DEC: 2 same-day rescues at Kaaterskill Falls

HAINES FALLS, N.Y. ( NEWS10 )– On Sept. 12, Forest Rangers in Greene County were dispatched to Kaaterskill Falls two times. According to the Department of Environmental Conservation, these calls were within a few hours of each other.

Around 11:40 a.m., Forest Ranger Peter Dempf responded to a call of an injured hiker. The hiker had fallen near the falls and was bleeding from the arm. According to the DEC, four Samaritans used their shirts to stop the bleeding until a ranger arrived.

Once Dempf arrived on scene, he found the 68-year-old man halfway up the stone step trail. Dempf provided first aid, wrapped his wound and helped the North Carolina resident back to the top of the falls where emergency personnel were waiting.

The man refused any further medical treatment and suggested he would get help later. Resources were clear at 1:30 p.m.

Later in the day, around 2:55 p.m. Rangers were dispatched to the falls again. Greene County Dispatch requested Ranger assistance for a hiker who was experiencing shortness of breath.

When they arrived, the 76-year-old hiker admitted he only had one piece of coffee cake prior to hiking. Dempf and his partner Robert Dawson helped the man to the ranger’s vehicle to rest.

Once rested and feeling better, the hiker continued his hike back to the Laurel House parking lot. Resources for this call were clear at 4:07 p.m.

The DEC recommends hikers should make sure they are hydrated and well-nourished before heading out. Hikers should also bring extra food and water in case the hike takes longer than expected.

In 2023, DEC Forest Rangers 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.

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