From NYS Department of Environmental Conservation’s weekly forest ranger report:
Town of Inlet, Hamilton County
Snowmobile Accident: On Feb. 28 at 1:56 p.m., the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office requested Forest Ranger assistance with a snowmobile accident on Uncas Road. When Rangers Miller and Scott arrived, Inlet Fire and EMS and Raquette Lake Fire were already on scene. The 23-year-old from Schenectady struck a tree and was ejected from his snowmobile. The snowmobiler temporarily lost consciousness. Rangers assisted other rescuers in packaging the subject, and an Inlet ambulance transported the subject to a hospital for treatment.
Related reading: One injured in Inlet snowmobile accident
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Town of Lake Pleasant, Hamilton County
Missing Snowmobiler: On Feb. 28 at 8:20 p.m., Forest Rangers Hamm and O’Connell responded to a report from Hamilton County Dispatch about a missing snowmobiler last seen on Mason Lake. The 70-year-old from New Jersey separated from riding partners when he started having mechanical issues and by the time he started travelling again, he lost the group. Forest Rangers searched with negative results and requested two additional Rangers to assist. Rangers Miller and Scott joined the efforts and searched Indian Lake. Darkness, snow, and heavy winds made the tracks impossible to follow. Rangers, Indian Lake Fire Department, and New York State Police continued searching. At 12:30 a.m., Rangers Miller and Scott followed a faint set of tracks and found the snowmobiler on the east shore of the lake. Rangers replaced the drive belt on the snowmobile and assisted the subject to Lake Shore Road for evaluation by Indian Lake EMS.
Bennington County, Vermont
Wilderness Rescue: On Feb. 26 at 9:20 a.m., New York State Police (NYSP) Aviation received a call to assist with a plane crash on Mt. Equinox in Bennington County, Vermont. The report indicated three passengers were aboard the plane at the time of the crash. Forest Rangers Gullen and Thompson were preparing for a day of hoist training out of Albany International Airport with NYSP Pilots Anderton and Sperber and Trooper Aurigema. When the call came in, the crew piloted the rescue helicopter to the crash site. At 12:15 p.m., Trooper Aurigema lowered both Forest Rangers to the subjects. Rangers packaged the patients and Trooper Aurigema hoisted them into the helicopter. An ambulance took two of the patients to the hospital and a MedFlight transported the third patient. A video featuring the rescuers is available on DEC’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1AvwYivfJJ/
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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.
If a person needs a Forest Ranger, whether it’s for a search and rescue, to report a wildfire, or to report illegal activity on state lands and easements, they should call 833-NYS-RANGERS. If a person needs urgent assistance, they can call 911. To contact a Forest Ranger for information about a specific location, the DEC website has phone numbers for every Ranger listed by region: http://on.ny.gov/NYSForestRangerRoster
Photo at top: Stuck snowmobile in Indian Lake. Photo provided by the DEC.
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