Man falls through Lake George ice and dies

Recent NYS DEC Forest Ranger actions:

Town of Lake George
Warren County
Ice Rescue: On Feb. 25 at 4 p.m., Forest Ranger Donegan was notified of a snowmobile accident on Lake George with the snowmobiler still in the water. Ranger Donegan responded to the scene adjacent to a local marina while Forest Rangers Kabrehl, Perryman, and Lt. Kallen responded to a launch site with Airboat 54. Ranger Donegan donned a cold-water rescue suit, went into the water to look for the man, but could not immediately find him. A diver with the North Queensbury Fire Department then located the 35-year-old man from the Bronx, and together with Ranger Donegan and members of the Bay Ridge and Lake George fire departments, removed him from the water. Ranger Donegan and a Sheriff’s Deputy immediately began life-saving measures. The individual was turned over to the local EMS and transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Rangers stayed on scene with the airboat to assist the Warren County Sheriff’s Office with the investigation.

Hamilton County
Multiagency Snowmobile Training: Forest Rangers from Region 5, Zone D hosted a multi-day training with members of the106th Rescue Wing Unit of the New York Air National Guard stationed at Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Westhampton Beach. During the exercise, Rangers demonstrated snowmobile operations and trained with the visiting Pararescue specialists in basic snowmobile maintenance and trail and towing procedures, as well as back country/deep snow operations. 

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.