NH F&G Rescue Costs

[peakbagger]

WMUR had a short bit on rising S&R costs. The recent cost to search for the hiker on Lafayette exceeded 100K. The current S&R budget is 350K. The Hike Safe card program raised 300K this year. I think he said 13k have bought the cards this past year.
They rolled into that a hiker could be charged if deemed negligent but would never bill if it is a fatality, but a Hike Safe Card would cover the bill. In about 2 weeks its time to renew for 2023.

 

[rocket21]

$350K budget for SAR. Yet no one bats an eye when across the street, Cannon is preparing to ask taxpayers for $24M+ for a new tramway (even though they say the current one has a few more decades left in it).

 

[peakbagger]

Different Department

 

[DayTrip]

The recent cost to search for the hiker on Lafayette exceeded 100K.

Wow. For a few days. Do they ever break down these costs to the public? I'm guessing the Blackhawk time was a huge factor in this. Aren't most of the searchers unpaid volunteers?

 

[dug]

With no basis if it's correct or other factors to consider, a quick search tells me a Blackhawk helicopter costs $2-4k an hour to run. Not sure how much it was in the air looking for the missing hiker off Lafayette, but I'd guess 20 hours (???). Costs could get to $100k real quick.

 

[egilbe]

With no basis if it's correct or other factors to consider, a quick search tells me a Blackhawk helicopter costs $2-4k an hour to run. Not sure how much it was in the air looking for the missing hiker off Lafayette, but I'd guess 20 hours (???). Costs could get to $100k real quick.

$.75 a second is what I was told it cost the AMC to haul pallets of poop barrels off the mountain with a helicopter. That falls within that ball park figure.

 

[NHClimber]

Would be interesting to know the cost savings of flying out of Berlin rather than Concord, should Army NG set up shop in Berlin.

 

[iAmKrzys]

I hate to sound like a broken record but I really think drones are the way to bring down the costs in the future.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

With no basis if it's correct or other factors to consider, a quick search tells me a Blackhawk helicopter costs $2-4k an hour to run. Not sure how much it was in the air looking for the missing hiker off Lafayette, but I'd guess 20 hours (???). Costs could get to $100k real quick.

Fortunately for the NHF&G budget, the NH Army National Guard considers SAR missions part of their training.

 

[peakbagger]

At one point the state air national guard did announce that they were no longer going to charge rescue helicopter time to training but I expect that was during budget negotiations. My guess in drone use for rescues is that the smaller the aircraft the bigger the impact of turbulence, given that the majority of rescue attempts are in marginal weather conditions, my guess is drones would not be able to support as many missions. One of the reasons the state supports the use of the ANG helicopters is that its realistic training for actual combat situations which can also occur in less than ideal conditions. Given that they are looking at staffing a location in Berlin and building a new hangar, my guess is the budget is treating them well.

With respect to the F&G rescue budget, my speculation is that no matter what the revenue is, it will never meet the expense. Standard government practice is a good administrator never gives money back, if there is surplus, there are various ways of shifting costs to eat up the surplus. My guess is if suddenly double the number of Hike Safe Cards are sold, that the S&R costs will go up to match the revenue. Any notice the fancy graphics on newere F&G vehicles, gotta look good on TV

 

[Breeze]

It has been noted before now that NH F&G rangers are salaried personnel, who are exempt from overtime pay. Why, in the middle of winter, would hikers be assessed rescue costs labeled as Overtime costs for those state employees ?

That has always been a sore point for me. If ever you asked a NH fish cop about how much extra he got from the State for search and rescue participation, you'd be met with crazy-mad laughter.

Also known is that NH is the lone outlier in New England that gives itself the power to bill people for costs that never truly existed except under the State Seal. LOL they don't bill in a fatality instance, do all those costs disappear when it turns into a recovery exercise ? Life Flight bills when the patient dies en route, so does an ambulance.

In Maine the Maine Forest Service, Air Guard, and Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife wardens all do SAR and none of them bill for their services.

It's a dead horse.

 

[Andrew]

Luckily in NH though, the Law Enforcement Division (Game Wardens) get priority on all funding and efforts in the department.

 

[LarryD]

It has been noted before now that NH F&G rangers are salaried personnel, who are exempt from overtime pay. Why, in the middle of winter, would hikers be assessed rescue costs labeled as Overtime costs for those state employees ?

That has always been a sore point for me. If ever you asked a NH fish cop about how much extra he got from the State for search and rescue participation, you'd be met with crazy-mad laughter.

Also known is that NH is the lone outlier in New England that gives itself the power to bill people for costs that never truly existed except under the State Seal. LOL they don't bill in a fatality instance, do all those costs disappear when it turns into a recovery exercise ? Life Flight bills when the patient dies en route, so does an ambulance.

In Maine the Maine Forest Service, Air Guard, and Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife wardens all do SAR and none of them bill for their services.

It's a dead horse.

There are two unions representing conservations officers; one for officers and one for supervisors (sergeant and above). As I read those contracts (they are available on the website of the state's Department of Administrative Services) CO's do get overtime for working beyond their scheduled work hours. Even supervisors and exempt union personnel get time-and-a-half for SAR events that extend beyond their regular work hours. Therefore, depending on the timing of an SAR event, and the individual officer's work schedule, there may well be overtime costs associated with SAR.