Billing for SAR

[AlanK]

Since the subject of billing for SAR comes up regularly, I point out a great post on another board by Bob Rockwell.

As many of you know, I am a member of CLMRG (the China Lake Mountain Rescue Group). CLMRG is one of about 20 teams in California that belong to the national MRA (Mountain Rescue Association). All of these, together with water, urban, cave, etc., SAR teams, belong to NASAR (National Association for Search and Rescue). And all have vigorously opposed charging victims for SAR, going way back to when the question first arose decades ago.

NASAR issued the following position statement on April 30, 2009:

You can read the position statement in the aforementioned post.

[magikwalt]

The hunter story at the end is killing me.

[Hikin_Jim]

The hunter story at the end is killing me.

Sheesh, talk about passing the buck.

[Rumpled]

Stupid hunter, just bone it out. Make two trips if need be.

He didn't plan well for actually bagging a buck.

[phydeux]

Don't want to start a flame war here, but a lot of the comments in that Whitney Hiker Assn post could be applied to the issue of medical care, too. Having a relative who's almost ready to file bankruptcy due to medical expenses brought on through no fault of her own, seems tragic to me that the logic of 'no-charge SAR' is not applied to other accidental situation.

I'm not a fan of a completely government-controlled medical insurance system, but maybe some changes to the current system so folks won't delay needed medical care due to a fear of the cost, or to seeking medical care in accident situations, just like in the SAR situations mentioned above.

(FWIW, that dumb hunter ought to be billed DOUBLE the cost of the 'rescue' operation!; call it a 'stupidity surcharge'. )