Town of Belfast
Allegany County
Wilderness Search: On Jan. 29 at 12:45 a.m., Allegany County 911 requested Forest Ranger Assistance in the search for a missing 13-year-old from Belfast. Five Rangers were joined by New York State Police (NYSP) Troopers, NYSP Canine Unit, NYSP Drone Unit, and the Allegany County Sherriff’s Office Drone Unit. In the dark, crews followed footprints in the snow for miles. The subject was mostly following roadways, but also went in and out of brush. At 11:15 a.m., rescue crews found the subject approximately eight miles from home. The teen was wearing jeans, a winter coat, and a hat, but only rubber clogs on his feet. Allegany County Medical Transport Service drove the subject to the hospital for treatment of hypothermia and frostbite. Resources were clear at 12:48 p.m. DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement, the Allegany County Fire Coordinator, Belfast Fire, and Belfast Ambulance also assisted in the search.
Be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC's Hike Smart NY, Adirondack Backcountry Information, and Catskill Backcountry Information webpages for more information.
If a person needs a Forest Ranger, whether it's for a search and rescue, to report a wildfire, or to report illegal activity on state lands and easements, they should call 833-NYS-RANGERS. If a person needs urgent assistance, they can call 911. To contact a Forest Ranger for information about a specific location, the DEC website has phone numbers for every Ranger listed by region.
