Governor Kathy Hochul expressed her gratitude as she welcomed 21 firefighters back to New York after their two-week long firefighting mission in Oregon and Montana.
According to an official statement, a team of wildland firefighters, led by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers, dedicated several days to battling Montana’s Grouse Fire and Oregon’s Red Fire.
Montana received a team of 20 firefighters, while Oregon only received one firefighter.
According to Hochul, New York is always prepared to assist other states when they ask for assistance. She expressed her gratitude for the DEC Forest Rangers and wildland firefighters’ knowledge, which enabled them to help control fires in two different states. She also expressed her gratitude for those who were willing to travel afar from their homes to assist strangers in need and was relieved to welcome them back safely.
Devastating flames are being sparked by the summer heat in western states, leading to the deployment and return of numerous firefighters.
These brave firefighters lent their efforts in combating the fires:
-
- Michael Burkholder – Facilities Unit Leader – Forest Ranger, Norwich
- Robert Praczkajlo – Crew Boss – Forest Ranger, Saranac Lake
- James Canevari – Lands and Forests, Hermon
- Gregory Cerne – Fish and Wildlife, New Paltz
- Joshua Choquette – Fish and Wildlife, Bovina Center
- Jonathan Cleveland – Lands and Forests, Corning
- Lawrence Day – Fire Warden, Hammondsport
- Eric Egger – Lands and Forests, Hornell
- Aaron Graves – Lands and Forests, Potsdam
- Lincoln Hanno – Forest Ranger, Croghan
- Scott Hicks – Forest Ranger, Ronkonkoma
- Steven Jackson – Forest Ranger, Johnsonville
- Eric Kasza – Lands and Forests, Cherry Valley
- Kramer Kwaczala – Lands and Forests, Albany
- Chester Lunt – Forest Ranger, Fabius
- Jamison Martin – Forest Ranger, North Hudson
- Peter Morehouse – Forest Ranger, Chestertown
- Micheal Putnam – Fish and Wildlife, Syracuse
- Logan Quinn – Forest Ranger, North Hudson
- Daniel Welc – Lands and Forests, Sherburne
- Timothy Yeatts – Lands and Forests, Accord
Sean Mahar, the Interim Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, expressed gratitude towards the skilled and devoted employees of DEC from various divisions who promptly responded to the call for help from Montana and Oregon. He acknowledged the significant contribution made by these wildland firefighters, not only in providing essential services but also in acquiring new firefighting knowledge which can help ensure the safety of New Yorkers in case of any wildfires in the region.
