N.H. tougher than neighbors on negligent hikers

[Bill O]

That leads to un-needed SAR parties going out from worried relatives, or rangers etc. which of course involves peoples time, which translates to money (paid workers searching isn't free).

I don't buy it. People on salary are getting paid anyway and volunteers are free. If a rescue does add any incremental cost I'd consider valuable training for when a school bus goes into a ravine or a jet liner crashes in the mountains.

[ColdWeatherClimber]

You're not following what I said Bill...

Two, when an experienced person goes off into the woods, gets lost a little while, gets off their time schedule, but makes it back because they knew how to refind themselves and extract themselves. That leads to un-needed SAR parties going out from worried relatives, or rangers etc. which of course involves peoples time, which translates to money (paid workers searching isn't free).

What I mean is that the extra people mobilized to run a search and rescue party because someone is a little off schedule to be back causes an increase in cost. If you have volunteers, that's great but not all the extra people are volunteers.

Nobody who got lost and needed assistance should pay any sort of fine. I am not condoning that. However I am saying that people should get the wood craft needed before they just head out and kill themselves, or get others killed rescuing them.

[Charlie]

this is a tough thing to do .i am a member of a SAR team that has bin around for 30 yrs and now we have to close up shop because we have no money for liability insurance and to keep out truck on the road . the county cant help they have no money and it is hard to do fund raisers because the local fire company's say we are taking money away from them .
so now i will still go out if a fire or police dept calls me direct to bring my dog out to help, for free because i love working her .friends of mine have a sar team that is just a husband and wife team with 5 bloodhounds .the state police use them to track down criminals and for lost people if the state is called .

so it is hard for sar teams to keep going with out funds for supply's and training
so im not sure what should be done about this ,most sar teams do this because they like to help and the paid dept's have to help

[KD Talbot]

Here's a classic example:

http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/News...rs_123108.html

I have no comment.

KDT

[Charlie]

now i hope they had to pay for the rental gear and the ot for the two that had to go get them
and they should have to sit and watch a survivor man show also

[KD Talbot]

I don't know, Charlie! Making them watch Survivor Man might be considered Cruel and Inhuman Punishment. I'm not sure it fits the crime, though it would certainly teach them a lesson.

KDT

[Charlie]

I don't know, Charlie! Making them watch Survivor Man might be considered Cruel and Inhuman Punishment. I'm not sure it fits the crime, though it would certainly teach them a lesson.

KDT

see if they watch them they will start to bring the right stuff with them and that way they dont have to do the things he does

or they should have to put in some time in with the AMC to help clean trails

[RI Swamp Yankee]

Here is the story from today's Providence Journal. Several points are not the same as the AP story that was linked from the Conway Daily Sun. I don't think the PROJO reporter got it right.

http://www.projo.com/news/content/NH...8.3acd82b.html

[Bill O]

That article helps show that even "negligent" hikers are real people too. They seem like nice people who just made some dumb mistakes. At the time I'm guessing they didn't seem that dumb. 1.5 miles? Hell, I go to the track and run that distance backwards for fun.

Does that guy have seven syllables in his last name?

[Brad]

For folks who hike in the winter - love to do things outdoors in cold conditions - think that 1 1/2 miles is the warm up stretch before the hike - these guys did not seem to have much experience. So, they prepared as best they thought was needed. They checked things out - but were not really prepared for what they were to do. It was a learning experience for them and better to ask for help and get home safely than have more major problems. Hopefully others will learn from reading about it.