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.
Chenango County
Town of Greene
Brush Fire: On April 30th at 2:22 pm, Forest Ranger Oldroyd responded to a brush fire in the town of Greene. Six local fire departments helped get the 0.7-acre fire under control. The fire began with a campfire used for cooking. The landowner was issued a ticket for failing to clear flammable debris from a three-foot area around the fire. Resources were clear at 4:50 pm.
Columbia County
Town of Gallatin
Brush Fires: On April 29th at 3 pm, Forest Rangers Cowart, Gullen, Pries, and Sweeney responded to a brush fire in the town of Gallatin. When the Rangers arrived, they realized there were two separate fires about a mile apart, and split up to tackle both. The larger of the two fires burned nearly 14 acres and was likely started by someone burning cardboard. The smaller of the two fires burned more than two acres. By 7:15 pm, both fires were under control and declared out the next day.
Essex County
North Elba
Wilderness Rescue: On April 30th at 10 pm, Essex County 911 requested Forest Ranger assistance for a hiker suffering from an unstable knee injury on Algonquin Peak. Ranger Evans made contact with the 25-year-old from Vermont and instructed her partner to make a brace so the pair could continue moving downhill. When Rangers Evans and Lewis reached the hiker at 1:30 am, they re-splinted the knee and helped the hikers out of the woods. At 6 am, the subject went to Glens Falls Hospital for further treatment.
Warren County
Town of Lake Luzerne
Brush Fire: On May 1st at 5:58 pm, Ranger Donegan responded to a call for a large brush fire in Lake Luzerne. Two additional Rangers were called in to assist the six fire departments trying to get the fire under control. The majority of the 75-acre fire was on private property and no structures were threatened. Four Rangers returned the next morning and contained what was left of the fire.
Read past Forest Ranger search and rescue reports here.
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