fair at Genesee Valley BOCES, Mount Morris Campus. Forest Rangers presented materials about DEC summer camps and explained the requirements needed to become a Forest Ranger or Assistant Forest Ranger.
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City of Elmira
Chemung County
Public Outreach: On March 24, Forest Rangers Cooley and Richer attended a community event for children at First Arena. Rangers were joined by Smokey Bear and educated attendees on New York’s annual spring burn ban, preventing wildfires, and what it takes to be a Ranger.
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Town of New Windsor
Orange County
Training: On March 25, 10 Forest Rangers and four New York State Police (NYSP) Pilots participated in bucket training. The Rangers in the helicopters included two crew chiefs and two crew chief trainees likely to be called upon to help with fire suppression efforts this year. Crews successfully completed 22 drops with Rangers on the ground guiding the pilots and crew chiefs navigating water drops. Rangers and NYSP Pilots have an invaluable relationship, and combined training and experience make it possible to successfully contain fires during a crisis. Video of one of the bucket drops is available for download, https://extapps.dec.ny.gov/fs/programs/press/ForestRangers/BucketTraining/BucketTraininginNewWindsor_2024.MP4
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Town of Richmond
Ontario County
Wildland Fire: On March 26 at 4:30 p.m., Forest Ranger Miller responded to a wildland fire on Route 20A. Ranger Miller worked with the Honeoye Fire Department to extinguish the one-acre fire and issued a ticket to the person responsible for setting the fire that endangered someone else’s property.
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Town of Fishkill
Dutchess County
Wilderness Rescue: On March 27 at 4:11 p.m., Forest Ranger Cowart responded to a call for a hiker with a lower leg injury on South Beacon Mountain in Hudson Highlands State Park. At 5:43 p.m., Ranger Cowart reached the 30-year-old from Long Island, provided a rescue blanket, and worked with New York State Park Police and the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps to package the subject for a carryout. Rescue crews reached an ambulance at the bottom of the mountain at 7:21 p.m.
Town of Allegany
Cattaraugus County
Training: On March 28, eight Forest Rangers and DEC staff from Region 9 participated in annual fire refresher training at DEC’s Allegany office. Rangers reviewed last year’s fire season and lessons learned while looking ahead to the upcoming summer fire season. Fire safety and entrapment prevention were also reviewed, along with a unit on new fire shelters and a deployment exercise.
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Town of Olive
Ulster County
Public Outreach: On March 28, Forest Rangers Martin and Sweeney led a hike for spring break campers at Camp Seewackamano. Rangers talked to the campers about hiking safety and the abundant nature observed during the hike.
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Town of Cicero
Onondaga County
Prescribed Fire: On March 29, Forest Rangers joined staff and volunteers from DEC’s Divisions of Lands and Forests and Fish and Wildlife, as well as Fire Wardens to conduct a prescribed fire to burn 30 acres in the Cicero Swamp Wildlife Management Area. Controlled burns like this one help make the area more resilient to invasives species. Video of the burn is available for download at https://extapps.dec.ny.gov/fs/programs/press/ForestRangers/CiceroSwampWMA_PrescribedBurn_2024.mp4
Learn more about prescribed fire season on DEC’s website, https://dec.ny.gov/news/press-releases/2024/3/dec-announces-start-of-prescribed-fire-season
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Town of Monroe
Orange County
Wildland Fire: On March 30 at 7 p.m., the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the Monroe Fire Department requested Forest Ranger assistance with a wildfire that had spread from private to State land. Rangers Parlier, Quinones, Rusher, and Schweider created a perimeter line around the 32-acre fire. At 12:30 a.m., Rangers had the fire under control. At 1:30 p.m., Rangers declared the fire in patrol status and determined the cause was a campfire that had grown out of control.
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Town of Shandaken
Ulster County
Wilderness Rescue: On March 31 at 1:45 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a hiker reporting they had fallen down a rock face near the summit of Cornell Mountain and suffered an ankle injury. Due to the severity of the injury and the location, Forest Rangers requested New York State Police (NYSP) Aviation assistance. Ranger Martin spoke to the 64-year-old hiker who indicated she had splinted her ankle and would walk toward Wittenberg Mountain.
NYSP Pilot Sergeant Plitsch flew Rangers Stratton and Horn to the area. Ranger Stratton inserted Ranger Horn to the hiker’s location so Ranger Horn could get the hiker secured for a hoist rescue. Following the successful hoist, four Rangers hiked up to Wittenberg from Woodland Valley Campground to assist the hiker’s husband to his vehicle. The subject’s son took her to the hospital. Resources were clear at 5:30 p.m. Video of the hoist rescue is available for download, https://extapps.dec.ny.gov/fs/programs/press/ForestRangers/Wittenberg_HoistRescue_2024.mp4
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Be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC's Hike Smart NY, Adirondack Backcountry Information, and Catskill Backcountry Information webpages for more information.
If a person needs a Forest Ranger, whether it's for a search and rescue, to report a wildfire, or to report illegal activity on state lands and easements, they should call 833-NYS-RANGERS. If a person needs urgent assistance, they can call 911. To contact a Forest Ranger for information about a specific location, the DEC website has phone numbers for every Ranger listed by region: http://on.ny.gov/NYSForestRangerRoster
