Town of Bolton
Warren County
Wilderness Rescue: On April 10 at 8:15 p.m., Warren County 911 requested Forest Ranger assistance regarding a group hiking Cat and Thomas mountains. One of the members got separated and called for help. Ranger Kabrehl responded to the coordinates provided by 911 and located the subject approximately one-half mile from the Edgecomb Pond trailhead. Ranger Kabrehl assisted the 18-year-old from the Bronx to the trailhead where the subject was taken by ambulance to the hospital. Resources were clear at 11:30 p.m.

Town of Montague
Lewis County
Wildland Recovery: On April 10 at 12:42 a.m. Ray Brook Dispatch requested Forest Ranger assistance with the search for a missing 72-year-old. Frederick Moat, from Kirkwood, went missing during the SNIRT ATV/UTV run in the Tug Hill region of Lewis County. Ranger Lieutenants Hoag and Nowalk and Rangers Evans, Lee, Snyder, and Thomes responded along with DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement, Lewis County Sheriff’s Department, Lewis County Emergency Management Services, Martinsburg and Turin fire departments, and multiple volunteers. The search was challenging because of the large, six-town search area. Ranger Evans set up a command post in Martinsburg with crews checking in remotely, because they were searching areas up to an hour away. At 1 p.m., crews found the man’s ATV stuck near a seasonal access road in the town of Montague. All crews were moved to that area to begin a ground search. At 2:15 p.m., Moat was found deceased. Rescue crews carried him approximately one-half mile out in swampy conditions to the road. Resources were clear at 4:35 p.m. Lewis County Sheriff’s Department is investigating.

Hamlet of North River
Warren County
Swift Water Training: On April 8, Forest Rangers from Region 5 took advantage of seasonally high waters on the Hudson River to train for emergency swift water rescues. Rangers used an inflatable rescue boat to perform whitewater maneuvers including ferry angles, j-turns, and upriver/downriver travel. These training exercises help Rangers perform at advanced levels when responding to incidents in difficult conditions.

Town of Schuyler Falls
Clinton County
Crew Boss Training: On April 7 and 8, Forest Rangers conducted a Crew Boss-level course for the Clinton, Essex, and Franklin county Sheriff’s departments’ Special Response Team (SRT). Ten members completed the certified training for search techniques, personnel management, and land navigation. Once certified, these individuals are better prepared to partner with Rangers and help coordinate search and rescue missions.

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.