Re: [Paddlewise] Who Picks Up the Rescue Tab?

It is the responsibility of the county or national park where the incident
occurred. The responsible agency has many resources to call on including the
Military when necessary. This has been an ongoing discussion in the Volunteer
Search and Rescue Community for years. In general the Volunteer SAR community
is against charging for rescue. If people were to be charged it begins a slide
down a slippery slope. Would people be more hesitant in calling for rescue
when they need it? Who would get the money? Etc.

In my part of the world main expense, other than overtime for the officers, is
volunteer time. Military helicopters are already paid for out of training
budgets, and if not used would not effect any saving for the taxpayers.

As a society we seem to want to help those in trouble. We don't ask who is in
trouble or why. If we started charging for rescue would we be picking on a
small part of society? Do we then charge people when their house catches on
fire or a flood hits? Where do we draw the line. In my opinion, we should
render aid to those who need it. To do otherwise would change who we are as a
society.

In Europe wilderness travelers buy rescue insurance and the rescue is paid for
by the insurer. There the rescue teams are paid professionals. To implement
that system here would destroy what is a large body of volunteer search and
rescue people. Also it would be vastly more expensive in the US as our
wilderness areas are so much more spread out than in Europe.

I will get off my soapbox now. This is an issue I feel rather strongly about
and tend to sound off whenever it is raised. Every time there is a big rescue
in the NW the papers go on a crusade about how much it costs the taxpayer and
don't take the time or effort to consider the alternatives.



Christopher G. Madden
maddencg_at_earthlink.net

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Joyce, Thomas F.
  Subject: [Paddlewise] Who Picks Up the Rescue Tab?


  When a wilderness traveler ends up being rescued by the authorities, is
  there any consistent policy as to how much of the expenses, if any, are
  charged to him?  I would imagine that with even a modest effort, it
  would run into the thousands.  Maybe it's a discretionary decision by
  the authorities.
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