[at-l] Billing for rescuing idiots. . . .

[AT-L Guest Post <milt@backcountry.net>]

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* by our guest Jack Tarlin <baltjack@hotmail.com>.
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    Been following the discussion with great interest, a few things need to be said:

    As a resident of New Hampshire, I've probably seen, and been more familiar with some of this year's rescue horror stories than most folks (I know folks who work on rescue teams), and believe me, the incidents of the past few weeks have ABSOLUTELY contributed to today's ruling.

    In just the past three weeks, we've seen a handful of incidents where people went woefully ill-equipped, and ill-prepared into the Whites, and in several of these cases, it was clearly and patently obvious that they felt that carrying a cell phone more than made up for their failure to pack necessary winter gear, or to behave appropriately and sensibly in the high country.  In all of these incidents, it's a f______ miracle that nobody died, and in at least one of these incidents, rescuers absolutely put themselves at risk attempting to help people who 1)shouldn't have needed rescuing in the first place if they had any sense; 2)took for granted that a rescuse would be launched for their worthless asses at the drop of a hat; and 3) expressed absolutely no gratitude or thanks for the men and women who risked their lives attempting to save them.

    This new ruling is LONG overdue.  Please note, and this is very important---nobody is saying you're no longer able to count on a rescue if you get in trouble in New Hampshire.  Nobody is saying you're on your own, and that calls for help will be ignored.  All they're saying is that enough is enough---if you have to be rescued from the wilderness in New Hampshire, and if it turns out that the rescue was unnecessary, or that it became necessary due to negligence, thoughtlessness, or recklessness, you MAY get billed for it.  And this is perfectly just.  Back in the other world, people take responsibility for themselves---if you make a mistake, it's exppected that one way or another, you pay for it.  Why should the mountains be any different?  Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid.  At least one of Mt. Washington's many (needless) fatalities involved a rescuer.  Enough is enough.  The first time some moron gets billed 5 Grand for a rescue this will make regional, and perhaps national news.  This is a good thing---it may encourage similar idiots to think twice before setting out to the mountains ill prepared, ill equipped, and full of the false security that no matter how badly they manage to screw up, a regiment of volunteers will happily put their lives at risk to bail them out, haul their asses down the mountain, wipe their noses, and best of all, do it for free.  Nope. Not any more. New Hampshire is finally making it clear that ultimately, people have to take responsibility for their actions.  And most of us that live here, and spend time in the mountains here, feel that this is LONG overdue.


    There'll be more on this in tomorrow's newspapers; I suggest you try www.theunionleader.com; or, try the Boston Globe at www.boston.com/globe, the easiest way to access their page.    



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