As the economy sours, public rescue costs leave a bitter taste in tax-payers mouth
A Mountain of Bills
Who should have to pay to rescue stranded climbers?
Don Ryan
/
AP
What's the cost of a life—or really, what's the cost of saving one? When climbers, hikers, skiers, and rafters get caught in tight situations and need to be found and rescued, the answer can be a large number of taxpayer dollars. The Mount Hood search—which included recovery of a third climber who was found dead—has involved sheriff's deputies, a military helicopter, and staff from Portland Mountain Rescue, a local volunteer organization. Maureen McLaughlin, a public information officer at Alaska's Denali National Park, says a large search operation like the Mount Hood one could involve dozens of people, from rangers on the ground to pilots and spotters who scan high-resolution photographs pixel by pixel for clues. public anger over costs has led several states to implement charges, often when officials determine that the rescuees have acted negligently. |
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