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 and engage in policing on New York State Lands.
What follows is a report, prepared by DEC, of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers.
Town of Wilmington, Essex County
Wilderness Search:On Oct. 22 at 3 p.m., Essex County 911 contacted Ray Brook Dispatch to request Forest Ranger assistance with two hikers lost on the Cobble Lookout trail in Wilmington Wild Forest in the Adirondacks. At 5:14 p.m., Forest Ranger DuChene located the 20-year-old from France and 21-year-old from Canada and helped the pair back to the trailhead.
Village of Fort Ann, Washington County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 23 at 2 p.m., Forest Rangers Clute and Hess responded to a call for a hiker with an ankle injury on Buck Mountain, which overlooks Lake George. At 5 p.m., Rangers reached the 35-year-old from South Carolina and requested paramedic assistance to stabilize the patient’s ankle.
The hiker had fallen and injured her ankle before her 85-pound dog fell on the ankle, as well. Ranger Hess assisted North Queensbury EMS to the location. They stabilized the subject’s ankle, provided pain medication, and assisted her 1.5 miles back to the trailhead where an ambulance transported her to the hospital. Resources were clear at 6:10 p.m.
Town of Stratford, Fulton County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 25 at 7:26 p.m., Fulton County requested Forest Ranger assistance for a hunter who was thought to have suffered a stroke in the woods. Three Rangers responded along with Stratford Fire and EMS. At 9 p.m., they reached the 84-year-old from Johnstown, packaged him in a litter, and drove him out on an ATV to a waiting ambulance, which took him to a LifeNet helicopter for transport to the hospital.
Town of Hunter, Greene County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 26 at 9:25 a.m., Forest Ranger Dempf responded to a call for a subject who had collapsed on the trail near Kaaterskill Falls in the Catskills. At 9:40 a.m., Ranger Dempf reached the 53-year-old from New Jersey and the rest of his hiking party. The subject was conscious and alert but showed signs of overexertion.
Ranger Dempf provided sustenance, and with the help of Greene County Paramedics and Tannersville Fire, assisted the subject to the top of the trail to an awaiting UTV, which transported him to a Hunter ambulance. The subject declined an ambulance ride to the hospital and decided to seek further medical care on his own. Resources were clear at 10:52 a.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.
Town of Keene, Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 26 at 1:45 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call about a hiker with a lower leg injury on Mount Marcy in the Adirondack High Peaks. New York State Police Pilot Engel flew Forest Rangers Lewis and O’Connor to the scene. Ranger Lewis lowered Ranger O’Connor down to the 45-year-old from Lockport.
Ranger O’Connor stabilized the hiker’s broken leg, and Ranger Lewis hoisted the subject into the helicopter so they could fly to the hospital. Ranger O’Connor escorted the subject’s husband to Adirondak Loj. Resources were clear at 7 p.m.
Read past Forest Ranger search and rescue reports here.
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