We have all read cases where unqualified or ill prepared people find themselves in positions where they need to be rescued. Many of our Amver participants have rescued sailors or crews found in distress. We may have even said, "Man, we should charge those folks."Search and rescue operations can cost thousands of dollars an hour. Each time rescue personnel launch a boat or aircraft they put their lives in danger. Sadly, first responders have lost their lives in the effort to save others. In the United States Coast Guard there is a saying "You have to go out, you don't have to come back".
In a recent Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management journal article, Sheila Huss questions whether or not individuals who find themselves in distress should have to pay for their rescue. The article concludes charge-for-rescue policies are a bad idea.
If we were to charge for rescue where do we draw the line? Do we charge recreational sailors and not charge professional mariners? Do we charge people who do not have the proper survival equipment?
What do you think? Tell us your thoughts on charging for search and rescue in the comments.
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2 comments:
Would it be so bad to charge for maritime SAR on a sliding scale depending on services rendered and the ability of the party to pay?
Blog wrote, "Sheila Huss questions whether or not individuals who find themselves in distress should have to pay for their rescue. The article concludes charge-for-rescue policies are a bad idea."
I read the article. Much of her objection to charging for rescues was that it would levying a requirement, a duty, on the government to provide these services -- as in fee-for-service. However, under international & national laws, have not the U.S. and other signatory countries already assumed this duty. I refer to International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue (1979);
and International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea
(SOLAS)(1974) as well as USCG's Addendum to the National SAR Supplement.
Thanks for your insight. We are actually working on a companion piece about a mariners duty to act in distress cases and potential liability.
For now we provide SAR services free of charge. Because the United States Coast Guard does have a standard rates table (used during environmental responses among others) it would be feasible to assign a cost to a particular response. I just don't think you'll ever see us charge for it.
Keep your eyes peeled for our liability post!
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