Crying Wolf

[metalspinner]

This article hints that technology can give us a false confidence in what we are doing.  Perhaps we would be going somewhere we shouldn't or doing something a little to dangerous just because help might be a phone call away...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33470581/ns/us_news-life/page/2/from/ET

: :

[metalspinner]

When I take my Cub scouts into the great outdoors, I hand them all a whistle to carry around their necks.  After we test out the whistle for a few minutes ( :D ) I go over reasons they should use them.  You all know the obvious ones, but I always end with "If you think you are in trouble and need help, stay where you are and blow your whistle." 

Of course I also go over reasons they should not blow that whistle...

"Billy thinks he stepped in poison ivy."

"Billy won't share a piece of gum with me."

"Billy said his dad can beat up my dad."

We all know the "emergencies" that little boys have. :D



Anyway, I would expect more from grown adults... : :

[Tom]

Anyway, I would expect more from grown adults... 

I would have expected more too.  Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to have been one present.

It's a catch 22.  If the rescuers don't show up, they are wrong.  I like the idea of writing the leader of the expedition an "Idiot Ticket".

[Gary_C]

This brings up the question of who should pay for these outdoor adventurers who risk life and limb for the thrill of it or even just a because of a love of the outdoors. It seems that every winter there is at least one story of someone that got into trouble and needed a massive search and rescue mission that may or may not be sucessful. And as far as I know, the public agencys foot the bill for that search and rescue as no (or few) individuals could afford to pay the cost of those rescues.

It is one thing if you are traveling during poor weather to know that some emergency crews are ready to save your butt, but who should pay for the ignorance or lack of preparation for inclement weather? And then there are the rock climbers, backwoods hikers, and skiers that risl their lives for whatever reason. Should the public agencys be responsible for the cost of these mishaps?

Here is the rest of the story of the Bill Fossett search: http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=90982

[Warbird]

I get this vision of a life rescue helicopter landing on a mountainside, next to some "stranded" hikers.  One of the hikers walks up to the chopper and as the door opens, he says, "Pardon me, do you have any Grey Poupon?"

I used to be an EMD 911 dispatcher back in the day.  This kind of stuff really irks me.  People should be fined and jailed for frivolous use of rescue services.

[Gary_C]

Yep, and the image of a helicopter landing and the guy walks over and says "hey buddy, you got any of those handwarmer thingys cause my hands are getting cold and I might get frosbite up here."  :

[Tom]

My opinion, for what it's worth, is that I appreciate public servants offering the services and believe that the taxpayer's dollar must be made available to more than just the salaries of the State Employees.   Yes, I believe that rescue should be free.  It's the human and humane thing to do.   It's something that shows that we care for one another.

I don't believe that idiots, who knowingly take advantage of situations should get away unscathed.  Asking a helicopter to bring you a glass of water is really stretching it.  Still, rescue folks usually do it and shake their head.  When someone does it a second and third time, letting a judge decide on something that would deter that kind of action in the future is appropriate.  The State doesn't charge you the cost of repaving a road when you speed, even though you know better. But, you sure get your chance to stand in front of a judge.

Even considering charging Fossett's widow for the search is unconscienable.

[beenthere]

We can wait and see if this Heene family in CO, (i.e. the Balloon Boy) gets any fine or penalty for the sham that they pulled. And the playbacks of the tapes seemed to show how nice, polite, and sharp a 911 operator can be.

On the other hand, I believe the rescuers rather like the challenge they are faced with time to time.  
And they enjoy helping people. That doesn't mean the taxpayer should be footing the bill, in my mind. They can/should buy the insurance that pays to rescue them, or don't go. Maybe just a life insurance policy would do as well.

Re: Tom's post. Maybe a stiff fine for being a public nuisance would work.  Then there is the risk to the rescuers that they do a perfect job or get sued.  : :

[metalspinner]

Another point to consider is that while the rescuers are off on a wild goose chase, a person in serious danger may need assistance but cannot get it.

Back to another point...
Does our current technology - GPS, Satilite phones, cellular phones, etc -  allow us to take greater risk's knowing that we can get help rather quickly.

[thedeeredude]

I've never been a risk taker and don't plan on starting ;)

[Tom]

well, all risk takers aren't recreational folks.  There are a lot of situations where loggers get in a bad way in the swamp, or on a mountain.  The same with guys that climb radio towers, people who drive their cars off of the road into a deep ditch or river, etc.  There's kids that dig caves that cave in or get washed down a creek into a river.  There's boats that spring leaks and pregnant women who don't make it to the hospital.

Most of the high visibility cases are like some of those we've discussed before, but they shouldn't be the ones that guide our humanitarianism.

[ErikC]

  I hate to see the abuse of this provision, where we live it's far to a hospital and there aren't but 1 or 2 ambulances. But this year hunters who had been injured in the wilderness, one with a broken leg, and one hurt his back somehow, were rescued. Legitimate need for them, and no helicopter would have made it if they were paying the bill. As well as all the car wrecks and so on. I think it's one of the few things we can look at and say "I'm glad my taxes pay for that", since you never know when you may need it.