NYS DEC highlights recent statewide rescue missions

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers has highlighted its recent rescue missions.

This was disclosed in a statement released on Wednesday September 23, 2020.

According to the The statement, on September, 17 at about 10:25 a.m., DEC’s Central Dispatch received a call from a relative of two campers on the Bog River after one of the campers injured their back and had difficulty moving.

Forest Rangers Baldwin, Lee, and Hogan located the campers and began the walk out to the road.

The campers were transported back to their vehicle.

It was reported that on September 18, Essex County 911 transferred a call to DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch reporting a hiker with a chest injury on the Pitchoff Trail in the Sentinel Mountain Wilderness Area.

Forest Ranger Praczkajlo responded to assist, locating the 68-year-old hiker from Waltham, Massachusetts, at 7:45 p.m.

After administering first aid for injured ribs, the Ranger and the hiker walked out to the trailhead.

Another rescue mission was carried out on September 19. This mission involved a 40-year-old hiker from Tenafly, New Jersey, with a lower left leg injury.

The Windham Police Department contacted DEC’s Central Dispatch requesting Forest Ranger assistance.

The hiker was approximately one mile from the Barnum Road trailhead on Thomas Cole Mountain. Forest Rangers Breigle, Seeley, Jackson, and Ellis responded to assist.

DEC also carried out a rescue mission on September 19.

Washington County 911 transferred a call to DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch from a hiker advising she was stuck on the trail on Black Mountain and two of her hiking companions were further up the trail.

Washington County 911 provided coordinates that placed several members of the hike group from Mechanicville at the Black Mountain Point on the shore of Lake George.

Forest Rangers O’Connor and Donegan responded to Black Mountain Point via a boat from Green Island, while Forest Ranger St. Claire responded to the marina at Hulett’s Landing.

On September 19, DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a hiker who became separated from her sister while hiking Esther Mountain.

The missing hiker was last seen near the outlook at Marble Mountain.

At 9:38 p.m., Ranger Evans located the 31-year-old hiker from Canton who reported that she had fallen, lost consciousness, and injured her right knee.

September 20 rescue mission involved four overdue hikers spending the night at Marcy Dam as part of a group of 16.

Forest Rangers, Assistant Forest Rangers, and caretakers responded to look for the missing hikers.

Two hikers attempted to get back to the campsite via Lake Arnold but could not make a water crossing and spent the night along the trail.

Assistant Forest Ranger Engel located this pair at 9:32 a.m., and escorted them back to the group. Forest Rangers issued the hikers a ticket for an oversized group. The incident concluded at 11 a.m.