State DEC Rangers make multiple rescues over the last week St. Lawrence, Lewis counties

WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI) – New York State Department of Environmental Conservation forest rangers made plenty of rescues over the last few days in St. Lawrence and Lewis counties.

In the DEC’s weekly recap, a total of six search and rescues were made by rangers in the two counties.

Last year, DEC officers conducted 370 search and rescue missions, extinguished 146 wildfires covering nearly 1,400 acres, participated in 52 prescribed fires that served to rejuvenate more than 1,000 acres of land, and worked on cases that resulted in hundreds of tickets and arrests.

Here’s a breakdown of what happened over the last few days:

• Around 1 p.m. July 31, Ray Brook dispatch received a call requesting assistance with the search for a missing 12-year-old in the town of Piercefield. The child from Brockport did not show up for a 10:45 a.m. activity at the Massaweppie Scout Camp and was last been seen by his scout leader at 10:30 a.m. Six rangers, five DEC officers, the St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department and camp staff searched through the afternoon and into the night. Search crews checked all structures in the camp, nearby parked vehicles, Long Pond and Massawepie Lake. After 8 p.m., a community member at a nearby hunting camp found the subject. Ranger Emerson and ECO Atwood drove the subject back to the camp where he was reunited with his mother. The scene was cleared at 9:30 p.m.
• At 10:45 p.m. August 1, rangers responded to Cranberry Lake in the town of Clifton for a report of a hiker with a head injury near Curtis Pond. Rangers took a boat across the lake and hiked into the area where they found the 25-year-old from New Jersey suffering from a head injury sustained earlier in the day. Despite the injury, the subject continued to hike 10 more miles, before becoming nauseated and dizzy. The hiker was assessed and then helped to the boat. The hiker was transported across the lake to Cranberry Lake Rescue, who took her to the hospital. Resources were clear at 3:30 a.m.
• Around 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Forest Rangers Evans and Lee responded to a call for multiple subjects in distress on the Black River in Lyons Falls. A 66-year-old, 44-year-old, 37-year-old, and 5-year-old from Boonville were approximately one mile downstream from the Lyons Falls boat launch when they fell out of their kayaks. A nearby motorboat operator helped the four into the boat. Rangers arrived in an air boat and brought the subjects to a waiting ambulance. Rangers assisted the Lewis County Sheriff’s Department and the 3G, Lyons Falls, and Port Leyden Fire Departments. Resources were clear at 1:30 p.m.
• At 3:45 p.m. Sunday, St. Lawrence County requested ranger assistance for two hikers who had suffered hip injuries at Chair Rock Flow in the town of Clifton. Officers responded with Cranberry Lake Volunteer Fire Department. Rescuers helped both people approximately .75 miles to the lake and then 5.5 miles by boat to the Cranberry Lake boat launch where they were met by an ambulance. Resources were clear at 6:15 p.m.
• About 4 p.m. Sunday, the Cranberry Lake Campground caretaker requested DEC assistance with the eviction of a subject. Two rangers and a New York State Trooper evicted the subject and issued tickets for disorderly conduct and driving an unregistered vehicle. Resources were clear at 6:45 p.m.
• After 7 p.m. Sunday, Ray Brook Dispatch was contacted by a hiker near the Burnt Bridge trail who was experiencing what she believed was an allergic reaction with skin irritation, but no trouble breathing. Forest Rangers Emerson and Jansen reached the 23-year-old who was determined to be experiencing an anxiety attack. Rangers calmed the hiker and walked her out of the woods. Resources were clear at 8:52 p.m.

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