Who Pays For a SAR Mission?

[Rick]

If something were to happen to you and a SAR mission were conducted, do you know who pays for it? For many states and counties, the cost is borne by the taxpayer, however there are some exceptions. Some states even have funds set aside to reimburse county government if you hold a fishing or hunting license or are operating a snowmobile or watercraft registered in that state.

It might be a good idea to take a look at your state or province and see if you might be liable for the costs of a rescue mission. Here are some links to SAR organizations in North America.

http://www.sarinfo.bc.ca/Sarteams.htm

[swampyankee]

In the mountains near me (New Hampshire) the victim will be charged for the SAR if the authorities determine that they were unprepared and caused their own situation. Whether or not you're prepared can be subjective, but they do charge people (and a few hours of helicopter time amounts to huge money).

[Rick]

It's odd that the only insurance you can find that covers search and rescue seems to come out of Great Britain.

[trax]

Oh the irony, if I'm missing in the bush it means I don't want anybody coming looking for me..

[nell67]

No one Trax?????:(

[Rick]

911. What's is your emergency?
My leg. It's broken. I....I can't walk.
(Click).
Who was that?
Oh, it was just Trax foolin' around again.
Won't he every learn?

[trax]

No one Trax?????:(

Hey, I said missing, I didn't say alone. The places I go there's no such thing as 911 or cell phone service Rick, so if I get a major injury, I'm pretty much screwed anyway.

[wildWoman]

Here the government/taxpayers pay for it. I like what Swampyankee says about the system in New Hampshire. Many of the SAR missions in the winter here are for skidooers who run out of gas, get the sled stuck in deep snow or have similar problems, but who went out without packing basic gear like a shovel, snowshoes, extra clothing, food etc. I don't see any reason why somebody can't bring along stuf like that on a machine, and think that people should be charged for the cost in such a case.
When I'm out on a trip, I always worry to get delayed because of weather or something non-serious and cause a needless SAR mission, so I usually let someone know what my my ETA should be under normal circumstances, but if I don't show, to wait two more days before unleashing the choppers.

[Last Mohican]

A fellow scout leader that I know who happens to be on the appalachian trail SAR team was telling me that he was recently on the trail with some of his boy scouts when he got a rescue call. luckily, the person in trouble happened to be just down the trail from him. That dude lucked out on the chopper bill.

[Tony uk]

In the UK we get SAR as well as medical services included in National Insurance which covers all emergency services that we need.

We also get free health care in other europeain countrys if you have a EHIC card with you.

[dilligaf2u2]

I tell TDW or TGF that if I am not back 30 days after I say I will be, then to worry. I sometimes loose track of time. It is not unusual for me to be out alone for a month or more with a weeks supply of food.

I have a satellite phone and would not 911 call for help but for TDW to get my son on his way. The areas I go, he would be able to find me. TDW once sent him out after me when I was just over a week late. I gave her heck. She learned that if I am late it is because, I lost track of time and am having too good a time to come home at a decent hour. She stopped worrying about me years ago.

Don

[Beowulf65]

Alot of police departments have have SAR Teams, here in Hmilton County Ohio we have one that covers Hamilton, Butler, Warren, and Caermont counties and have done several S&R jobs in northern Ky. Here it paid for by the law enforcement agency as it is considered our job, I belong to Hamlton County's SAR Team and have been on several searches. There are also several private SAR Teams throughout the country and they are really good and non profit, usually called in after days when no one has located the lost or missing idiot errrrr... person in the woods. Kids are different story, they, I expect to get lost if they are allowed to wonder in the woods alone. Most searches are for abducted children, then campers or hikers that have gotten lost because they didn't take what they needed (such as a friggn map) into unknown terrain. If your going to an area your not familiar with, please get aquainted with it and take a map and compass if your a newbie.

And the proper response you'll get from 911 will be... 911 please hold one moment. Johnny Butterbutt's tooth hurts and its a priority.