Comments on: Outdoor outrage: ‘Yuppie 911′

By: Right Angles » Blog Archive » Hey, y’all, watch this!

Right Angles » Blog Archive » Hey, y’all, watch this! — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:53:15 +0000

[...] up with a similar joke about yuppies. We’ve all heard of the phenomenon referred to as “yuppie 911,” in which people engaged in typical yuppie-granola sports like hiking or climbing, get in [...]

By: Bill Becquart

Bill Becquart — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:00:26 +0000

There is a Great article in the latest issue of “National Geographic – Adventure” Magazine (pg 32) “Deep Survival by Laurence Gonzales. (December 2009 / January 2010 Issue)

Title
Most backcountry searches don’t cost the victim a dime. Let’s keep it that way

It is the belief of the author that the victim should never be charged for the rescue, do to the fact that if the victim thinks they will be charged a lot of $$, they will hesitate calling SAR and possibly “make matters worse”.

I point out this article, because it gives this topic a different spin on what we have been talking about.

Read it..before commenting on it
so you will have a full understanding of what HE is talking about.

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:39:58 +0000

There should absolutely, positively be NO OPTION to refuse rescue. Think how much money would have been saved had these people at the Grand Canyon been yanked out after that first frivolous call.

By: bob doucette

bob doucette — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:05:39 +0000

One thing they do in Colorado which I think is a great idea: You can buy a SAR stamp that donates a small amount of money (like $3 a year) to help fund local Search and Rescue groups. I don’t know how big of a SAR program we have in Oklahoma, but in other states they’re pretty extensive. When I went up Mt. Shavano in June, I got the stamp. I’ll do it again. You wouldn’t believe the time and effort that goes into wilderness rescues.

By: Chance

Chance — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:00:48 +0000

It is ridiculous, people are jumping off the couch and rushing into the wilderness without any knowledge of what they are doing, hoping to get bailed out when they inevitably do something stupid.

I think we should use a paid hiking permit system in our national parks and recreation areas. Make it a one time fee, maybe $10 or $15 per person for lifetime use. If a person has to be rescued from a wilderness area, check them to see if they have one. Levy a large fine for it. Put the profits and fines levied into a fund for rescue costs.

I think people who used the areas often would be fine putting a small amount of money into a pool for rescue costs, and the added cost and time investment might make inexperienced people think twice about using the areas until they are experienced enough to know how to take care of themselves and when to use emergency beacons.

By: bob doucette

bob doucette — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:59:52 +0000

Preach on…

By: Bill Becquart

Bill Becquart — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:25:40 +0000

It is a wounderful tool !!!!

Until…we get hit by a Reallly Big Solar Storm
Beacons are here to stay

So, lets work on getting some legislation in place
that will stop the false alarms and continute to promote their use to save lives !!!!

[quote]People just don’t respect wild places as much as they should.[unquote]

That is why we have Wilderness First Aid courses, Hunter Safety Classes and Outdoor Skills traning.

But, getting people to take those classes and learn how to make it out of the woods…Alive…is the hard part.

The OKC Outdoor Network sets up a Wilderness First Aid Class every spring in OKC and is well advertised and it rarely ever fills up totally, as most people have the attitude that that sort of thing would never happen to them!

By: bob doucette

bob doucette — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:24:10 +0000

My thoughts exactly, Bill. I know you’re a big proponent of SPOT, and with good reason. It’s a great tool. It’s obvious, however, that some people will not think twice about using SPOT when they feel “uncomfortable.” And in other situations, they might think SPOT or an avy beacon gives them some sort of protection so they can try riskier things. I saw some commentary on this where the poster said, “If you wouldn’t hike/climb/ski something without the device, you shouldn’t hike/climb/ski that thing with it, either.” A fall from a rock wall, an avalanche on loaded, 40-degree slope or getting caught dry in the Grand Canyon will kill you quick, beacon or no beacon. People just don’t respect wild places as much as they should.

By: Bill Becquart

Bill Becquart — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:16:09 +0000

I own a SPOT and would not go anywhere without it.

[quote]
The GEOS benefits (for my SPOT) provides up to $50,000 per occurrence in reimbursement for any SAR expenses for which you are held responsible up to TWO (2) events per year.

This benefit DOES NOT apply if:-
a) your situation is caused by circumstances such as a forecast change of weather conditions, which could reasonably have been anticipated at the date you started your trip
b) you have NOT made adequate provision of resources or training or competence needed to complete your planned trip.[unquote]

So, according to the agreement people agree to when they signup with SPOT, MOST of the scenieos mentioned in your article would mean that those individuals would end up getting stuck with the “entire” Search and Rescue (SAR) bill.

But, even with that…problems with beacons will continue to be misused in the years to come, and it will probably take new legislation to be put in place for SAR to receive any kind of relief from bogus 911 calls.

Personally – I think there should be a law that if someone uses a becon and SAR is called…they MUST LEAVE on the helicopter or be escorted out by SAR and if they refuse to go..they be arrested and go to straight to jail!

Once the word gets out…
That would pretty much stop the 3 calls in 2 days by one person !!