New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 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 statewide.TOWN OF KEENE, WILDERNESS RESCUESOn May 26 at 9:22 p.m., two hikers called Ray Brook Dispatch to report they were lost on Giant Mountain. The 19- and 21-year-olds were out of food and water, didn’t have extra layers of clothing or headlamps, and their cellphone batteries were running low.Forest Ranger Rooney spoke to the hikers on the phone and directed them to a lean-to the pair remembered seeing. Rooney instructed them to do whatever they could to stay warm until Rangers arrived.Just after midnight, Rooney and Forest Ranger Ezumah reached the subjects, provided warming layers and food, and hiked them back to their ranger trucks. Rangers provided a courtesy ride to the subjects’ vehicle at Roaring Brook Falls.Resources were clear at 3 a.m.Rangers suggest packing enough food and water to last through the night just in case the unexpected happens. Extra layers and headlamps are among the 10 Hiking Essentials all hikers should bring with them.On May 30 at 5:43 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch called Forest Ranger Odell about a hiker who dislocated their knee when they slipped in the mud on Tabletop Mountain.Ten rangers responded.The hiker and hiking partner had wilderness first aid training and tried splinting the leg with their trekking poles.At 11:20 p.m., rangers reached the 41-year-old from Brooklyn, resplinted the leg and packaged them for a carryout using a wheeled litter when possible and backpack carriers when they needed them.Rangers carried the subject 2.5 miles to the Marcy Dam Outpost and then transported them via UTV to Adirondak Loj. The subject decided to seek medical attention on their own.Resources were clear at 2:30 a.m.