Heroic Rescue: New York Forest Rangers Spend Night Beside Injured Hiker

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Rangers execute 2 separate wilderness rescues, via helicopter, in one week. Watch videos below.

New York State DEC Rangers were called into action, not once, not twice, but 3 times on back-to-back days in Essex County. Each rescue offered different challenges but two of them helicopter assistance to get the injured hikers to safety.

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On Tuesday July 22nd at approximately 8:15pm, according to a press release, DEC Rangers were called by the Marcy Dam Caretaker about a hiker with a knee injury approximately a tenth of a mile from the outpost. Just before 10pm Forest Ranger H. Praczkajlo reached the 71-year-old from Alplaus and got him to safety.

Just moments after that 8:15pm incident, Rangers received an SOS call back in Essex County but this time to the town of Newcomb. Apparently a 76-year-old hiker had been fainting while on the trail due to dehydration and low blood sugar. Rescuers arrived just before midnight and stayed with the subject overnight in a lean-to. The subject was rescued the next morning via helicopter. Watch video HERE.

The very next afternoon, Wednesday July 23rd, Ray Brook Dispatch received a call about a hiker with an unstable ankle injury on Haystack Mountain. New York State Policed (NYSP) Aviation was approved. Forest Ranger Curcio lowered Ranger Ordway to tend to the patient. At 2:25pm.

Ranger Ordway harnessed the 25-year-old from New Jersey and Ranger Curcio hoisted the pair into the helicopter. NYSP Pilot Engel flew the patient to the hospital. Watch video of this rescue HERE.