Search and Rescue Assistance Card

nnnnnate

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Location
WVC, UT
I just read about this on KSL. (Article Link)

It sounds like this is a way for the state to raise money to help pay for the SAR operations. Where the benefit comes in to you personally is that depending on the rescue you might be sent a bill to help pay for that cost. This might not be a big amount but if the rescue takes a lot of resources or goes for an extended period of time that cost could be really high. By buying one of these cards for either $25 or $35 you would be covered fully for any rescue needed and would not be billed for any associated costs. This is only for non medical related expenses and might be voided if its deemed you were reckless or intentionally cause a search and rescue operation.

I see this is a great insurance policy. First, we get to help raise some money to support the SAR volunteers and also protect ourselves or family in a tragic event that you hope never is needed. I would guess that at least some of us here have SAR experience whether that is current or in the past.

This is something that is personal to me. I don't know if I've shared this before but I was rescued in the Uinta Mountains when I was 10 after being lost overnight without gear with my brother and a friend (both 12 years old.) We were on the first day of a 50 mile hike from Caroline Lake to Moon Lake with the scout troop. I was able to go as a 10 year old because my dad was there. After getting to camp the first day I went fishing while the other boys started to work on different merit badges. After a while I went to find my brother and his friend and when I did we started to make our way back to camp but for whatever reason we couldn't find the path to get back to the lake. We spent the afternoon and evening walking around, following creek beds, climbing trees to try and see the lake, whatever we could think to do. Finally we bedded down under a big pine tree for the night huddled together. We were all wearing short sleeve shirts and didn't have any gear with us. We slept the night there and the next morning intended to do more of the same. Early on though we heard helicopters buzzing overhead. We ended up finding a small meadow and stayed there until we were spotted. The helicopter landed a little ways away and the rescuers tracked back to us with a couple dogs that were in the chopper. We got to fly back to the trailhead in the chopper where I was amazed at all the people and trucks that had amassed. There were Search and Rescue from three or four counties and two helicopters searching for us.

I learned later that when it was realized that we were missing my dad ran back to the trailhead and ranger station to get help. The ranger said it was too late at that point to do anything until morning and told my dad to sleep on the extra cot for the night. (He either claims it was the worst night sleep hes ever had or the best, depending on his mood.) They didn't know initially that the three of us were together so their operation was based on this. One of the other boys on the trip got lost for a few hours while looking for us but was found by someone on the trail. They initially thought this was me because we had a very similar description other than age. In the end we were never that far from the lake we got lost from, likely never more than a mile away. Had we continued to follow any of the drainages its likely we would have gotten back to the lake. I'll have to try and find a news clipping of the event.

Anyway, as one might surmise I'm very grateful for the search and rescue operation that assembled to find us. Things could have, and often do, turn out much worse. With as much time as I spend out in the wilderness I'll be purchasing one of these cards. If nothing else, to help support then next generation of lost scouts in the woods.
 
Last edited:

TRD270

Emptying Pockets Again
Supporting Member
Location
SaSaSandy
I can't speak for other counties SAR teams, but Salt Lake County SAR is 100% volunteer based. We have about 35 members at any given time. The money they get goes to help replace their gear that is lost/damaged durning the rescues. Safety equipment belongs to the county but harnesses, lights, clothing, packs etc etc are all the personal gear of the SAR member. If its lost or damaged durning the rescue the funding helps replace this stuff for them.

DPS, Life Flight, and Air Med all donate their helicopters as well. The only time (in Salt Lake County) the subject is charged for helicopter extraction is if they go straight to the hospital.

SLCO SAR had over 70 operations last year, its slowed down these last two weeks but we've had 16 already this year. If I remember right it ended up being something like 6000 hours of donated time.
 

benjy

Rarely wrenches
Supporting Member
Location
Moab
DPS, Life Flight, and Air Med all donate their helicopters as well. The only time (in Salt Lake County) the subject is charged for helicopter extraction is if they go straight to the hospital.
We

I don't get the logic with this... If you're out being dumb, no charge. If you get injured, you'll be billed tens of thousands of $'s. Life flight is something I should be grateful to have available, but the crushing financial obligations it leaves with the family is crazy. My father's last heart attack left my mom with a $17k obligation, and a family in my neighborhood is still working on a $50k bill (St. George to primary children's).

Sorry, off topic. SAR volunteers are my hero's. My FIL is on the Wasatch team, love hearing about their rescues.
 

TRD270

Emptying Pockets Again
Supporting Member
Location
SaSaSandy
I don't get the logic with this... If you're out being dumb, no charge. If you get injured, you'll be billed tens of thousands of $'s..

100% agree and unfortunately the current political trend is to cater to these people. I went off on a tirade on my original post but ended up deleting it. The vast majority of our rescues are dumb people going places they have no business going. Some even demand a helicopter when we are able to make contact with them. One jackass called 911 to request a helicopter because it took him longer to hike than he thought and he was going to miss his outbound flight. He already arranged for the rental car company to pick up his car at the trail head, and asked when we would be sending the helicopter to rescue him.

Unfortunately this is becoming more and more common and end up taking resources from people that actually are experience and have a true accident and do need the help.
 

glockman

I hate Jeep trucks
Location
Pleasant Grove
Is there a point you can deem the person does not need rescue and leave them there? Seems like this guy would be a good candidate for that.

It makes me wonder if the lifelight charges if you need medical for liability or because your insurance will pay(not all of it but thousands) if you need medical attention.

I think the card idea is a great way to drum up donations for an excellent cause that would otherwise not happen. Hopefully that will help generate an incentive for good knowledgeable people to volunteer.
 

Cascadia

Undecided
Location
Orem, Utah
Having to use lifeflight for my daughter 3 times in the last 18 months we know all about the billing and charges. Although the cost sucks, my daughter would not be here without it...3 times. When you get your bills for life flight, the actual helicopter, airplane, ambulance charges are minimal. You're paying for the crew that is on board and the machines you're using. When a life flight employee isn't on a flight they are in the hospital. And believe it or not they have more knowledge and experience than anyone on that wing other than the nurse practitioner. 2 of our flights were 16k each from Orem to primary's. The last was from St. George back to primary's and it was like 90k. That was the difference of a 12 minute flight and a 100 minute flight. Plus the crew had to fly a plane from slc to st George, ambulance to the hospital, ambulance back to the airport, plane flight to slc, helicopter to primary's. The cost does suck but you're paying for the best docs out there for that short time.

As a side not, I will be getting a usara card. I spend too much time in the mountains and desert to take the chance of footing that bill.
 
Last edited:

TRD270

Emptying Pockets Again
Supporting Member
Location
SaSaSandy
cc0392606f5339724d7a30e7aec750b8.jpg


Speaking or SAR, surprised we only had two this weekend, both people going were they shouldn't


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

nnnnnate

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Location
WVC, UT
Speaking or SAR, surprised we only had two this weekend, both people going were they shouldn't

I have a couple questions about Search and Rescue, if they are inappropriate or you don't want to answer them thats fine.

1- How do most people get into this type of volunteer thing? What is the path?

2- You're LEO, did you enter through that channel or did your interest in SAR predate that?

3- As with your comment about the people going where they shouldn't, what percentage of rescues are caused by this verses a series of unfortunate accidental events. Are these mutually exclusive or do they often go hand in hand?

4- Are you or your team specifically over any certain areas? Do you only respond to for example Cottonwood canyons?

I've got a few more but this is probably a good place to stop for now.

Thanks.
 

TRD270

Emptying Pockets Again
Supporting Member
Location
SaSaSandy
1- How do most people get into this type of volunteer thing? What is the path?

Most of our team are college students (resume building) that love the outdoors and had at least some knowledge of climbing. The core of our team are again outdoor enthusiasts, mostly climbers that just love being on the team, about 10 of our members have been on the team for over 10 years they just enjoy it.

2- You're LEO, did you enter through that channel or did your interest in SAR predate that?

I really didn't even know about SAR before. I'm currently assigned to the canyon division, and am usually stuck being incident command for SAR. When I can I like to sneak up on the mountain and help.

3- As with your comment about the people going where they shouldn't, what percentage of rescues are caused by this verses a series of unfortunate accidental events. Are these mutually exclusive or do they often go hand in hand?

I'd say about 30% of our rescues are unfortunate accidental events from people that are actually prepared to be where they are and have the knowledge to be doing what they are. The vast majority are like yesterday climbing up a water fall with no climbing equipment and flip flops.

4- Are you or your team specifically over any certain areas? Do you only respond to for example Cottonwood canyons?

Our team is responsible for all of Salt Lake County, most of our rescues are in Big, Little and Bell Canyon

Here is the recruitment page for our team https://slsheriff.org/page_sar_join.php
 
Last edited:

cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
Moderator
Vendor
Location
Sandy, Ut
TRD270, did I just see you on the news re the Bell Canyon SAR call out?




Back to the subject? What makes this plan different than the "Pay to Spray" prepay plans that some fire departments have enacted. Similar variables outside of the volunteer vs. paid.
 
Top