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."

Hamlet of Lake Clear
Franklin County
Pilot Honored: On Sept. 30, Forest Rangers honored retired New York State Police (NYSP) Pilot Kotronis. After 30 years of service, Kotronis recently retired. Kotronis piloted countless hoist rescues in the Adirondacks and also served as pilot for many wildland fire missions. Rangers work closely with NYSP on these missions building up an enormous amount of trust and respect. DEC thanks Pilot Kotronis for his service.

Rangers honor NYSP Pilot Kotronis

Village of Saranac Lake
Franklin County
Camp Clean Up: On Oct. 8, Forest Ranger Bowler and DEC Operations staff removed a large number of trash bags from three locations on Lake Colby. Bags were removed by boat and disposed. The bags' contents are believed to be from parties and hidden on the lake. DEC reminds visitors to State lands to Love Our New York Lands by recreating safely and responsibly and follow the principles of Leave No Trace^TM.

Lake Colby cleanup

Town of Brighton
Franklin County
Wildland Fire Training: On Oct. 9, Forest Rangers Adams, Bowler, and Ordway conducted wildland fire training for students at Paul Smith's College. Rangers taught participating students how to dig a containment line to keep a fire from spreading.

City of Albany
Albany County
Wildland Search Training: On Oct. 9, Forest Rangers led wildland search training for the New York State Police Troop G Mobile Field Unit. The Mobile Field Unit consists of specially trained Troopers who respond to significant searches as part of a team led by a Forest Ranger Crew Boss. Mobile Field Unit members received classroom training before participating in a field exercise in the Albany Pine Bush Preserve.

Wildland search training

Wildland search training

Town of Elizabethtown
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 9 at 9:20 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a concerned family member of two hikers overdue on Giant Mountain. The family had last heard from the hikers at 8:40 p.m., and were advised the hikers' phones and head lamps were dying. Forest Rangers Bode and Quinn located the 55-year-old from Au Sable Forks and 70-year-old from Keeseville on the trail approximately 1.7 miles from the trailhead. Rangers provided headlamps, warm clothing, and water and helped the pair down the trailhead. Resources were clear at 12:15 a.m.

Town of Webb
Herkimer County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 11 at 12:46 p.m., Forest Ranger McCartney responded to a call for a hiker with a lower leg injury one-quarter of a mile from the Bald Mountain trailhead. Ranger McCartney located the 68-year-old from Fairport and splinted her leg. Ranger Hanno and the Old Forge Fire Department helped secure the hiker into a wheeled litter and brought her down to an Old Forge Ambulance by 1:16 p.m.

Hamlet of Bloomingdale
Essex County
Public Outreach: On Oct. 11, Forest Ranger Lieutenant LaPierre and Rangers Adams and Ordway joined Smokey Bear to talk with students at Bloomingdale Elementary about fire safety and prevention.

Smokey Bear event at Bloomingdale Elementary

Rangers Ordway and Adams with Smokey Bear at Bloomingdale Elementary

Town of Van Etten
Chemung County
Public Outreach: On Oct. 12, Forest Rangers Raffaldi-Smith and Richer attend a Touch-A-Truck event that provides participating children with the opportunity to go inside various first responder vehicles. Rangers provided lessons in fire prevention while showing the children their trucks.

Ranger Richer at Touch-A-Truck

Town of Jay
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 12 at 1:50 p.m., Forest Rangers Black and Bode responded to a call for a hiker with an ankle injury on Jay Mountain. Good Samaritans stopped and splinted the hiker's ankle while Rangers responded. Rangers helped the 24-year-old from Albany and her dog down the mountain. Resources were clear at 5:20 p.m.

Town of Woodstock
Ulster County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 12 at 2:30 p.m., Ulster County 911 requested Forest Ranger assistance for an injured hiker on Overlook Mountain in the area of Echo Lake. Rangers called the hiker's daughter and learned the 78-year-old from France was unable to walk or even sit up. Rangers Franceschina and Martin joined Woodstock Fire and a Woodstock Paramedic and found the subject at 4 p.m. The paramedic suspected the subject had a fractured pelvis. New York State Police Aviation Pilots Leeder and Celestine were called in to help perform a hoist rescue. Rangers, Fire Department personnel, and the Catskill Center Steward located and carried the patient to a site 300 feet uphill that would work as a hoist location. Ranger Cowart lowered Ranger Rusher who helped package the subject. At 5:15 p.m., Ranger Cowart successfully hoisted the hiker into the helicopter, and they flew to the hospital. Video of the hoist (video, 7.2 MB).

Overlook Mountain hoist rescue

Overlook Mountain hoist rescue

Ranger Cowart at Overlook Mountain hoist rescue

Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 12 at 3:15 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from two hikers on the trap dike. The pair were no longer able to move in any direction due to the steep and wet conditions. New York State Police Aviation Pilot Zakris was called in to fly three Forest Rangers to the location to perform a technical rope rescue. It was too wet and unsafe to rescue the pair from below, so Rangers climbed to the top of the dike and rappelled down to the subjects. At 5:30 p.m., Rangers reached the 42-year-old and 43-year-old from Quebec and lowered the pair to the trap dike. Rangers warmed and fed the hikers, took the pair across the lake by boat, and hiked them to Marcy Dam. The subjects reached their vehicles at the trailhead at 2:45 a.m.

Trap dike

Trap dike rescue

Trap dike rescue

Town of Harrietstown
Franklin County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 13 at 1:45 a.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a distress call from a satellite device indicating a hiker had suffered a knee injury on the Northville-Placid trail. The 46-year-old from Canastota advised she would camp out for the night and requested Forest Ranger assistance the following morning. The next day, Rangers Curcio, Nahor, and Scott reached the subject, splinted her leg, and assisted her back to her vehicle. Resources were clear at 4:30 p.m.

Town of Peru
Clinton County
Hate Crime: On Oct.13 at 12:35 p.m., the Ausable Point Campground Caretaker reported multiple swastikas spray painted on rocks leading into the campground. Acting Forest Ranger Captain Booth removed the graffiti. Ranger Bode interviewed campground staff and forwarded pictures to the Bureau of Environmental Crime Investigations Investigator Panipinto. DEC is requesting anyone with information about this hate crime to call 1-844-DEC-ECOS for 24-hour dispatch.

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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