Rescue policy in Whites

[Explorer Editor]

Can someone tell me who pays for rescues in the White Mountains (and in Vermont and Maine, for that matter)? Is the rescuee ever forced to pay? If so, under what circumstances? Thanks.

 

[bobandgeri]

http://www.hikesafe.com/rescue.html

Each year there are dozens of rescues in the White Mountains


None of these people planned on needing to be rescued—in fact, most didn't plan for emergencies.

These rescues cost thousands of dollars; New Hampshire Fish & Game Department alone spends $130,000 annually. The cost would be even greater if it weren't for the volunteers who assist in rescues, giving generously of their time, using their own equipment and often putting their own lives at risk.

That's why in 1999 a law was passed in New Hampshire that states that hikers who recklessly cause themselves to become lost or injured, resulting in costly and dangerous rescues, may be billed for those rescue services.

Money collected from reckless hikers will support training and purchases of equipment for volunteers of search and rescue organizations who help with rescue missions.

 

[Explorer Editor]

Who determines what is "reckless"? And what are the criteria?

 

[RoySwkr]

Who determines what is "reckless"? And what are the criteria?

The criteria are presumably violation of the HikeSafe guidelines, and in the past have included hiking alone in winter and not bringing snowshoes because although the trail was packed the woods weren't when they got off it

NH Fish & Game sends flagrant cases to the Attorney General for review, the offender gets a bill if they think a court would agree it was reckless.

Only a tiny minority of cases receive a bill and the money doesn't go to Fish & Game anyway. Rescue expenses are thus paid out of the regular budgets of F&G, local fire departments, the AMC, or S&R groups. Both rescues I was involved in in the Whites were done primarily by local FD and other volunteers with little expense to F&G.