Recovering SAR costs

[assmonkey]

Apropos of recent local tragic events, from teletips.com:

 

6/21--Officials in Utah's Grand County have passed an ordinance making it easier to for local authorities to recover search and rescue costs billed to outdoor sports enthusiasts who have been successfully rescued but ignored the county's request for payment. Under the new law Grand county will turn the victim's rescue bill over to a collection agency if arrangements to pay the bill are not made in a timely manner. Like many counties across the United States, Grand County has had a policy in place for some time of charging individuals in need of search and rescue services, but actually collecting on those bills has been difficult.

 

"I think we've been successful in capturing about 25 percent'' of taxpayer money spent on rescues, councilman Rex Tanner told AP reporter Christe L. Hill recently. Tanner also heads the Grand County Search and Rescue volunteer force. The new ordinance goes into effect immediately. Grand County, like many others, decides on a case- by-case basis whether to charge an individual for search and rescue services. According to a statement made by Tanner to the local press, Grand County has historically not billed local residents who have required assistance. Grand County sheriff's sergeant Kent Green told reporter Hill that while the county simply had to do more to try to recoup more of its SAR costs, sending a bill to a victim's family is a "big gray area." He recalled a recent huge, four day search for a missing 13 year-old boy that ended with rescuers finding the youth's body in a remote area. The parents were presented with a bill for tens of thousands of dollars. "They paid as much as they could," said Green.

 

In addition to allowing Grand county to utilize a collection agency, the new ordinance also authorizes officials to pursue SAR costs collection through the court system.

 

Seems like some enterprising folks could do well to offer insurance to cover SAR costs. Maybe this is already done here. I'm not familiar with the European model, but should something like that be put into place here? How much would you pay in advance to cover SAR costs? Is is fair to send the bill for your rescue to some maddog collections agency? Don't climbers on Rainier today fund SAR work through climbing fees? Is that enough?

 

- a s s m * n k e y

[Ricardo_Montalban]

Mazama's have a limited SAR insurance policy that comes with the $50/year membership fee.

http://www.mazamas.org/resources/insurance.php

[griz]

Interesting topic. Not sure about insurance policies but I feel dumbasses who call for bogus rescues should be billed for sure. Those two guys who got helied off Rainier recently who were otherwise healthy except for the crap in their panties are great examples. I do,however,think it is pathetic and lame that people in need of a true rescue and in need of help get billed too. It's a policy that could and probably has cost lives. People might be too scared to take on 25k in debt for asking for help, wait too long... and then someone dies.

[Blakej]

dont know if this has been considered in washington but when I was passing through colorado and bought a fishing licence you paid an additional 5 dollars or so as rescue insurance. This (as explained to me) would cover you in any wilderness rescue situation. I for one would be open to paying an additional few dollars for a volcano pass or somthing of the sort if it covered me for valid rescues. If all people who choose to use the backcountry for their recreation were required to pay such a fee it might significantly offset the cost of rescues and provide some kind improvements in our current systems.

[crazyjizzy]

Griz:

 

I think those guys on Liberty Ridge may have seen alot, if you know what I mean.

 

Also, I believe that an American Alpine Club membership includes rescue insurance while climbing.