DEC Forest Rangers Week in Review

Town of Brasher
St. Lawrence County
Wilderness Search: On July 10, at 7:30 p.m., the St. Lawrence County Sheriff's Department requested Forest Ranger assistance in the search for a 24-year-old subject with reported mental health issues who ran out of his residence into Brasher State Forest at 12 p.m. At 9 p.m., Ranger Dempf located the subject on Bush Road. The subject said he was lost in the woods, wet, cold, and hungry. Ranger Dempf warmed the subject, provided food and water, and turned him over to Sheriff's Deputies for further evaluation.

Town of Ulysses
Tompkins County
Wilderness Search: On July 10, at 8:05 p.m., the Tompkins County Sheriff's Department requested Forest Ranger assistance in the search for a 92-year-old despondent subject. The subject's vehicle was located in Taughannock Falls State Park. Six Rangers joined New York State Police, New York State Parks Police, the Tompkins County Sheriff's Department, and the Ontario County Sheriff's Department in the search. The following day at 3:10 p.m., Rangers found the subject approximately five feet from the edge of the gorge in Taughannock Falls State Park. Rangers walked him to the parking lot where he was checked out by Trumansburg EMS.

Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On July 10, at 9:45 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call about a group of hikers who lost the trail on Giant Mountain. At 1:08 a.m., Forest Rangers Praczkajlo and Rooney reached the hikers' original coordinates but only found abandoned gear. Two hikers, a 21-year-old and 16-year-old, got separated from the other five hikers. At 2:53 a.m., Ranger Martin found the group of five, but the other two were still missing. Rangers followed the hiker's tracks south along Putnam Brook and at 8:45 a.m., Rangers found the two subjects and helped them hike out. At 9:20 a.m., the entire group of seven was back at the trailhead. A short video of the wet and treacherous conditions that the 10 Rangers encountered is available to download.

Town of Santa Clara
Franklin County
Water Rescue: On July 12, at 2:45 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a 911 text message from Franklin County about multiple overturned boats and six injured subjects on the St. Regis River about two miles south of the Santa Clara boat launch. The subjects indicated they were floating down the river, further away from the boat launch. Forest Rangers Baldwin, Bowler, Corey, and Curcio responded. At 4:30 p.m., Rangers located and helped all six subjects out of the water. They only had four of their kayaks and two paddles left. Rangers drove them back to the boat launch. The subjects were exhausted but did not require further medical attention.

Town of North Elba
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On July 12, at 1:55 p.m., the Mount Marcy Summit Steward called for help for a hiker from Rochester with an unstable leg injury about a half a mile from the summit. New York State Police Aviation Pilot Engel was called in to assist. Ranger Praczkajlo was lowered to the subject and harnessed him for a hoist. Ranger Lewis hoisted the subject into the helicopter which flew him to the hospital. Resources were clear at 3:22 p.m. Video of the hoist rescue is available to download.

Town of Johnsburg
Warren County
Water Recovery: On July 12, at 8:25 p.m., Warren County requested Forest Ranger assistance with the search for an overturned kayaker on the Hudson River. The 67-year-old from Indiana was not wearing a personal floatation device. Eleven Rangers responded with an air boat, inflatable rafts, and kayaks. LifeNet and New York State Police (NYSP) Aviation performed aerial searches. Search efforts were unsuccessful overnight.

On July 13, at 8:02 a.m., Rangers located the kayak. The Warren County Sheriff's Department Dive Team and multiple fire departments assisted in the search. Rangers and NYSP also used drones.

On July 14, at 1:45 p.m., a Ranger in a NYSP helicopter found the subject deceased on the eastern side of the river in the town of Chester, approximately 13 miles from where he was last seen. The subject was transferred to the Warren County Coroner.