Recent NYS DEC Forest Ranger actions:
Town of Plattsburgh
Clinton County
Wilderness Rescue: On Mar. 1 at 3 p.m., Forest Ranger assistance was requested by DEC Environmental Conservation Police Officer (ECO) LaCroix and the Cumberland Head Fire Department for two anglers stranded on a floating ice sheet on Lake Champlain. Fire department personnel accessed the men from Plattsburgh with an inflatable rescue craft and brought one of the subjects safely to shore. When Forest Rangers arrived on the scene, two fire department personnel and the second angler and his gear were still on the ice sheet. ECOs and Rangers launched the airboat and Ranger Bronson was able to retrieve all parties and gear from the ice and bring them back to shore.

Town of Brighton
Franklin County
Snowmobile Accident: On Mar. 7 at 5:22 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from Franklin County 911 advising of a snowmobile accident on the C7 snowmobile trail in the town of Brighton. The snowmobile operator appeared to have struck a power pole. Forest Rangers O’Connor, Milano, Lt. Burns, and DEC Environmental Conservation Police Officer (ECO) Cranker responded to the scene, along with Saranac Lake and Paul Smiths-Gabriels fire departments. The 33-year-old subject from Altona was packaged by EMS responders and transported approximately two miles to Route 86 in Gabriels, where Forest Rangers established a landing zone for New York State Police Aviation. The snowmobiler was transferred to North Country Life Flight Medics for air transport to a hospital in Vermont. Rangers and ECOs were cleared of the scene at 7:30 p.m. and State Police is investigating the incident.
Town of Duane, Debar Wild Forest
Franklin County
Stranded Vehicle: On Mar. 7 at 7:06 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a request from New York State Police for assistance locating a vehicle reported stuck on a remote snowmobile trail. Forest Rangers Milano and O’Connor responded with snowmobiles to conduct a search for the vehicle and occupants. Environmental Conservation Police Officer (ECO) Cranker assisted with communications. At 10:03 p.m., Rangers located the 59-year-old couple from Peru, NY, and their vehicle further down the snowmobile trail. At 10:33 p.m., Rangers and the couple were out of the woods and the vehicle owner made arrangements to have the vehicle removed.
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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.
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