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 Arietta, Hamilton County
Snowmobile Crash: On Dec. 20 at 9:18 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office requesting Forest Ranger assistance with a disabled snowmobile on a seasonal road in the Moose River Plains camping area.
Rangers Miller and Savarie reached the subject who had struck a felled tree lying across the snow-covered trail. The 33-year-old snowmobiler from Gansevoort went airborne and landed on his shoulder. Rangers provided a sling to immobilize the shoulder and transported the subject via snowmobile back to his vehicle. The subject refused further medical care. Resources were clear at 11:59 p.m.
Town of Pawling, Dutchess County
Ice Rescue: On Dec. 23 at 12:35 p.m., Forest Ranger Cowart responded to a call for a skater who had fallen through the ice on Lake Dutchess. When Ranger Cowart arrived, a Pawling Fire Department member had already secured the 31-year-old from Pawling in a kayak but was unable to get himself out of the water.
Ranger Cowart worked with New York State Police, Dutchess County Sheriff’s Department, and Kent Police on a flat ice rescue. Ranger Cowart was secured to a 300-foot rope before entering the ice. The Fire Department rescuer was tethered to a short rope that Ranger Cowart grabbed to pull him to safety.
Once on the surface of the ice, Ranger Cowart directed response personnel to pull all three individuals back to shore. The subject was taken to the hospital to be treated for hypothermia. Resources were clear at 1:43 p.m.
Town of North Elba, Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On Dec. 26 at 12:52 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a hiker at Marcy Dam in the Adirondack High Peaks who advised their feet were frozen and they could not continue hiking. Forest Rangers Curcio and Rooney located two 18-year-olds from New Jersey.
One of them was barefoot with his feet wrapped in his jacket. The hiker’s boots and socks were frozen. Rangers treated both subjects for mild hypothermia, provided extra layers of clothes, and transported the pair back to the trailhead. Resources were clear by 4 p.m.
Town of Hunter, Greene County
Wilderness Rescue: On Dec. 27 at 10:24 a.m., Forest Rangers responded to a call for an ice-climber fall in Kaaterskill Clove. The 62-year-old fell approximately 35 feet. Rangers worked with Haines Falls Rescue, Kingston Technical Rescue Team, Tannersville Rescue, and the Twin Cloves Technical Rescue Team on a technical rope rescue.
Crews pulled the climber to safety and brought him to a waiting Hunter Ambulance. Resources were clear at 12:15 p.m.
Read about past Forest Ranger missions here.
Photo of Kaaterskill Clove ice provided by DEC.
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