Jefferson County, town of Pamelia
State Land Protection: On May 29 at approximately 11:45 p.m., while on patrol to deter large underage drinking parties on State Land, Forest Ranger Thomes overheard radio traffic detailing a large gathering underway at Perch River Wildlife Management Area. Ranger Thomes responded to the area where there was a fire and approximately 150 people with 60 vehicles. Ranger Thomes, ECO Rockefeller, and deputies from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office issued 49 tickets. Multiple parties were tasked with cleaning up the area and the fire was extinguished. All units were cleared of the scene by 4 a.m.
ALBANY, NY — New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents statewide. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations, and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured, or distressed people from across New York State.
In 2020, DEC Forest Rangers conducted 492 search and rescue missions, extinguished 192 wildfires that burned a total of more than 1,122 acres, participated in eight prescribed fires that served to rejuvenate more than 203 acres, and worked on cases that resulted in 3,131 tickets or arrests.
“During New York’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, more people are enjoying the outdoors than ever before and our Forest Rangers are on the front lines to help people get outside responsibly and get home safely,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “Rangers’ knowledge of first aid, land navigation, and technical rescue techniques are critical to the success of their missions, which for more than a century have taken them from remote wilderness areas with rugged mountain peaks, to white water rivers, and throughout our vast forests statewide.”
