The Peru Gazette

Recent Statewide Forest Ranger Actions

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 2021, DEC Forest Rangers conducted 426 search and rescue missions, extinguished wildfires, participated in prescribed fires that served to rejuvenate hundreds of acres of land, and worked on cases that resulted in thousands of tickets or arrests.

Town of North Elba
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On July 20 at 7:15 a.m., Northern Frontier Camp of Indian Lake contacted Ray Brook Dispatch to report a 17-year-old camper having a seizure near the Flowed Lands Lake. The camper from Delaware was attempting to hike 22 High Peaks in approximately one week. Forest Rangers Evans and Martin responded with the Lake Colden caretaker. The caretaker reached the subject at the Herbert Brook lean-to and brought them to the Lake Colden Outpost for possible aviation evacuation. At 10:38 a.m., New York State Police (NYSP) Aviation landed at Lake Colden where Rangers helped the subject into the helicopter, which brought the camper to the hospital for further treatment.

Town of Ticonderoga
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On July 22 at 4:10 p.m., Forest Ranger Kabrehl responded to a call for two hikers who became lost on the Grizzle Ocean Mountain trail and were running out of water. The 43- and 15-year-old hikers from Buskirk were planning to hike the big loop to Pharaoh Lake and back to the Putnam Pond Campground. The hikers made it to Pharaoh Lake and headed toward Grizzle Ocean, but lost the trail near Wolf Pond. The subjects mistakenly thought they were in the Grizzle Ocean outlet and hiked upstream to find the trail. When they became exhausted and dehydrated, they called 911. Ranger Kabrehl found the subjects at 7 p.m., provided water, and helped the pair back to the campground. Resources were clear at 9 p.m.

Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On July 24 at 7:40 p.m., Forest Ranger Mecus found an injured hiker on the way down Mount Marcy. The 27-year-old from Ballston Lake became separated from her family at the summit and took a wrong turn at the Phelps junction. The hiker fell in a drainage and hurt her leg. Ranger Mecus bandaged the injury and helped the subject to the Johns Brook outpost. At 10:40 p.m., Ranger Lewis arrived and assisted the hiker to the Garden trailhead. At 12:10 a.m., the hiker was reunited with her family.

Town of Harrietstown
Franklin County
Wilderness Rescue: On July 24 at 9:45 p.m., Franklin County 911 requested Forest Ranger assistance for a pair of hikers on the Calkins Brook trail on the way down from Seward Mountain. The 49-year-old from Potsdam was out of water, suffering from dehydration, and didn’t think he could make it to the trailhead. Rangers Curcio, DiCintio, Lewis, O’Connor, and Praczkajlo responded. At 12:40 a.m., Ranger Curcio reached the subject and provided food and water. Rangers helped the hikers to the trailhead where the subject declined further medical care. Resources were clear at 1:50 a.m.

Town of Fine
St. Lawrence County
Forest Ranger Academy: The Division of Forest Protection’s 23rd Basic School for Forest Rangers is underway at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry’s Ranger School campus in Wanakena. Ranger recruits recently received training in defensive tactics, community/victim resources, crime prevention, Environmental Conservation Law State land enforcement, deck and seamanship, and Class C vessels including canoes and kayaks. Upon graduation, recruits will be assigned to patrol public lands across the state.

Forest Ranger recruit crime prevention training

Forest Ranger recruit water training

State of New York
Becoming a Forest Ranger: Individuals interested in helping protect people and natural resources throughout the state by becoming a Forest Ranger are reminded that the deadline to apply for the civil service exam is Aug. 3, 2022. The Civil Service Exam is Sept. 17, 2022. More information is available on the DEC website.
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.