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.

“Across New York, DEC’s Forest Rangers’ are on the front lines helping people safely enjoy the great outdoors,” said Acting 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:

Essex County
Town of North Elba
High Peaks Wilderness
Injured hiker: On March 5, 2016 at 1:11 p.m., DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received a request for assistance for a 35-year-old male from Brooklyn, NY who slipped and sustained a lower leg injury on Little Haystack Mountain. The hiker made his way to the false summit of Haystack where he was able to call for assistance. DEC Forest Rangers were in the area for a current search near McNaughton Mountain and assisted the injured male. The New York State Police Aviation assisted and reached the injured man at 3:20 p.m. He was packaged and hoisted out at 3:35 p.m. and flown to Adirondack Health in Saranac Lake for treatment. The incident concluded at 4:00 p.m.

Be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC’s Hiking Safety (http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/28708.html) and Adirondack Trail Information (http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7865.html) webpage for more information.