For Release: Wednesday, July 18, 2007
DEC Forest Rangers Dispatched to Northeast Oregon
Crew Leaves For Wallowa-Whitman National Forest to Help Control Wildfires
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis today announced that 10 DEC Forest Rangers, eight other DEC employees and two DEC volunteer wildland firefighters have left for Oregon early this morning to help combat raging wildfires on the Willowa-Whitman National Forest.
"New York State's Forest Rangers are among the most highly trained, professional wildfire fighting teams in the nation," Commissioner Grannis said. "Throughout the years, our Rangers have assisted neighboring States and Canadian Provinces in controlling large scale and dangerous wildfires, protecting life and property and our beautiful natural resources. These Forest Rangers and firefighters will be a tremendous asset in the fight to halt the spread of wildfires in the northwest. I am extremely proud of their efforts and wish them a safe journey."
The firefighters are being dispatched through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Forest Service. This agreement allows for the sharing and dispatching of firefighters throughout the country.
The 20-person New York State wildland firefighting crew departed from the Albany International Airport this morning and is expected to spend 14 days fighting fire in the Willowa-Whitman National Forest. The exact schedule of return flights is not yet known. The crew's initial assignment is expected to be on the Battle Creek Complex, which is currently listed as being nearly 3,000 acres in size with very few resources assigned. This fire complex is located about 28 miles northeast of Enterprise, Oregon. Very little other information about the fire complex is known at this time, but updates are being posted at www.nwccweb.us/information/fire_info.asp .
Forest Rangers and wildland firefighters dispatched to Oregon, with their hometowns, include:
Crew Boss Forest Ranger Timothy Carpenter Bath, NY
Squad Boss Forest Ranger Adam Pickett Little Falls, NY
Squad Boss Forest Ranger Chris DiCintio Columbiaville, NY
Squad Boss Forest Ranger Scott Jackson Altmar, NY
Forest Ranger Robert Piersma Illion, NY
Forest Ranger Michael Bodnar Cambridge, NY
Forest Ranger Evan Donegan Eldred, NY
Forest Ranger Patrick Dormer Naples, NY
Forest Ranger Arthur Perryman Northville, NY
Forest Ranger Robert Rogers McGraw, NY
DEC Operations Jerry Eaves Lowville, NY
DEC Operations Harry Mc Daniel Sherburne, NY
DEC Forester Daniel Gaidasz Sloansville, NY
DEC Forester Eric Kasza Cassville, NY
DEC Forester Michael Giocondo Farmingville, NY
DEC Forestry Tech. Matt Manning Ilion, NY
DEC Mined Land Spec. Paul Giachetti Olean, NY
DEC Fish & Wildlife Tech. Joe Pries Levittown, NY
DEC Volunteer Leonard Carson Jr. Oneonta, NY
DEC Volunteer Kerry Gregg Port Jefferson Station, NY
