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.
Delaware County
Town of Colchester
Campground Violations: On August 6th at 8 am, Forest Rangers responded to a call from the Bear Spring Campground caretaker after multiple camper complaints about a loud group overnight. Rangers interviewed the uncooperative group and noticed multiple violations. Tickets were issued to the permit holder for violating quiet hours, illegal tree cutting, and failure to remove garbage. Rangers and campground staff then evicted the group. Resources were clear at 1:35 pm.
Essex County
Town of Keene
Wilderness Rescue: On August 1st at 10:08 am, Forest Ranger Lewis responded to a call for a hiker with a head injury on the east side of Pitchoff Mountain. Less than half an hour later, Ranger Lewis reached the 67-year-old from New Jersey and bandaged her head. Ranger Lewis walked the hiker and the rest of her hiking party to the trailhead by 12:45 pm.
Town of North Hudson
Wildland Fire: On August 7th at 5:55 pm, Forest Rangers Donegan and St. Claire responded to a wildland fire report east of Pharaoh Lake in the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area. With Ranger Nally serving as hoist operator, New York State Police (NYSP) Aviation dropped Rangers Donegan and St. Claire to the fire location. The fire includes areas with steep ledges and measures approximately five to six acres. Four more Rangers arrived by boat and by foot the next day. The fire is not threatening the public or any buildings, but is currently not fully contained.
Hamilton County
Town of Indian Lake
Wilderness Rescue: On July 28th at 8 pm, Forest Rangers Miller, Nally, and Thompson responded to a report of a hiker lost on OK Slip Falls. Cell phone coordinates put the 37-year-old from Corinth near Whortleberry Pond, approximately two miles west of OK Slip Falls. After checking the trail register and confirming he was planning to hike OK Slip Falls, Rangers started searching trails in that area. Ranger Thompson found fresh tracks on a trail heading towards Whortleberry Pond. At 11 pm. Rangers made voice contact with the hiker who took a wrong trail early in the hike and became turned around. When it was dark, he stopped, built a fire, and called for help. At 11:40 pm, Rangers located the subject in good condition and walked with him to the trailhead. Resources were clear at 2:07 am.
Herkimer County
Town of Webb
Unattended Fire: On August 2nd at 6:15 am, the Alger Island Caretaker contacted Forest Ranger McCartney to report a lean-to on fire. Ranger McCartney, Lieutenant Hoag, and the Old Forge Fire Department responded. Half an hour later, the fire was under control, but the lean-to was a total loss. Fire crews knocked the remaining structure to the ground and surrounded it with caution tape and fencing. The following afternoon, the fire was declared out. The fire began as an unattended fire that spread to the lean-to. Rangers remind all campers to never leave a fire unattended; it doesn’t take heavy winds to spread fire quickly. When finished with a fire, it should be drowned with water to ensure there are no remaining hot spots.
Washington County
Town of Fort Ann
Wilderness Rescue: On August 2nd at 3 pm, Ray Brook dispatch requested Forest Ranger assistance for a hiker with an ankle injury approximately half-a-mile down from the summit of Buck Mountain. Rangers Donegan and Poulton reached the 17-year-old from Guilderland at 4:40 pm and splinted her ankle. Rangers helped the hiker down the mountain until they reached Ranger Morehouse with an ATV, who drove her to the trailhead. Resources were clear at 6:13 pm.
Read past Forest Ranger search and rescue reports here.
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