Do you charge for SAR operations?

[Richard B the EMT]

Now if your not on duty/call, you do not have to respond. If you are driving by as an offduty person, you are not obligated to respond unless you have some oragnizational specific policies.... The descision is an ethical and moral one at that point.

This, once again, is addressing the issue of LEGAL Duty To Act or Respond, versus MORAL Duty To Act or Respond, when off duty. The debate has been going on for years, and probably will continue for longer.

I will also mention that some who hold one viewpoint can reverse themselves, if only on item specific calls. Many of the EMTs and Paramedics at my station had told me, when off duty, "the blinders go on". However, when American Airlines Flight 587 crashed in my neighborhood and EMS Station's coverage area (Monday, November 13, 2001) everyone, including folks on their days off, and from other tours, was on the scene for most of the day.

[rock_shoes]

NOT TRUE.

If you are part of an agency , especially one that either recives public funds, or has a public charter/contract...and you are with in your response area (etc etc etc) you have just as compelling and legal "duty to respond/act" as a paid provider. Does not matter if you are not paid. If you are on shift or on call, you are on shift or on call. Period. This is why in many states the bystander good samariton immunity does nto apply when you are working for an agency/company/squad/what have you.

NOTE this is not an obligation to be "unsafe".

Again this is an entirely different "kettle of fish." There is no public charter/contract in most cases. SAR volunteers are not on shift or on call. A call comes in (in BC usually from either BC Ambulance or the RCMP) and the phone fan-out begins. Whoever happens to be available shows up. Sometimes no one is available. Most groups do not carry pagers or "work" any kind of set shift. There are some exceptions where volunteers do "work" on call shifts but they are few and far between. North Shore Search and Rescue out of North Vancouver is a prime example. If a group has such a system set up then I agree there is a presumed "duty to act." To the best of my knowledge there is not however a legal "duty to act” in BC. I can’t say what the situation is in other jurisdictions.

I believe in SAR volunteers acting in a professional manner. SAR subjects do not however have a presumed right to a professional response unless a paid professional SAR service serves the area they happen to be in (as is the case in parts of Europe).

[Richard B the EMT]

From AOL, and ABC Television network"s Good Morning America:

A base jumper in Oregon spent the night literally hanging from the side of a cliff after he parachute was caught in a rock. The 'Good Morning America' crew follows the bizarre story of Eldon Burrier, who was rescued, then arrested after spending the night dangling 400 feet off the ground. "I'm hanging from a rock with my strings right now. When it breaks... I'm dead," Burrier told a 911 dispatcher from his cell phone.

"He had to spend the night because the helicopter couldn't reach him and so he had to wait until the next day until the ground crews could use ropes and pulleys to get him down," explains anchor Juju Chen. Police later arrested Burrier for outstanding warrant resulting from a prior illegal jump. Oddly enough, Burrier was jumping to commemorate a friend who died base jumping from the same peak a week earlier. ABC Weekdays, 7AM

As I see it, this person should be charged for his rescue.

[tniuqs]

Agreed:

And to add that 2 BASE jumpers (very similar senario) had to be rescued near SQUAMISH CHIEF WALL just this week .. yup these clowns should pay for their "misadventures" ... but who do you send the bill to when they are ded ?

Their Mothers ?

Meanwhile back in AB I returned from a search (mentioned prior) with parts missing from my boat and aggravated an old injury ... (all on my head) theres no way in hell that I will send my "expenses" to a family in light of a very tragic accident.

Wear a PFD (even if one is a strong swimmer) when around water that is fast moving .... PLEASE.

[CBEMT]

FWIW, I've been reading that there's a trend of people actually hiding and/or actually running away from SAR teams on the incorrect assumption that they were going to be charged for their rescue.

[spenac]

FWIW, I've been reading that there's a trend of people actually hiding and/or actually running away from SAR teams on the incorrect assumption that they were going to be charged for their rescue.

Post that please. If it were true you would see people hiding from the ambulance as well. I am sure might have a few cases but not the majority.

[CBEMT]

You've never had anybody refuse treatment because of the cost?

The article was in a hardcopy of a trade magazine. I don't have membership access for the stories on the website.

[spenac]

You've never had anybody refuse treatment because of the cost?

The article was in a hardcopy of a trade magazine. I don't have membership access for the stories on the website.

As I said I am sure there are a few. I just do not see it being a trend. Even in the ambulance you have people say I bet this is going to cost me a bunch but they still for the most part say lets go.

[Richard B the EMT]

What about this guy on the left?

(From an E-Mail from Fire Engineering)

[Richard B the EMT]

apparently, some fire departments are now charging for responses.

From the New York Times, Sunday Automotive section of 09-05-2010:

www.nytimes.com/2010/09/05/automobiles/05CRASHTAX.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=a crash&st=cse