Joy E. Hecht wrote: > > And while we're asking, who pays for Coast Guard rescues? After they > save your life (or prevent you from coming home late) do they send you a > bill for thousands of dollars? Or do our tax dollars cover this? > > Joy Hecht > Arlington VA The Coast Guard, unlike other government agencies involved with rescues of stranded hikers and mountain climbers, does not charge, or hasn't up until now. So your tax dollars pay for it. In the one Coast Guard rescue that I did get an FOIA report on back in 1991 or 1992, I later asked for estimates of the costs involved. It was around $7,000 according to my Coast Guard source. But it is really hard to figure out since boats are on station anyway waiting for a call. The crew is paid anyway. The boats are there. The only expenditure would be fuel but the motors are idling anyway while on station. The big issue in the rescue that I got info on was that the paddlers were needlessly out at night in gale force winds and had a capsize in the group and a near hit by a tug for another of the boats. The situation got two Coast Guard boats pulled off station to find and take care of the paddlers. An opportunity cost was the real issue. The boats called to action could not be available for some other less avoidable accident such as a ferry afire or a barge running astray (neither of these things happened that night). My big problem with kayakers acting irresponsibly and getting the Coast Guard and other S & R people out is that resources are scarce and thinned out anyway. If such crews are rescuing someone in a needless situation it takes them from places were they really may be needed. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************Received on Fri Sep 25 1998 - 15:18:45 PDT
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