DEC Provides Wildland Search Training In Patterson

PUTNAM COUNTY, NY — On March 20, Forest Rangers Sweeney and Rusher taught the state's Basic Wildlands Search Course at Patterson Fire House.

New York State has more than 18 million acres of forest and wild lands within its borders. In one form or another much of this land is used for recreation and/or commercial activity. In addition to the private lands, the state owns and manages over 4.5 million acres of public land where recreational use such as hunting, camping, hiking, fishing, canoeing and snowmobiling are the principle use.

Each year more than 300 people are lost or injured on these lands requiring an emergency response, mostly during recreational outings away from roads and local emergency services. Response to these emergencies occurs through a network of state and local agencies.

Recently, members of the Patterson Fire Department, Disaster and Wilderness Ground Searchers Inc., Specialty K9 Search and Rescue, and Community Search and Rescue took part in the training, which is a program of the Department of Environmental Conservation.

Attendees learned search techniques in a class setting, which was followed by a field portion where participants put their new skills to the test.

The NYS DEC Forest Rangers ran the training. DEC rangers have specific geographic territories in which they live and are responsible for the preservation, protection, enhancement of the state's forest resources as well as the safety and well-being of the public using these resources.