DEC Forest Rangers – Week in Review

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 2023, DEC Forest Rangers conducted 370 search and rescue missions, extinguished 146 wildfires covering nearly 1,400 acres, participated in 52 prescribed fires that served to rejuvenate more than 1,000 acres of land, and worked on cases that resulted in hundreds of tickets and arrests.

"Whether they are leading complex search and rescue incidents, suppressing wildfires, enforcing laws on State lands and easements, inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards, or encouraging responsible recreation, Forest Rangers stand ready to help when called," DEC Interim Commissioner Sean Maharsaid. "Forest Rangers' wide-ranging expertise and collaboration with local, State, and federal partners are instrumental in protecting New York's public lands and the many visitors who use them."

Town of Keene
Essex County
Swift Water Training: On Oct. 8, Forest Rangers DuChene and Foutch led swift water rescue training for 15 members of the Keene and Keene Valley Fire Departments on Chapel Pond. During the training, Rangers demonstrated how to pull subjects into a boat and how to flip over an inflatable boat when necessary.

Swift water rescue training

Town of Arietta
Hamilton County
Wildland Fire: On Oct. 9 at 2:30 p.m., while patrolling West Canada Lakes Wilderness, Forest Rangers Caswell, Hamm, and O'Connell discovered a ground fire on Spruce Lake caused by an unattended campfire. Rangers continued suppression efforts through the night and removed nearby hazards. Rangers patrolled the fire until October 11 when they declared it out.

Spruce Lake fire

Spruce Lake fire

Town of Watson
Lewis County
Wilderness Recovery: On Oct. 13 at 5:19 p.m., the Lewis County Sheriff's Department requested Forest Ranger assistance in the search for a missing subject with a history of mental illness. The subject was last seen the previous day at 5:30 a.m. Over the next few days, 13 Rangers, dozens of volunteers and members of fire departments, New York State Police, New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, and Lewis County Sheriff's Deputies conducted linear and grid searches. On Oct. 16 at 3:30 p.m., a member of the public located the 39-year-old from Watson deceased in the Independence River Wild Forest. Rangers brought the subject out of the woods and turned him over to Lewis County officials.

Search in Watson

Town of Arietta
Hamilton County
Trail Maintenance: Over the last week, Forest Rangers, members of the Pleasant Riders Snowmobile Club, the town of Arietta, and Northville Foresters cleared and repaired more than three miles of a corridor snowmobile trail south of Oxbow Lake in Jessup River Wild Forest. The trail was severely damage by downed and uprooted trees due to high winds and tornadoes earlier in the year. In some places, trees were piled on top of each other 30 feet high, making the trail impassable. Northville Foresters secured approval from the town of Arietta Highway Department to use equipment to replace sections of trail obliterated by the trees. The work is set to be completed before the upcoming snowmobile season.

Snowmobile trail maintenance

Snowmobile trail maintenance

Town of Hunter
Greene County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 16 at 5:05 p.m., Greene County requested Forest Ranger assistance with a hiker who had suffered an ankle injury at Huckleberry Point in the Kaaterskill Wild Forest. Rangers Bink and Horn splinted the subject's ankle. Rangers joined Tannersville Fire and Hunter Police and Ambulance personnel to extricate the hiker via UTV. The 35-year-old from New York City decided to seek further medical attention on her own. Resources were clear at 7:25 p.m.

Huckleberry Point rescue

Town of North Elba
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 17 at 5:03 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from Essex County 911 about a hiker with a back injury on Phelps Mountain. At 5:45 p.m., Rangers reached the 68-year-old from the state of Washington. By 8:34 p.m., Rangers were back at the trailhead with the subject.

Hamlet of Woodville
Ontario County
Wildland Fire Pumps Training: On Oct. 18, Forest Ranger Dormer led wildland fire pump refresher training for four Rangers at Canandaigua Lake. Rangers tested pumps, refreshed their skills, and winterized the pumps for the season.

Towns of Horicon and Schroon
Essex and Warren Counties
Trail Maintenance: On Oct. 18, Forest Rangers Baker and Kabrehl cleared downed trees along three miles of a trail in the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area. Chainsaw use is only allowed in wilderness areas between April 1 and May 24, and between Oct. 15 and Nov. 15. Outside of these two windows, only hand tools are allowed, so it is critical that Rangers use chainsaws to make the trails passable during these timeframes.

Trail maintenance in Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area

Village of Greenwood Lake
Orange County
Wildland Fire: On Oct. 18 at 4:30 p.m., New Jersey State Fire contacted DEC's Regional Office in New Paltz to report a fire crossed over state lines into Sterling Forest State Park. Forest Ranger Jahn responded with New York State Park Rangers. By 6:10 p.m., responders contained the fire to 5.9 acres in New York and 0.7 acres in New Jersey.

Sterling Forest State Park fire

Town of Colton
St. Lawrence County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 19 at 6:24 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a hiking party attempting the Cranberry Lake 50, a 50-mile circumnavigation of the lake. One member of the party was suffering from dehydration. Forest Ranger Benzel spoke to the reporting party who indicated the 26-year-old from Connecticut was getting better with fluids and did not need Ranger assistance until the morning. An hour later, the hiking party called again to advise the subject was getting worse. The hikers were approximately 1.6 miles east of Campsite 17 along the Otter Brook trail at the time of the call. At 10:32 p.m., Rangers Benzel and Ellis and members of the Cranberry Lake and Star Lake Fire Departments located and transported the subject back to Cranberry Lake via boat. At 11:41 p.m., an ambulance transported the subject to the hospital.

Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 19 at 7:31 p.m., Forest Ranger O'Connor responded to a call for a hiker with ankle and head injuries on Bear Den Mountain. Ranger O'Connor reached the pair from Stephentown and Gansevoort and determined the injuries were minor, but both hikers were dehydrated. Rangers O'Connor provided nourishment and assisted the pair back to their vehicle at 9:12 p.m. DEC encourages hikers to make sure they are hydrated and well-nourished before heading out for a hike. DEC also encourages to plan ahead and prepare, and bring extra food and water in case their hike takes longer than expected. Tips to Hike Smart NY are available on the DEC website.

Village of Tupper Lake
Franklin County
Wilderness Search: On Oct. 19 at 7:36 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call about an overdue hiker on Coney Mountain. Forest Ranger Curcio verified the hiker's vehicle was still in the parking area. Ranger Curcio hiked the mile-long trail to the summit but did not see the 69-year-old from Lake Clear. More Rangers joined the search and located the subject off trail in good health. They helped her back to the trailhead and resources were clear at 12:18 a.m.

Village of Sherburne
Chenango County
Public Outreach: On Oct. 20, Forest Rangers participated in the third annual Touch-A-Truck event at Sherburne-Earlville High School. Children and adults explored the Forest Ranger patrol vehicle while Rangers showed attendees equipment used for wildfire response and rescue incidents. Many children enjoyed turning on the lights and siren, while others attempted to carry the heavy packs of rescue equipment.

Ranger Chappell at Touch-A-Truck in Sherburne

Touch-A-Truck in Sherburne

Town of Dresden
Washington County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 20 at 2:18 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from the leader of a YMCA hiking group to report one of six hikers was suffering from muscle exhaustion and couldn't continue hiking Black Mountain on his own. Rangers Carabetta and Kabrehl hiked in and escorted the 70-year-old from Ballston Spa down the mountain to the parking lot where he refused further medical attention. Resources were clear at 4:34 p.m.

Town of Hunter
Greene County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 20 at 3:15 p.m., Forest Ranger Dawson responded to a call for a hiker with a finger injury on the Escarpment trail near Boulder Rock in Kaaterskill Wild Forest. The 30-year-old from New Jersey planned a hike near North South Lake but followed the wrong path to the Escarpment trail and ended up on steep slopes with loose soil and slippery leaves. He slid approximately 15 feet and broke his finger. Ranger Dawson splinted the finger and assisted the hiker back to the trail where they were met by Ranger Gullen. Rangers helped the subject back to the trailhead and he declined further medical care. Resources were clear at 5:30 p.m.

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.

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