The 42-year-old’s death sparked calls to fix a ‘broken system’ that lost track of him in the backcountry
Editor’s note: This originally ran July 10. The article has been updated with current petition signature counts
By James Odato
A group of close friends of Brendan Jackson, a New York assistant forest ranger found dead by his fellow rangers last month, is appealing to newly installed Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton to fix a broken system of keeping track of personnel employed in the backcountry.
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In a change.org petition and in a letter sent to Lefton on Thursday, the friends implore the DEC to improve the way the department keeps tabs of rangers, stewards and other personnel overnighting in the woods.
Campaign for safety reform
The petition has drawn more than 6,110 signatures since it was posted July 7, the one-month anniversary of Jackson’s last contact with the DEC. That Saturday, he signed off for the day at 7:22 p.m. from his campsite at Duck Hole in the southern High Peaks near Newcomb.
The petition said backwoods workers like Jackson, 42, who rangers discovered in his tent decomposing June 15, deserve a system that keeps them on their employer’s radar.
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Tracking software abandoned
The petition, and letter, contend that the state failed to implement a system long called for to augment tools for dispatchers to track and know who is in the woods on duty and not at home signed out.
“The unnoticed death of AFR Jackson illustrates the need to increase resources and proper protocols to keep our rangers safe,” wrote Danielle Carr, Jackson’s friend for decades.
“DEC Dispatch used to have employee tracking software but abandoned it several years ago,” the petition states. It adds that dispatchers emailing about the lack of tracking software often mentioned Jackson’s backwoods work when illustrating why it would be good to have such technology. “But this software was not implemented,” the petition says.
“No one noticed he was missing”
Carr said DEC dispatchers should have gotten another 11 messages from Jackson during the eight days he was missing, because that’s how he would check in, but no one noticed. She helped trigger the search by contacting DEC personnel on June 14 to ask about Jackson’s contact with DEC.
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The reasons for publicizing concerns, said another friend, Sam Prestidge, is to help Jackson’s family and to make sure staff “get home in as good or better condition than they started the day and no one has to go through what we have and the family has.” Jackson’s family has supported the initiatives but has asked not to be contacted, Prestidge said.
State promises investigation
Asked for a response to the group’s contentions, a DEC official provided a comment from Lefton, who attended a funeral service for Jackson in Delmar last month.
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She said news of Jackson’s death comes with “great sadness” and that he “was a longtime and valued DEC employee.”
“We offer our heartfelt sympathies to AFR Jackson’s family, co-workers, and all who loved him,” she added.
She did not refute any of the statements in the change.org post, and a DEC administration official stated that authorities are looking into internal controls. “As this investigation continues, DEC is evaluating all processes and procedures to ensure appropriate oversight of assistant forest rangers and will implement any necessary enhancements identified, which is routine procedure whenever incidents occur,” the official said.
“Cracks in the system”
The friends also contend that Jackson, who had been working as an assistant ranger since he left college about 15 years ago, did not show any sign of distress, illness or discomfort in the days before his death. Carr filed a deposition with state police stating she saw no indications of suicidal thoughts or impulses with Jackson, with whom she spoke with at least weekly.
He lived at her Rainbow Lake residence when not camping in the woods or bunking at a DEC quarters at Great Camp Santanoni in Newcomb, according to a ranger friend.
She and the other friends behind the petition met when they joined the outings club at Paul Smith’s College as students.
Ranger Jamison Martin, a delegate for the ranger’s union, said the friends’ claims and statements are facts. “There’s definitely cracks in the system,” he said. “They were made known; nothing was done . . . Dispatchers brought it up repeatedly.”
He said he has been positively impressed with Lefton’s support for rangers. She showed up not only at the service for Jackson, but at the grim search for him in Essex County.
“An anomaly” among his peers: Living in the woods, even on days off
“He was an absolute major asset for us,” said Martin, who also went to Paul Smith’s and was friends with Jackson for years. He said Jackson was so well-acquainted with the Adirondack wilderness that he was “an anomaly” among DEC rangers with his “intimate knowledge,” living in the woods even on days off from his backcountry duties.
Tony Goodwin, a longtime Adirondack trail and mapmaker, said he worked for years with Jackson on developing a map of the High Peaks, the region that includes the 46 mountains that rise 4,000 feet, all of which Jackson had climbed. He said Jackson had spotted errors in previous maps Goodwin had developed for the Adirondack Mountain Club, particularly about designated campsites. So, Goodwin recruited Jackson to proofread all subsequent maps. “He had an absolute phenomenal memory,” Goodwin said.
Goodwin did not sign the petition calling on changes by the DEC. He said even the most robust tracking system could not have prevented the untimely death.
“It seems as though his failure to sign in should have been picked up earlier than it was,” Goodwin said. The overall outcome wouldn’t have changed, but it would have allowed the body to have gotten a more thorough autopsy.”
Martin said there was nothing to indicate foul play and that Jackson’s state-issued Ford F-250 truck was found at the Upper Works entrance to the Duck Hole trail. He said authorities arranged for a lab to examine tissue from Jackson’s remains, but the analysis report may take months.
Photo at the top: Assistant Forest Ranger Brendan Jackson (courtesy of Danielle Carr)
We don’t trust the DEC since they deny introducing cats & wolves so why should we trust them now? Was he attacked by a bear? If he was , I bet the DEC won’t tell us.
Please don’t use this tragic event as an excuse to push your gripes and conspiracies.
RIP to a great man and true Adirondacker. I hope some sort of memorial is created in Brendans honor so people years from now will know about him and all he did.
Thank you, I didn’t know this man but feel he was a kindred spirit and very at home with nature and loved it as much as I and my husband. I feel sadness that he is gone so young and also feel that he contributed so very very much to the rangers, his community and sharing his vast knowledge.
Totally agree with you and others who respect nature and all us who.love her.
PS: is his dog alright?
Yes an honorable memorial is a very good idea
Omg who gives a shit either way he died and it doesn’t matter changing and adding saftey regulations, this shit is gonna happen no matter what, it’s life.
Reply to Corey:
Brendan Jackson’s death DOES matter. Maybe it could not have been prevented, especially if it was from natural causes. But what about those who still out there? Don’t they deserve at least a CHANCE of being found if they are missing?? Wouldn’t you want to be missed, and found??
BTW, your attitude sucks.
Did you even read the article?? They should have known 8 days sooner he was missing, but did not know because of poor safety regulations . Changes that had repeatedly been requested.
DEC will never publicize what really occurred , we’ll never know the truth
Yes. They definitely need a tracking system for Rangers. Safety first. Right? RIP Mr. Jackson.
I feel so sorry for this man, his family, and his friends, and colleagues. He should have been noticed missing on day 1 of not checking in. Tracking employees and visitors is an important action. It is caring and respectful and a demonstratin of valuing life,… and if your only concern is the bottom line, it saves money and time in rescues and in hiring people. RIP. I’ll sign the petition.
This is indeed distressing information. Even the Army had the “buddy system”. I am indeed terribly sorry about the loss of Brendan. But this seems to be a huge gap in DEC policy regarding the backcountry safety of their employees/volunteers. I hope it is addressed immediately.
Those DEC staff that supervised AFR Jackson knew his work schedule and should have been checking the Dispatch blotter page to make sure he was checking in and out of service. This did not happen.
I think your statement says it all !
Sad as it is, he passed away and the place that he loved and had intimate knowledge. God bless this man. He was too young to go.
It’s a shame a simple satellite phone , a mere $ 1500 investment in each rangers hands is not on the planned budget for men and women who risk their lives every day in the back country from predators or bad weather that can blow in at a moments notice. We have a NYS budget of 254 billion, and this simple satellite phone is somehow not in the budget or plan for these hardworking rangers.
As a boy scout and girl scouts leader we do not go into the back country with out this device and also having backup when lives are at risk.
Especially a single employee out in the woods .
Anything can happen and usually does .
Let’s not have this happen again, please
Sincerely
Chuck Weinlein
BSA troop 3072 twin Rivers council
Or how about that’s life, it’s sad but it’s life and it’s gonna happen. Satellite phone isn’t gonna change his fate if he falls to his death or eats something poisonous or is killed by an animal and even with Satellite there is still dead zones. People just need to be more educated and more carefully when out in gods land…
Or how about a sat phone may or may not help, depending on the situation, but issue one to employees as a safety precaution.
I’m pretty sure he was educated enough for the backcountry. He was a ranger.. A bear? Really? Sounds like you need educated. If it was a bear, there would be little to no remains. Plus, he wouldn’t be in his tent. At my national park, Dispatch enters each backcountry employee into a spreadsheet. If they don’t call out of service at the end of the day, their supervisor is called and a search is started.
Cory — they would have known 8 days sooner. Did you miss that? If he.had been poisoned, injured, etc there would be a good chance to save him. Are you a ranger? Do you go out as often as the rangers? Why would you be against a sunple schange?
Change?
What about issuing Garmin In-Reach minis to each ranger? That’s what is now used around the world in remote and back country areas.
A system needed not only for the rangers but visitors too. There must be a simple way to track ANYONE who is out there. EVERYTHING nowadays has a barcode on it. Is there some way to make a barcode that can be activated when people go in the woods? Such as 2 of same #. One stays in park office & other 1 is attached to the person. In some way. Then i they don’t show up, the one in the office can be scanned into computer to find the matching number. Now I have not the slightest idea how to go about making something like this or similar to this. I wish I did! Our cell phones can be tracked when there is cell service. There must be some way an engineer can adapt something like that to prevent this from happening again! And don’t forget this man had years of experience in that backcountry.
I’m sorry this man died in the backcountry while working for DEC, but please don’t use it as a reason to increase surveillance on park visitors wishing to escape into the woods on their own terms.
There’s already enough agencies tracking my movements on a daily basis.
First and foremost my sincere condolences goes to his family and his friends on thier loss . But sending someone out into the wilderness on their own is asking for trouble don’t you think ? None of his pics showed any kind of weapon on his person and I know we want the be he men but the most dangerous animal in the woods is man . But that even being said no radio or nothing to contact him with i know we are all expendable but no radio or sat phone or nothing I know New York is a liberal state and wants to be sanctuary to all illegal immigrants but not to equip a ranger in the back wood with basic nesscesitys is just wrong .
Amen
Years of experience means nothing.. usually the more experience the more complacent you get and are bound to make a mistake. The world will never be able to prevent every death, people are gonna die because of simple human error.
Whoa. Signing in and out of woods should be a choice, not a rule. Of so, are cities next?
I go into the woods to my abilities. Same as driving, walking in Manhattan, etc. Don’t need to sign-in.
You do if you are an employee. You camping on your own is your choice, You camping on the taxpayer’s dime demands some responsibilities on the Employee’s part AND on the part of the Employer.
Except the SAR people will have to look for you. There are many trails that require sign ins. Often forest areas will also have them. Camping areas within forests, etc. There are wilderness areas that require permits. And of course there is the old hiker rule that says you tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back. SAR teams waste a lot of resources when they have no idea where to look. A twice a day check in via a Sat, spot, or similar allows people freedom and helps SAR. it also allows the forest service to tell hikers, campers, employees that there is a fire and they need to evacuate. That happened to my son’s school once when they were in the Desolation Wilderness. They only did 2x/day check ins although of course they were always with at least 2 adults, at least one male, and at least one female. You also might want to be able to contact a FS employee in the area to look for a lost hiker, a bear that was getting aggressive near campers, warn them of danger approaching (storm, fire, flood warning, etc). There is a balance between microchipping people and staying in reasonable contact with employees especially and hikers/campers that may need rescue. It will NOT prevent all deaths, but it reduces risk to an acceptable level. Skiing is inherently dangerous, but they do avy control every morning after snow for a reason. They do avy control near mt road passes after snow (and during sometimes after stopping traffic) for a reason. I live in the mountains and I’ve done a bit of hiking and camping in the mountains plus skiing and mountain biking. My son has done more. Doing things that are inherently dangerous will always come with risk. That doesn’t mean you stay home and it doesn’t mean you micro chip them. It also doesn’t mean you do NOTHING because hey, they could die anyway.
Please. No. I don’t want to be tracked.
If I wanted to be tracked, I’d get one of those GPS devices and ask my family or someone to track me.
They need a sign-out system for those who want to use it. You initiate a sign-out. You sign-in when you say you will. If you don’t sign-in, there’s an callout to come for you. If it’s not an emergency, you pay for the call-out.
Not for the general public. Nannies only create more children. That’s the state of our country today. People who shouldn’t be doing what they are doing expect that there is someone who will be there to save them. They have no respect for either the environment or the people who frequently risk their own lives getting them out of the situations they get in to. If they haven’t bothered to study and train, they have mommies and daddies that can purchase equipment for them.
Apparently he passed away in the environment he was at peace with, is it possible he was seriously ill and not physically challenged and chose not to share his illness with anyone .
Annual physical and medical checkups should be a requirement for men and women employed in the great outdoors, perhaps it might save a life
All Backcountry rangers should have a delorme Inreach. I take one when I go hunting in the wilderness alone. You can send messages and it will pinpoint your location, great if you need to use the 911 feature. If he would have been able to press a button, help would have been on its way. You can also use it to check in with people. So valuable.
Why don’t we find out why no one checked on him and who they are? Seems we are back to cell phone towers needed and tracking systems for all especially, rangers!!! Like the previous person said, $254 billion dollars and we don’t take care of our state employees, or fellow New Yorkers? Mmmm
Good point. While there’s reception issues in this mountainous region that impede radio reception, and plenty of suggestions for possible solutions, why wasn’t his immediate supervisor aware of what day he was expected to come out of the interior? Technology aside, there seems to be a glaring lack of communication on the part of Jackson’s immediate supervisor. To not be aware that he was missing for 8 days is telling.
As a person that read hundreds of his online posts and had direct online discussions with him, I know he would appreciate only thoughtful, respectful, knowledgeable and educated discussion that would lead to meaningful and helpful reform. He is beloved in the online community for his amazing advice. He was always helpful and always a gentlemen.
When discussing his situation, please conduct yourselves with in the manner that such wonderful person would appreciate.
Well said! A little compassion and understanding here. Save the politics and trolling for another time. This is still pretty fresh.
My heart goes out to Brendan’s family, friends and coworkers. A simple garmin gps could have helped this situation. You can send and receive messages with these wonderful little tools and they also have an SOS button. If he was feeling distressed all he would have had to do is push a button and help may have gotten there in time. Most of these units cost under $500.00. A terrible tragedy and it needs to be fixed before another one of our beloved rangers ends up in the same situation. RIP Mr. Jackson
New York had plenty of mo ey to house illegals in hotels etc etc etc…….. but not enough to implement a system that would have saved this man’s life. Every scumbag politician in that state should be jailed for life.
No “illegals” were ever housed in hotels through the state, take your infowars talking points somewhere else
Yeah, they were, that’s not even being disputed by politicians.
RIP Brendan
Wow, thanks for that fantastic chime-in, Jim, really glad you spoke up. I’ve totally changed my mind
Actually there were illegal aliens, and yeah that’s what they are, housed in the Roosevelt Hotel at a cost of $500/day to the taxpayers.
” Every man has a right to his opinion, but no man has a right to be wrong in his facts.” -Bernard Baruch-
In the first 24 hours once he didn’t check in a search for him should’ve been activated for him. Piss poor safety management for backcountry rangers.
About the park ranger.
I believe the Google Pixel 9 has SOS (Emergency SOS via satellite) .
So if you have a clear view of the sky you can get an emergency text off.
I need to know why the truck asset was not “missed”.
The newer iPhone also has it, although for rangers or groups a spot, inreach, or sat phone are probably better. They can receive messages as well which allows for warnings about lost hikers near them, flood or fire warnings, wildlife warnings (not I saw a bear, but a bear has been getting into tents or backpacks ).
I need to re read closely why the truck asset was not “missed”.
I won’t pretend to know this particular system or circumstances but the request makes absolute sense. However, with knowing NY’s many redundancies & often burdensome regulations for many, their safety requirements for industries, fees, taxes, laws, etc.. I’m rather surprised this hadn’t already been implemented…Except that, although it probably has minimal cost, it likely had little to no financial gain for the state itself-which is what NY’s over regulations are often more about-generating revenue-rather than about truly saving, or improving lives, & helping citizens…Yes, NY has many broken systems-perhaps none as great as with their criminal justice systems…Which predominately benefits the wealthy, the lawyers, the criminal (in)justice complex itself, & even perpetrators-especially in crimes against females & the poor-with their many processes that favor criminals & corruption (especially white wealthy ones with their “good ole boy-connections”), & their preposterous statutes of limitations on just about everything-especially & including crimes against children…
Sad outcome of a magnificent man. The responsibility falls in his employers. Eight days is too long for no one to notice. Is obvious that system needs to be repaired by only the best.
Rip ranger !!! Thank you !
Should provide an Enreach Device. Satalite tracks it has the ability to text and has an emergncy SOS. Even if the battery is the SOS always works.
Its a sad story and I think Goodwin has a point, this would have likely occurred even if his absence was noticed, unfortunately.
People go out into the woods for their own reasons, and being tracked when we do so is not what most of us want, I think. More technology may not be the answer.
I think you may be missing the point. He should have checked in several times with DEC and didn’t. We want extra protection for the rangers that may also be in danger or have an unknown health issue. After failing to check in they would have known his location if he had equipment with GPS. Someone may have even gotten there in time to help him. Nobody is expecting the weekend hiker to carry extra equipment if they don’t want to be found while out exploring.
People go out into the woods for their own reasons, and being tracked when we seeking they sanctuary is not what most of us want, I think. More technology may not be the answer.
People go out into the woods for their own reasons, and being tracked when seeking sanctuary is not what most of us want, I think. More technology may not be the answer.
1.) It’s obvious that someone DEF dropped the ball when it comes to this poor man. 8 days…Come on now! Whoever wasn’t doing their job should be fired period.
2.) It’s common sense for anyone that goes into the backcountry to carry a can of bear spray or a weapon for self defense, and a sat phone or some way to contact for help. It SHOULD be the state’s job to provide these for their employees! We pay taxes and deserve ALOT more than what we get!!
This is a disturbing news. I have served in Arizona as a camp host and in an area that has not communications… but I always carry a Garmin In Reach that toggles with my phone some can send satellite assisted messages from anywhere …. It’s such a simple solution and the US Forest Service accepted this form of communication with daily check in massages as well as texting when in need of game and fish as well as state and county law enforcement personnel.
There should have been no excuse for lack of awareness especially knowing this young man was in a remote area and by himself just as I was in my service to the USDA Forest Service.
This is such a shameful circumstance especially when reading that the issue had been surfaced prior to this incident.
Sending my heartfelt condolences to the family of this young man.
R.I.P. Ranger Jackson; thank you for your service to the State, your expertise and dedication to duty will be missed.
The rangers don’t carry Garmin InReach devices out there? Forgive me for asking, as most my backcountry training is from the rocky mountains. RIP.
Lots of emotions here and different views for sure. As a backcountry ranger, Jackson knew the risks of being in secluded and dangerous areas with no immediately available backup. That said, as an employer, NYS DEC has an obligation to ensure the safety and whereabouts of its employees in such situations. For employees such as Jackson, there absolutely should be a reliable system where people check on his whereabouts daily. If that did not happen, the people in charge should be investigated and likely terminated and possibly prosecuted for criminal negligence or dereliction of duty. That is not about blame or punishment per se, rather it is to ensure accountability in the system that our rangers depend on for their lives. That said, as a recreationalist in the woods, I absolutely do not want any mandatory tracking of my whereabouts and I would strongly oppose such efforts. I do voluntarily sign into trail registers, which are already there and DEC allegedly checks regularly. Backcountry leaders and rangers should all have a means to check in through satellite phones or similar tools, which are readily available and not prohibitively expensive (less than a rounding error in the $254B state budget). If Ranger Jackson had a medical incident while alone in the backcountry, the satellite solution likely would not have worked especially if he was unable to activate it. As a solo person in that situation, only a monitoring system that confirms location and health/safety on a regular (daily) basis would have identified that he had didn’t check in, and even that monitoring system would not have prevented this. Could DEC require 2 people minimum at all times on any backcountry activities? Either way, RIP Ranger Jackson and god bless him and the work he did. I grieve deeply for his friends and family.
Discussion of a tracking software is just an attempt to shift blame.
Each forest ranger has a supervisor who is responsible to keep track of location and health of his team members.
Does it mean that DEC has a culture where even such basic job responsibilities are not met?
134 Forest Rangers, Lieutenants, Captains, and Directors. Additionally, there are typically around 22 Assistant Forest Rangers employed during the spring and summer months, according to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. So even if the 156 rangers were all out in the field it would not take a software system to keep them safe. Who’s ever job it was to take the sign in and sign out radio calls should lose it. 8 lack of radio contact ignored says there is no system.
100% fail on the part of the DEC. Period. End of discussion.
There is a VERY good ham radio repeater system in the ADK. I have basically no cell service up there but I can almost always contact the ham radio repeater with my hand held radio. The system is always monitored. They may be able to use radios they already have or for a minimal cost get each officer a ham radio.
My condolences to the family..
A loss for all of us…NYSDEC..GET IT TOGETHER!..
Am I correct in assuming that what is needed is some sort of working GPS to track these people? Because I do not believe with the current people assessing the coverage you will get it they can barely track an entire car or truck with GPS with accuracy, unless something changed I don’t know about?
Plenty of dysfunction on the part of the DEC in Albany, but how is it possible that his immediate supervisor hadn’t coordinated Jackson’s date of leaving the interior? That 8 days went by until Jackson’s friend notified rangers that he was missing indicates that the most basic measure to share place/plan/timeline wasn’t taken by Jackson’s supervisor.
Tracking devices/software still require PEOPLE to review the data. IMO, it is a red herring in this article. What the tragic death brings to the fore is LACK of solid practices to ensure the safety of backcountry personnel. The “buddy system” is one such measure. Check in/out (by any means possible) is another. Routine checking of vehicles in parking lots for multiple nights that possibly conflict with trail register data – especially for RANGERS!
I believe electronic surveillance in the HPW is absurd. Perhaps in some limited circumstances, yes, but not as policy. Let’s focus on what failed and why. While this tragedy may have just been simply fate, it does not explain away the DELAY in learning about it. That is on DEC.
“Iridium satellite communication devices offer the most certain means of locating and communicating with an individual anywhere in the world, any time, provided there is a clear line of sight to the sky. ‘ Google
One company advertises them starting t about $100.
My words here are written with compassion. I own an InReach. I send pre-programmed messages to those I want to keep in the know. The DEC and Brendan both had the option of owning this device. Let someone know where you’re going, your estimated return time, and details like trail name and specific location. These principles are taught to us. A policy to check in and out of duty should be mandatory, if it is not, that is just insane.