An 80-year-old man and his family may soon get a bill for the cost of his rescue mission. After an all-night search by rescuers, James Clark of Dublin, Ohio, was found "not moving and exhibiting what appeared to be signs and symptoms on low nody temperature to the point of not being able to speak any clear words," according to a statement. Rescuers wrapped him in a sleeping bag and carried him out about 1.7 miles to safety.
Similarly, in 2015, a family of four received an about 8500 bill after their daytime hike left them lost in the dark and requiring search and rescue (SAR). This raises an interesting question: Who pays for the cost when you get lost or injured in the great outdoors?
The high cost of SAR missions is what prompted states like New Hampshire to pass laws that establish programs like Hike Safe to hold individuals more financially accountable for their rescues. However, some people have called for more strict laws to shift SAR costs off taxpayers. They say such a move would ultimately make people more responsible, but it's a controversial idea. "Society rescues people all the time-auto accident victims, home fire victims-and at far greater cost than wildemess hiker rescues." writes Backpacker.
Critics say putting a price tag on SAR could cause people to hesitate before calling for help in emergency situations. But Heggie says this isn't actually the reason why the National Park Service doesn't charge for SAR. "If an agency such as NPS starts charging the public for SAR costs, the agency essentially has to conduct SAR operations. If something goes wrong during the SAR operation, somone could lead to a lawsuit(起诉)."
Both Heggie and Kupper say the best way people can avoid needing rescue is simply by being prepared, suggesting that people research hikes before they go pay attention to their surroundings, pack essential gear and not rely on a cellphone as a survival kit. "The best time to prevent SAR incidents is when people are still at home," Heggie said.
