Forest Ranger Helps Police Locate Missing Teen: DEC

BROOKHAVEN TOWN, NY — A forest ranger helped Suffolk County Police locate a missing teen in Brookhaven Town last month, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation said.

According to the DEC, a wildland search was conducted on Feb. 22 when a 14-year old youth was reported missing after not returning on schedule from a family member's residence.

The NYS DEC said one forest ranger assisted Suffolk County Police in the search and within two hours, the youth was located in good health by a police department K-9.

NYS DEC forest rangers respond to search and rescue incidents statewide, the DEC said; 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 the back country.

In 2018, DEC forest rangers conducted 346 search and rescue missions, extinguished 105 wildfires that burned a total of 845 acres, participated in 24 prescribed fires that burned and rejuvenated 610 acres, and worked on cases that resulted in 2,354 tickets or arrests, the DEC said.

"Across New York, DEC forest rangers are on the front lines helping people safely enjoy the great outdoors," said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. "Their knowledge of first aid, land navigation, and technical rescue techniques are critical to the success of their missions, which take them from remote wilderness areas with rugged mountainous peaks, to white-water rivers, and throughout our vast forested areas statewide."