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 2022, DEC Forest Rangers conducted 359 search and rescue missions, extinguished 162 wildfires covering more than 1,300 acres, participated in 53 prescribed fires that served to rejuvenate nearly 900 acres of land, and worked on cases that resulted in hundreds of tickets and arrests.     

“With more people visiting State lands and enjoying New York's myriad, world-class outdoor recreational opportunities, DEC’s Forest Rangers are on the front lines to help visitors get outside responsibly and get home safely,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “Each day, these highly trained first responders are protecting irreplaceable natural resources and utilizing their expert knowledge of wildland fire suppression, wilderness first aid, land navigation, law enforcement, and technical rescue techniques to successfully execute critical missions for DEC and our countless local, state, and national partners.”    

City of Albany 

Albany County  

Prescribed Fire: On Nov. 20, Forest Ranger Nally joined Albany Pine Bush Preserve staff to conduct a prescribed burn in the Albany Pine Bush Preserve. Approximately 40 acres were burned. Prescribed fires help prevent the spread of invasive species and reduce the risk of uncontrolled wildfires. 

Albany Pine Bush prescribed burn (photo attached)

Town of German 

Chenango County 

Wilderness Search: On Nov. 21 at 9:03 p.m., Forest Rangers Oldroyd and Oldroyd responded to a call for a lost hunter. A friend of the hunter dropped off the 52-year-old from the state of Florida on Shingle Street at 1 p.m. At 5 p.m., the hunter texted his friend to pick him up but failed to arrive at the agreed upon location. The friend searched for the missing hunter for a few hours before calling for help. Forest Rangers organized search crews made up of the Chenango County Sheriff’s Department, Chenango County Search and Rescue Team, Genegantslet Fire Department, and Norwich Police. At 11:55 p.m., search crews found the hunter. He got turned around in the dark and couldn’t find his way out of the woods. Greene Ambulance treated the hunter for hypothermia and transported him to the hospital. 

Town of North Hudson 

Essex County 

Car Submerged: On Nov. 21 at 9:40 p.m., the North Hudson Fire Department reported a traffic accident that resulted in a car submerged in the water near Ensign Pond Road. At 10 p.m., Ranger Quinn responded to the potential water rescue, but determined the car was empty. New York State Police located the driver in Moriah and are handling the investigation. 

Submerged car, photo from North Hudson Fire Department (photo attached)

Town of Cairo 

Greene County 

Wilderness Rescue: On Nov. 24 at 3:24 p.m., Forest Rangers Allwine, Fox, Horn, and Jackson responded to the Winter Clove Inn to assist a hiker with knee injury. The 68-year-old from Oneonta was approximately 1.5 miles into the woods on a trail known for steep and challenging terrain. Rangers reached the subject by 5 p.m., splinted his leg, packaged him in a wheeled litter, and were out of the woods by 7:05 p.m. The patient refused further medical care. 

Winter Clove rescue (two photos attached)

Town of Keene 

Essex County 

Wilderness Recovery: On Nov. 25 at 10:17 a.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a notification from a beacon on Sawteeth Mountain that CPR was in progress for a hiker near Rainbow Falls. Forest Ranger Lewis responded. The hiker’s guide had started CPR and a passing EMT continued, but after an hour, responders were unable to resuscitate the 49-year-old from Astoria. Forest Ranger Lewis packaged the subject and helped bring him out to the Essex County Coroner. Resources were clear at 2:02 p.m.  

Town of Bethlehem 

Albany County 

Wilderness Recovery: On Nov. 25 at 10:15 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a request for Forest Ranger assistance from Bethlehem Police in searching for a missing 71-year-old with dementia. The subject’s son last saw his father at 1 p.m. the previous day. When the son returned to check on his father the following evening, the subject was gone. The 71-year-old is known to walk the trails in the Moh-He-Con-Nuck Nature Preserve. The following morning, Forest Rangers Fox, France, and Jackson, Bethlehem Police, and the Elsmere and Selkirk fire departments performed linear searches of the trails near the subject’s home. At 10 a.m., Ranger Jackson located the subject deceased in standing water nearby. Forest Rangers and fire department members used cold water suits to recover the subject. Crews used a litter to carry the subject to a fire department UTV; he later turned over the Albany County Coroner’s Office. Resources were clear at 11:50 a.m. 

Village of Lake George 

Warren County 

Public Outreach: On Nov. 25, Forest Ranges Donegan, Kabrehl, and Morehouse participated in the annual ‘Lite Up the Village’ event in Lake George. Rangers strung lights on a 6x6 with a litter basket, a Type Six Engine, and an inflatable raft boat to highlight the wide range of a Ranger’s duties. 

Lite Up the Village (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: http://on.ny.gov/NYSForestRangerRoster