NH Proposes Fee If People Need To Be Rescued

[RoySwkr]

I'm the woman who got charged $7,000 for the rescue on Jackson almost 2 years ago. I was found negligent because I didn't have a compass or GPS on me and made the decision to hike when forecast for above treeline conditions was very cold and windy. ...
I've come to terms with paying over $7,000 but it's a lot of money. Paying $1000 to be rescued sounds great to me!

The problem with this bill is you would have STILL gotten dinged for 7 Grand.

In my testimony, I made it clear that many hikers feel an unfair negligence standard was being applied to them. I suspect the committee will ignore this testimony as Sen. Bradley said that only 38 of 900+ were billed so obviously the state is being fair, and Maj. Jordan said the state had a 3-step process before billing.

Personally I would contest the $7000 in court as it is way beyond the value of services rendered to you. I'll bet plenty of hikers here would testify for you, and with luck a pro bono attorney

And so, if I read this right, the hikers from the recent Tufts rescue, will be fined 7 Grand? Just like Pam?

Well, they had maps and compasses, they just didn't look at them.

Since the helicopter wasn't used, more likely a few hundred, or even nothing if they were all volunteers or the state decides they weren't negligent.

They looked at the map and saw the trail led to Rte.302, but without GPS didn't know how far it was

It was my understanding that this was a closed area with $5000 fine for entering, so maybe the Feds will go after them, anyone have photos of the postings?

Haven't heard a peep about the idiots (yes, I've had time to digest the incident report) who triggered an avalanche and a massive rescue in the Huntington Ravine and sent 3 guys to the hospital. Oh, that's right, most of them were from NH. Not Negligient. (Ok, to be fair F&G wasn't involved, so if they had been, all evidence suggests that this rescue wouldn't have triggered a "fine").

I think only one was from NH.

By law/agreement, rescues in Tuckerman/Huntington during the snow season are by USFS so F&G not involved. I suggested that this could be extended to Wilderness areas where lack of trail maintenance makes it easy to get lost and hard to rescue.

 

[Tim Seaver]

Maj. Jordan said the state had a 3-step process before billing

1. Is the hiker from Mass. ?
2. Is the piggy bank low ?
3. Can we get away with it?

Sounds like a fair process to me.

 

[RoySwkr]

Who pays for helicopters to rescue swimmers?
http://www.midweek.com/who-pays-when-rescues-required/