New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents throughout New York State. 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.
What follows is a report, prepared by DEC, of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers.
Lewis County
Town of Montague
Wildland Recovery: On April 10th at 12:42 am Ray Brook Dispatch requested Forest Ranger assistance with the search for a missing 72-year-old. Frederick Moat, from Kirkwood, went missing during the SNIRT ATV/UTV run in the Tug Hill region of Lewis County. Ranger Lieutenants Hoag and Nowalk and Rangers Evans, Lee, Snyder, and Thomes responded along with DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement, Lewis County Sheriff’s Department, Lewis County Emergency Management Services, Martinsburg and Turin fire departments, and multiple volunteers. The search was challenging because of the large, six-town search area. Ranger Evans set up a command post in Martinsburg with crews checking in remotely, because they were searching areas up to an hour away. At 1 pm, crews found the man’s ATV stuck near a seasonal access road in the town of Montague. All crews were moved to that area to begin a ground search. At 2:15 pm, Moat was found deceased. Rescue crews carried him approximately one-half mile out in swampy conditions to the road. Resources were clear at 4:35 pm Lewis County Sheriff’s Department is investigating.
Ontario County
Town of Bristol
Wilderness Rescue: On April 8th at 11:37 am, Forest Ranger Dormer responded to a report of a State land user with a lower leg injury. Ranger Dormer was joined by BECI Lieutenant Didion, Environmental Conservation Police Officer Leavenway, New York State Police, and Bristol Fire Department. Rescuers stabilized the leg injured, loaded the subject into a litter, and brought him to an ATV for transport to a Canandaigua Ambulance. Resources were clear at 12:35 pm.
Oswego County
Town of Redfield
ATV Enforcement: On April 9th, Forest Rangers patrolled Littlejohn Wildlife Management Area (WMA) to curb illegal ATV activity connected to an event in Lewis County that previously resulted in damage when ATVs illegally traveled through the WMA. Rangers encountered approximately 30 ATVs and issued 21 tickets for illegal ATV operation on WMA roadways. One ticket was issued for an unregistered ATV. Several ATV operators were turned away before they could enter the WMA.
Warren County
Town of Bolton
Wilderness Rescue: On April 10th at 8:15 pm, Warren County 911 requested Forest Ranger assistance regarding a group hiking Cat and Thomas mountains. One of the members got separated and called for help. Ranger Kabrehl responded to the coordinates provided by 911 and located the subject approximately one-half mile from the Edgecomb Pond trailhead. Ranger Kabrehl assisted the 18-year-old from the Bronx to the trailhead where the subject was taken by ambulance to the hospital. Resources were clear at 11:30 pm.
Read past Forest Ranger search and rescue reports here.
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