DEC Contact: Jeff Wernick (518) 402-8000 August 30, 2022
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DEC FOREST RANGERS – WEEK IN REVIEWRecent Statewide Forest Ranger Actions |
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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 2021, DEC Forest Rangers conducted 426 search and rescue missions, extinguished wildfires, participated in prescribed fires that served to rejuvenate hundreds of acres of land, and worked on cases that resulted in thousands of tickets or arrests. "Over the last decade, as well as during the COVID-19 pandemic, DEC saw an increase in people visiting State lands to experience New York’s abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “DEC’s Forest Rangers continue to be on the front lines to help visitors get outside responsibly and get home safely, as well as to protect our state’s irreplaceable natural resources. Rangers' knowledge of first aid, land navigation, and technical rescue techniques are critical to the success of their missions, which for more than a century have taken them from remote wilderness areas with rugged mountain peaks, to white water rivers, and throughout our vast forests statewide." Town of Canadice Recovery mission in Hemlock-Canadice State Forest (photo attached) Town of Forestburgh Town of Keene Little Haystack Mountain rescue (two photos attached) Greene County Wilderness Rescue: On Aug 28 at 1:10 p.m., Forest Rangers Dawson and Allwine and Assistant Forest Ranger Gumbs responded to a call for a subject having trouble swimming in the middle pool of Kaaterskill Falls. The 27-year-old from the Bronx did not know how to swim, reached an area deeper than anticipated, and was struggling to keep their head above water. Bystanders helped the subject out of the water and called 911. Ranger Dawson and a Hunter ambulance crew hiked in and evaluated the subject, who walked out to the trailhead before being transported to Columbia Memorial Health by Hunter Ambulance. Resources were clear at 2:10 p.m. Town of Harrietstown Saranac Lake lightning strike fire (photo attached) Town of Mamakating Mamakating fire (photo attached) Mamakating fire bulldozer line (photo attached) Ranger Jahn and bulldozer at the Mamakating fire (photo attached) Town of Wawarsing Video of both the Mamakating and Napanoch fires is available to download at https://www.dec.ny.gov/fs/programs/press/ForestRangers/ Forest Rangers are currently fighting seven wildfires burning more than 200 acres of land. Parts of New York remain under a high fire danger warning, https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/68329.html. Dry weather throughout the summer has increased the risk of fires. More information about how to reduce the risk of wildfires can be found at https://www.dec.ny.gov/press/125781.html Napanoch fire (two photos attached) City of Syracuse Ranger Chappell and Smokey Bear at the Great New York State Fair (photo attached) Ranger Virkler at the Great New York State Fair (photo attached) 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: https://www.dec.ny.gov/about/667.html |
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