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, WILDLAND FIRE
On July 13 at 2:10 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a report of smoke on Sawteeth Mountain. Six forest rangers responded to the fire at Marble Point lookout.
The fire is approximately 3,549 feet in elevation and measuring approximately 0.25 acres. Rangers worked with New York State Police Aviation in the coming days.
The fire continues to smolder in the ground. Rangers are patrolling it daily.
TOWN OF WAVERLY, WILDERNESS SEARCH
On July 14 at 1:18 a.m., forest rangers Holdridge, Russell and Savarie responded to St. Regis Falls for a report of someone yelling for help on the St. Regis River.
The 31-year-old, from Santa Clara, went fishing the previous morning, got lost and walked approximately 2 miles downstream. As the sun began to set, the subject tried to go uphill toward their residence but couldn’t see due to darkness and thick vegetation, so they started calling for help.
At 12:30 a.m., the roommate heard the calls and called 911.
As rangers searched, members of the St. Regis Falls Fire Department located the subject and assisted them to the roadway where they were evaluated by EMS then returned home. Dickinson Fire Department was also part of the search.
Resources were clear at 3:55 a.m.