Emergency Services Officials Urge Preparedness When Hiking Appalachian Trail - The Ro

[WhiteBlaze]

The Roanoke Star

Emergency Services Officials Urge Preparedness When Hiking Appalachian Trail The Roanoke Star In the past two weeks, Botetourt Fire & EMS search and rescue personnel have responded to three separate events along the Tinker Mountain section of the Appalachian Trail for distressed hikers. In at least two of the cases, a lack of preparedness was ...

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[Cosmo]

Charge the unprepared for their rescue?

Cosmo

[blw2]

problem with that is who then becomes the arbiter of who was unprepared and who was not?
Just as with flying where it is almost always at least partially pilot error, one could argue that any problem requiring rescue would be the fault of the hiker, no?

[Cosmo]

Not carrying enough water, inappropriate clothing or gear, no flashlight, etc. There's a pretty good list in the referenced article--as well as 100s of internet sites.

Accident, mishap, unusual weather and others elements that a hiker can't predict or control--no charge for the rescue our tax dollars support. Ignorance is easily remedied by a little planning.

I think the gray area of wether to charge or not would be pretty small--tie goes to the hiker.


Cosmo

problem with that is who then becomes the arbiter of who was unprepared and who was not?
Just as with flying where it is almost always at least partially pilot error, one could argue that any problem requiring rescue would be the fault of the hiker, no?

[rickb]

Not carrying enough water, inappropriate clothing or gear, no flashlight, etc. There's a pretty good list in the referenced article--as well as 100s of internet sites.

The list also included taking a phone, and making sure to leave a detailed plan with a dependable person back home.

Not sure I would automatically fault an experienced hiker for going without a phone and I expect many of us are guilty of not leaving a detail plan -- but I feel certain that the family of the lost hiker whose camp was found in NH's Dry River Wildernesss wishes he had done both.

I never used to think charging for a rescue was a good idea, but am coming around to your way of thinking-- but might cap the fee and apply it without regard to negligence.

[BuckeyeBill]

Well I would say that proof beyond a reasonable doubt is a bit too much too ask for, proof by a preponderance of the evidence would seem reasonable. That way previous experience, weather, water, and equipment could all be brought into evidence. Then any judge could here it as a small claims case.

[TexasBob]

I doubt that charging for rescue of unprepared or clueless hikers would be actually prevent people from going out unprepared. Ideally if you knew that doing something stupid could cost you a bunch of money that would stop you from doing something stupid. Careless or clueless people aren't generally thinking ahead about the possible consequences of their actions so I don't see a fine after the fact as probably being very effective in preventing the bad behavior.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Charge the unprepared for their rescue?

Cosmo

This is a common and understandable reaction to the problem, but it's one that has been tried and doesn't work.

Charging for rescues often makes the problem worse because it incentivizes people to delay calling for rescue when they should have out of fear if being billed/fined, instead it causes people to only ask for help after their situation has become far worse. This puts both the victims and rescuers at higher risk of danger.

Here is just one list of examples:

http://www.coloradosarboard.org/csrb...SAR%20Help.pdf

[jackwagon]

Of course, in NH, billing for rescue is the law, unless the rescue is not due to negligence. If you purchase a Hike Safe card ( for $25, valid for the year), you also won't be billed even if you are considered negligent. If you require a rescue and are deemed to be reckless, then billing will occur. Here's the wording from the NH Hikesafe web site:

A law passed in 2014 authorizes the NH Fish and Game Department to sell a voluntary hike safe card for $25 per person and $35 per family. People who obtain the cards will not be liable to repay rescue costs if they need to be rescued due to negligence on their part, regardless of whether they are hiking, boating, cross country skiing, hunting, or engaging in any other outdoor activity. An individual may still be liable for response expenses, however, if such person is deemed to have recklessly or to have intentionally created a situation requiring an emergency response.

Site: http://hikesafe.com/index.php?page=the-nh-hike-safe-card