Helicopter crew finds missing snowboarder alive in B.C.

Well... lucky for him.

If he was, in fact, out of bounds and ignored posted warnings then he should have to pay for the costs incurred for his rescue. Searchers risk their own lives to help people like this.

+5

Earlier today I heard they also pulled something like 5 skiers out of the Indian Arm area which apparently was also closed due to the weather conditions. This is just the start of the season for the SAR people, risking their lives to save the usual shitloads of dumbasses who ignore the posted closures or are just too stupid to realize what the fuck they are doing or where they are going. They should all be accountable for all expenses for pulling their sorry asses out of wherever they end up.

Absolutely.

Yep. Wouldn't that be nice.

I had a friend go 'high marking' in the BC interior a couple weeks ago. And got into trouble. And he went alone. And he needed to be rescued.

And - he's a firefighter by trade, so he damn well knows better. He was so incredibly embarassed, and so incredibly thankful as well.

That's what we have SARS people for. Consider it a training exercise and an opportunity for pride in what they do.

Soldiers are meant to fight if they have to. Firefighters are meant to rescue people from burning buildings.

A lot of tragic or near tragic things happen because of people's stupidity. So many things can be traced back to wrong decisions or dumb decisions.

I'm sort of half in agreement with people sometimes paying for stupidity that lands them in perilous situations; all I'm saying is that there's another way of looking at it.

Beg to disagree. For the guys making that conscious decision to ignore boundaries designed to protect their safety they ultimately put those who have to go and look for them in needless danger.

SAR guys know that danger is part of their job, and having done a number of SARs myself, you shake that off and carry on. But when you're out in sea state stupid because some guy fell asleep at the wheel and parked his boat on a rock or some kayaker could't judge that seas in the height of meters in a small craft warning isn't conducive to kayaking, well, one gets annoyed by it.

This is an ongoing discussion in the outdoor community. The problem is that people can say they didn't ask to be rescued, so refuse to pay. If there's a charge involved, they or their relatives may hold off asking for a rescue until the situation is much worse. (Kinda like user fees for medical visits). Maybe better would be to oblige people who are rescued to get on the media and discuss the mistakes they made.

I can see that, yes. Many of the people who end up being rescued are risk-takers without a whole lot of sense.

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Andy, I really like your idea about making "people who are rescued to get on the media and discuss the mistakes they made".

I can see that, yes. Many of the people who end up being rescued are risk-takers without a whole lot of sense.


I don't actually mind the risk takers, I do it on occasion myself if I go hiking on my own for example. It's the guys who consciously decide to take a risk that professionals have stated should not be taken are the ones who most bother me.

Out of Bounds signs are put up because the areas are generally dangerous and not patrolled. When someone looks at that sign, shrugs, and says "Oh well" then I think he should be financially culpable.

Just like the guy who takes his runabout out in a small craft warning, I have very little time for them since I'm going to be bouncing around in the shit looking for them or towing them.

Yes... he will be paying for his rescue.

$10,000+

Good.

Strange. It's SAR that got the guy out, isn't it? What power does a resort have to levy a charge?