Moderator Hat
Calm down everyone. Let's take a few steps back and try to discuss this without insults or vitriol.
Calm down everyone. Let's take a few steps back and try to discuss this without insults or vitriol.
Moderator Hat
Calm down everyone. Let's take a few steps back and try to discuss this without insults or vitriol.
I'm merely suggesting thinking outside of the box and not continuing to look for a solution within a framework that is clearly broken severely.
I've read pretty much this entire 4+ page discussion. Very interesting. While it is a bit more expensive than this HikeSafe card being discussed, I'm a member of the American Alpine Club. It's an organization I want to support and it comes with rescue insurance as a benefit, so I'm not going to worry about fines or fees from the state. I only need to take care of my self and of course, leave a note with my wife of where I'm going, often solo.
I'd probably buy a HikeSafe card. If most of the funds actually go to SAR, that something that I support. I'll probably renew my AAC membership anyway.
Woody
What exactly are you saying is broken? Your comments seem to indicate that you think the way search and rescue operations are staffed and organized is the issue; that they're too expensive.
Based on the numbers NH provides, I'd say that's hard to support. According to F&G's own site (http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Inside_FandG/funding_2013/SR_funding_background.html), they spent $1.8 million on 957 S&R operations over a 6 year period (2006-2012). That's only $300,000 per year, and $1900 per rescue on average (costs usually don't escalate unless they need to bring in a helicopter and the National Guard's choppers aren't available).
$300,000 per year against the hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenues generated by outdoor recreation? (http://www.outdoorfoundation.org/pdf/ResearchRecreationEconomyStateHampshire.pdf)
I don't think the operational framework is broken at all. The funding mechanism, and the political will to find a sane funding solution? That's another story.
I don't think the framework's busted, I think they just don't have the political will to come up with a sane solution.
Cool, glad I asked for a clarification.
So yes, only 300K per year. Totally agree the amount of time and energy wasted on this debate is ridiculous. Also totally agree it's pocket change and New Hampshire should simply write it into their budget.
The problem is that is hasn't. The state government has given F&G a mandate to provide Search and Rescue services, but has refused to provide funding - only a law that allows them to collect a fee on ORV's that supposed to cover S&R costs (which is doesn't).
I also agree that Fish and Game has made somr dodgy decisions about who to bill, and when, and has gone to great lengths to publicize their lack of funding. But blaming them for the situation is like blaming the weatherman for bad storms - they've got no power to change how their funded, and trying to publicize the issue is pretty much all they can do to get other people to pay attention to it. And all you do by giving some other body that unfunded mandate is change who's going to have to resort to stupid publicity pushes to bring attention to the matter.
They're not the ones responsible for the failure of leadership - the NH legislature is.
But in all of this, where's the equity? Why should a hiker be fined if they don't have a particular item (choose one from the hikesafe list), while a swimmer who goes into a rip current at Hampton Beach after being warned that the waters are dangerous just walks away happy to be alive after a rescue?
But in all of this, where's the equity? Why should a hiker be fined if they don't have a particular item (choose one from the hikesafe list), while a swimmer who goes into a rip current at Hampton Beach after being warned that the waters are dangerous just walks away happy to be alive after a rescue?
And here it (Hike Safe Card) is ready for a vote this month. $25 per hiker. $35 per family.
http://hosted2.ap.org/NHCON/c26bcf5af6bd4fda84f3e73888f72aef/Article_2014-01-01-Hike%20Safe%20Card/id-b772a8b83d124fa483377651b7b12f77
http://www.nhliberty.org/bills/view/2013/HB256
Edit: I hope they define "negligence" much more clearly before voting on the bill, but that seems unlikely at this point. Primarily, I would like a clear answer to whether hiking solo and/or bushwhacking in winter in and of itself is going to be considered negligent, reckless, neither, or "it depends."
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