Gov. Hochul Welcomes 21 New York Firefighters Home After Their Heroic Efforts Battling Fires Out of State

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul welcomed back 21 firemen to the Empire State after they fought fires in Oregon and Montana for two weeks.

A written statement said that the firefighters were “wildland firefighters led by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers.” They fought the Grouse Fire in Montana and the Red Fire in Oregon for days on end.

The Montana Fire Department sent 20 firemen, and the Oregon Fire Department sent only one.

Hochul said, “When other states ask for our help, we’re always ready to give it.”Our DEC Forest Rangers and wildland firefighters were able to help put out fires in two states thanks to their knowledge.” I appreciate people who are willing to go out of their way to help strangers in need, and I’m glad they are safe when they get back.

As the summer heat starts devastating fires, more firemen will be sent back to western states.

In the fight against the fires, the following firemen helped:

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

“Thank you to the hardworking, well-trained DEC employees from several divisions who answered the call from Montana and Oregon, two of our sister states.” New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said, “Not only did these wildland firefighters do a great job, but they are also coming back with new firefighting skills that will help keep New Yorkers safe in case of wildfires here at home.”