Seven rescued from state park because it got dark...FINED??????

The article state "it got dark earlier than they expected". If I remember correctly, it got dark right on time. BUT, because it didn't take place in the "WMNF", no fines will be collected. I'm glad there are no double standards being established.

http://m.wmur.com/news/family-of-seven-rescued-from-pawtuckaway-state-park/28174004

If I may quote the famous Mr. Barra, "It's gets late early".

Walker
PS..I am happy they were rescues successfully. I hope they use it as a learning experience.

walker said:

The article state "it got dark earlier than they expected".

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Once again rhetoric displayed by the media can be misconstrued. To the benefit of their doubt IMO maybe it got dark "quicker" than they expected. After a summer of long evenings and relatively longer twilight I could see possibly misjudging the shorter twilight as the Autumnal Equinox approaches.

Potential Darwin nominees.

It happens, and I'm glad the family got out safely. Pawtuckaway doesn't have the biggest mountains or longest trails which can leading to less knowledgeable hikers or campers visiting and going for a walk in the woods.
But the media ends with, "By being prepared and having a charged cell phone, it can save your life." How about a little more emphasis on the being prepared part, less on the charged cell phone which lucky for this family worked in those woods.

Early Bird said:

"By being prepared and having a charged cell phone, it can save your life." How about a little more emphasis on the being prepared part, less on the charged cell phone which lucky for this family worked in those woods.

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The author of the article has probably never hiked farther than the end of his driveway to take the trash out. Again another reason to read these type of articles with a grain of salt. Although the rescuers did say that the GPS in their cell Phone helped. Hopefully they have the Netflix app too so they had something to do while waiting to be rescued.

BUT, because it didn't take place in the "WMNF", no fines will be collected. I didn't see that statement in the article. To date I have not seen any distinction by NH F&G regarding that only incidents in the WMNF would be charged.

I have questioned in the past if when someone pays for entry to state park like Monadnock SP, do they have to pay?

walker said:

The article state "it got dark earlier than they expected". If I remember correctly, it got dark right on time. BUT, because it didn't take place in the "WMNF", no fines will be collected. I'm glad there are no double standards being established.

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No, actually, the authorizing statute only authorizes recovery of expenses incurred by the Fish and Game Department. This one only involved local authorities and state park personnel.

"206:26-bb Search and Rescue Response Expenses; Recovery. – Notwithstanding RSA 153-A:24, any person determined by the department to have acted negligently in requiring a search and rescue response by the department shall be liable to the department for the reasonable cost of the department's expenses for such search and rescue response." – 206:26-bb Search and Rescue Response Expenses; Recovery.

I thought all SAR taking place in New Hampshire comes under the direction of NHF&G. I remember reading in Paul Doherty's book "Smoke from a thousand campfires" after a very intense SAR where no one (and everyone) were in command, the New Hampshire Legislators passes a law making Fish & Game the primary controlling entity in any search and rescue taking place in New Hampshire.

So, wouldn't 206:26-bb Search and Rescue Response Expenses; Recovery be in place for any and all SAR?

I'm confused....BUT that's normal for me.

Walker

peakbagger said:

I have questioned in the past if when someone pays for entry to state park like Monadnock SP, do they have to pay?

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I have lived near Monadnock for 35 yrs and I have never heard of anyone being charged for a rescue.

walker said:

I thought all SAR taking place in New Hampshire comes under the direction of NHF&G. I remember reading in Paul Doherty's book "Smoke from a thousand campfires" after a very intense SAR where no one (and everyone) were in command, the New Hampshire Legislators passes a law making Fish & Game the primary controlling entity in any search and rescue taking place in New Hampshire.

So, wouldn't 206:26-bb Search and Rescue Response Expenses; Recovery be in place for any and all SAR?

I'm confused....BUT that's normal for me.

Walker

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Fish and Game has the top level authority for all inland SAR in the state. However, that doesn't mean they are actually involved in every instance. Their typical mission starts when local law enforcement or a local fire department decides F&G's expertise and resources are needed and calls them. That apparently didn't happen in this case, probably because there was constant cell phone contact with the lost party, in good weather and benign terrain.
In winter on the eastern slopes of the Presidential Range, the USFS snow rangers run the missions under a cooperative agreement with the state. Fish and Game will frequently have personnel involved.
Monadnock is a whole 'nother situation that I'm going to refrain from commenting on.