http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_hiker_fined Seems goverment agencies that we pay taxes to support have found yet another way to make money. No private sector resources were used in any of the rescue efforts. All parties involved were agencies we already pay for to do this service. The money was not to be used to pay back for any costs either but rather to go into the budget for Fish and Wildlife management. Get hurt, lost, confused in the woods and I guess you might get a hefty bill.
WTF? And they're only giving him a MONTH to come up with that kind of money??? Fuck that, remind me never to visit New Hampshire.
Only if you remind me. Fuck that state. When I'm hanging out in the North East, I'm goin straight to Rhode Island - you can smoke pot there =D
I would be so pissed. We pay taxes for national parks and the staffing. We are technically already paying in case we do need to be rescued, correct?
I visited a girl in New Hampshire one time. Is that where you live? I'm sure it's in New England somewhere...
i hadn't even seen this on the news yet and I was hearing plenty of people talking about not going up to NH - they'll be going to VT or ME now
i have no problem with someone being charged for their search and rescue if it was caused by their own stupidity..
in most cases it is, and if i read the article correctly this was as well departments that do search and rescue dont budget for the rescues themselves. they havent in a very long time in most states. your tax dollars cover training,administrative costs and the day to day operations and duties of those departments. do you want them to raise your taxes even higher to cover the costs of rescuing stupid people?
you take a county ambulance to the hospital,it may be operated by the county,but you still get a ambulance bill.. this is no different.
they should only charge him for what the cheaper copter would have cost if he WAS at fault because it is not his fault they couldn't get the helicopter that they normally used.
if he wouldnt have went off trail i dont think he would have been charged at all.. it was a bone headed move, especially being he was already hurt.. the copter,,i dunno, it does seem a bit harsh.. i guess he could always appeal it..