New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 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 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 Wilmington
Wilmington Wild Forest
Distressed hikers: On September 7, 2016 at 7:37 p.m., DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received a direct call from a 31-year-old woman from Westchester, NY and a 31-year-old woman from Philadelphia, PA who became disoriented while hiking Whiteface Mountain from Connery Pond. They reported they were walking along the Whiteface Mountain Memorial Highway when they became unprepared to continue. A DEC Forest Ranger drove up the Memorial Highway and located the women at 8:39 p.m. He gave them a ride back to their vehicle which was approximately 12 miles away. The women refused medical attention and the incident concluded at 9:10 p.m.
Hamilton County
Town of Long Lake
Sargent Ponds Wild Forest
Overdue paddlers: On September 7, 2016 at 6:30 p.m., DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received a request for assistance from a local guide service (Mountain Man Outfitting) for a 52-year-old man and a 61-year-old man, both from Newark, DE who were overdue from a canoe trip from Eighth Lake to Long Lake. The men failed to meet their scheduled pick-up at 3:30 p.m. in Long Lake. A DEC Forest Ranger searched the area with negative results. He later located the pair at the Long Lake Bridge in good health. They advised the canoe was heavy and the trip took longer than anticipated. The incident concluded at 8:30 p.m.
Town of Inlet
Pigeon Lake Wilderness
Lost hiker: On September 8, 2016 at 4:11 p.m., Hamilton County 911 transferred a call to DEC Ray Brook Dispatch from a 56-year-old woman from Rochester, NY lost in the Cascade Lake area. She became turned around on a trail and was unprepared to continue. Dispatch established text conversation with the woman and deployed two DEC Forest Rangers to find her. The Town of Webb Police assisted by checking the trailhead to ensure her vehicle was there and she was still lost. Forest Rangers hiked around Cascade Lake with negative results. At 12:21 a.m. Forest Rangers were able to establish voice communication. They located the woman by Chain Lake Pond and assisted her out to the trailhead. The incident concluded at 2:36 a.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 Backcountry Information (http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7865.html) webpage for more information.
