Sports
Tired from a tough hike? Rescuers fear Yuppie 911
FRESNO, Calif. -- Last month two men and their teenage sons tackled one of the world's most unforgiving summertime hikes: the Grand Canyon's parched and searing Royal Arch Loop. Along with bedrolls and freeze-dried food, the inexperienced backpackers carried a personal locator beacon -- just in case.
In the span of three days, the group pushed the panic button three times, mobilizing helicopters for dangerous, lifesaving rescues inside the steep canyon walls. What was that emergency? The water they had found to quench their thirst "tasted salty."
If they had not been toting the device that works like Onstar for hikers, "we would have never attempted this hike," one of them said after the third rescue crew forced them to board their chopper. It's a growing problem facing the men and women who risk their lives when they believe others are in danger of losing theirs.
Technology has made calling for help instantaneous even in the most remote places. Because would-be adventurers can send GPS coordinates to rescuers with the touch of a button, some are exploring terrain they do not have the experience, knowledge or endurance to tackle.
Rescue officials are deciding whether to start keeping statistics on the problem, but the incidents have become so frequent that the head of California's Search and Rescue operation has a name for the devices: Yuppie 911.
"Now you can go into the back country and take a risk you might not normally have taken," says Matt Scharper, who coordinates a rescue every day in a state with wilderness so rugged even crashed planes can take decades to find. "With the Yuppie 911, you send a message to a satellite and the government pulls your butt out of something you shouldn't have been in in the first place."
From the Sierra to the Cascades, Rockies and beyond, hikers are arming themselves with increasingly affordable technology intended to get them out of life-threatening situations.
While daring rescues are one result, very often the beacons go off unintentionally when the button is pushed in someone's backpack, or they are activated unnecessarily, as in the case of a woman who was frightened by a thunderstorm.
"There's controversy over these devices in the first place because it removes the self sufficiency that's required in the back country," Scharper says. "But we are a society of services, and every service you need you can get by calling."
The sheriff's office in San Bernardino County, the largest in the nation and home to part of the unforgiving Death Valley, hopes to reduce false alarms. So it is studying under what circumstances hikers activate the devices.
"In the past, people who got in trouble self-rescued; they got on their hands and knees and crawled out," says John Amrhein, the county's emergency coordinator. "We saw the increase in non-emergencies with cell phones: people called saying 'I'm cold and damp. Come get me out.' These take it to another level."
Personal locator beacons, which send distress signals to government satellites, became available in the early 1980s, but at a price exceeding $1,200. They have been legal for the public to use since 2003, and in the last year the price has fallen to less than $100 for devices that send alerts to a company, which then calls local law enforcement.
When rescue beacons tempt inexperienced hikers to attempt trails beyond their abilities, that can translate into unnecessary expense and a risk of lives.
Last year, the beacon for a hiker on the Pacific Crest Trail triggered accidentally in his backpack, sending helicopters scrambling. Recently, a couple from New Bruswick, British Columbia activated their beacon when they climbed a steep trail and could not get back down. A helicopter lowered them 200 feet to secure footing.
In September, a hiker from Placer County was panning for gold in New York Canyon when he became dehydrated and used his rescue beacon to call for help.
With darkness setting in on the same day, Mono County sheriff's deputies asked the National Guard for a high-altitude helicopter and a hoist for a treacherous rescue of two beacon-equipped hikers stranded at Convict Lake. The next day they hiked out on foot.
When eight climbers ran into trouble last winter during a summit attempt of Mt. Hood in Oregon, they called for help after becoming stranded on a glacier in a snowstorm.
"The question is, would they have decided to go on the trip knowing the weather was going bad if they had not been able to take the beacons," asks Rocky Henderson of Portland Mountain Rescue. "We are now entering the Twilight Zone of someone else's intentions."
The Grand Canyon's Royal Arch loop, the National Park Service warns, "has a million ways to get into serious trouble" for those lacking skill and good judgment. One evening the fathers-and-sons team activated their beacon when they ran out of water.
Rescuers, who did not know the nature of the call, could not launch the helicopter until morning. When the rescuers arrived, the group had found a stream and declined help.
That night, they activated the emergency beacon again. This time the Arizona Department of Public Safety helicopter, which has night vision capabilities, launched into emergency mode.
When rescuers found them, the hikers were worried they might become dehydrated because the water they found tasted salty. They declined an evacuation, and the crew left water.
The following morning the group called for help again. This time, according to a park service report, rescuers took them out and cited the leader for "creating a hazardous condition" for the rescue teams.
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Grand Canyon ranger John Evans gives advice to hikers on how and where to avoid the heat in the Grand Canyon during hot, sunny days below the rim. Despite warnings from park rangers, some outdoor enthusiasts venture unprepared into the Grand Canyon and other parks and depend on emergency GPS calls to get them out. (Josh Biggs/Arizona Daily Sun file)
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In this file photo, a personal locator beacon made by ACR Electronics, Inc. is seen beside other GPS units in a Seattle, Wa. outdoor equipment store. The device sends out a long-range and satellite-assisted signal to search teams in the event a person using the device gets lost or stranded in the outdoors and activates it. Rescue officials are deciding whether to start keeping statistics on the problem, but the incidents have become so frequent that the head of California''s Search and Rescue operation has a name for the devices: Yuppie 911. (Ted S. Warren/AP file)
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Web site comments suspended:
ava wrote on Nov 13, 2009 10:24 AM:
" I like the idea of charging "the unprepared". If you call for help and you really need it, like the man with the broken leg, don't charge the person. But, for the folks who (ab)use the system, I say charge them!! I also like the idea of renting the rescue beacons with a deposit that will hit some folks, not all, in the pocket. Maybe, if folks realize that "help" is not a button-push away they will take responsibility! At least we can hope. The SAR folks are awesome and we should thank them for all their hard work and selflessness.
Thank you! "
Thank you! "
Jon Diamanti wrote on Nov 13, 2009 2:32 AM:
" In this day and age of modern technology, one thing that has slipped quite a bit, is the
lack of common sense when tackling the great outdoors. It is absolutely astounding to
Me that these three people even considered this hike! I have lived in Arizona for the
last 42 years and have barely scratched the surface on hiking all the remote places in
this state. I have been in the blistering heat in July, a driving, blinding snowstorm in the
White Mountains, the wind whistling in My ears at the top of the San Francisco Peaks,
and the desolation of Glen Canyon. I always am prepared for the worst, in these climates
and conditions it is imperative to be aware of everything around You.
These three should at the least be required to pay for all costs associated with their acts
of stupidity, plus be required by the courts to take a course on wilderness hiking and
survival at their own expense. There is no excuse for ignorance in this day and age like that have shown. Shame on them. Jon Diamanti "
lack of common sense when tackling the great outdoors. It is absolutely astounding to
Me that these three people even considered this hike! I have lived in Arizona for the
last 42 years and have barely scratched the surface on hiking all the remote places in
this state. I have been in the blistering heat in July, a driving, blinding snowstorm in the
White Mountains, the wind whistling in My ears at the top of the San Francisco Peaks,
and the desolation of Glen Canyon. I always am prepared for the worst, in these climates
and conditions it is imperative to be aware of everything around You.
These three should at the least be required to pay for all costs associated with their acts
of stupidity, plus be required by the courts to take a course on wilderness hiking and
survival at their own expense. There is no excuse for ignorance in this day and age like that have shown. Shame on them. Jon Diamanti "
Flag Lifer wrote on Nov 12, 2009 4:35 PM:
" How about building a Starbucks, Circle K and McDonalds in every square mile? Seriously do we really think people are going to take responsibility for themselves??? I'm not holding my breath. "
SAR Volunteer wrote on Nov 12, 2009 12:43 PM:
" Serious injuries can and do happen to SAR volunteers. We are people with jobs and families; the phone rings often and at all hours. A very significant number of calls are frivolous and unwarranted. We train long hours on our own time to be ready to help those in need. Team members have been called out for cases like the woman who was overdue from a hike and was found sitting in her pickup truck's bed because she had locked her keys inside. There is little funding available for those nifty helicopter rides, so if you can't move your sorry butt any more, unpaid people will have to carry you out on treacherous trails, in the dark, by litter. It's highly discouraging to respond to calls from people like the uninjured but lost guy who could not be located for hours because after he called for rescue, he ran his cell phone battery down texting his buddies. When it comes to being a SAR volunteer, it's often true about no good deed going unpunished. "
sam wrote on Nov 12, 2009 10:04 AM:
" If you need to be rescued in New Hampshire, and the rescue teams find you were unprepared for what you were doing (ie, climing Mt. Washington in April, in shorts, and without survival gear)....They Will charge you for the rescue. "
CC wrote on Nov 12, 2009 2:56 AM:
" In Nat'l Parks you are only charged for the rescue if you are found to be criminally negligent in your actions, and in the cases stated above they should be found criminally negligent. Yes, rescues are dangerous. I've lost a good friend who died saving someone else with real injuries. But preventing others from valid evac's isn't the answer either. "
Big Marty wrote on Nov 9, 2009 11:40 PM:
" How about if we turn SAR "for-profit" and start enticing the Darwinistically-challenged into the woods. Or do you think it'd be better if they spend their cash at McDonald's, for dope and/or on glitzy stuff made in China?
Btw, which European countries make you pay for rescue? It could be that they only charge foreigners, but I'm not aware of any. The only thing I can think of is that in some places you have to get rescue insurance if you want to get a climbing permit. "
Btw, which European countries make you pay for rescue? It could be that they only charge foreigners, but I'm not aware of any. The only thing I can think of is that in some places you have to get rescue insurance if you want to get a climbing permit. "
Dude wrote on Nov 6, 2009 9:25 AM:
" Sorry, but it's true. Every transplant's a cowboy. Yee-how. I'm in the wild wild west. I'm a rugged outdoorsman, ' "
Accountability wrote on Nov 5, 2009 8:59 AM:
" To "Dude", looking back through the comments it's hard to figure how a couple comments turn into "everyone here". Perhaps you should read them more carefully before making that assumption. Even if they were, you would be just as much a hypocrit for talking about people you don't even know, for all you know everyone here is a "cowboy". I don't claim to be an expert, but I've done the Royal Arch Loop before knowing full well what to expect... yeah, there isn't always pockets of water the first few days, and yeah, the water at copper canyon is going to be salty. Any schmuck with internet access, a guide book, or enough sense to ask the back country office about the trail can tell you those things. You don't need to be an expert to have enough common sense to do your homework before you go on a trip like this. And you don't need to be an expert to realize that when you press the help button on one of these devices you better be in a life or death situation, and not when you just need room service. "
MoneyTalks wrote on Nov 4, 2009 10:30 PM:
" Have a heart attack or get in a car wreck 40 or 50 miles out of town? The MEDICAL community will send you an ambulance AND one of their helicopters to rescue you. Then, I guarantee you will be getting a bill to not just cover the expenses of the operation, but to line the pockets of the organization. I've heard that a medical helicopter trip on your bill will push it close to the $10k range these days.
So why aren't the search and rescue teams in this state charging people for all rescues? I think that would be the easiest answer. No selecting who to charge and who not to charge, you just send the bill to whom you rescued, just like the hospital. The sheriffs have been required by an old, outdated state statute to rescue people, but that law doesn't provide funding. It needs to be amended to fit today's needs (i.e. Yuppie 911).
One of the problems with the Yuppie 911 thing is when crews and their resources are tied up on of those calls, and suddenly there is someone on the other side of the map who is in genuine peril. They are calling for help, but there's no one available. This happens quite frequently, yet nothing can be done about it.
Even though search and rescue teams are mostly volunteer, it still costs money for on-duty law enforcement and fire personnel to respond, plus deployment of the DPS helicopter, and then you have all the equipment, fuel, maintenance, insurance, training and other costs to keep the volunteers moving. These organizations have very little money for equipment, often getting money from fundraising efforts, yet put their lives on the line to rescue someone. "
So why aren't the search and rescue teams in this state charging people for all rescues? I think that would be the easiest answer. No selecting who to charge and who not to charge, you just send the bill to whom you rescued, just like the hospital. The sheriffs have been required by an old, outdated state statute to rescue people, but that law doesn't provide funding. It needs to be amended to fit today's needs (i.e. Yuppie 911).
One of the problems with the Yuppie 911 thing is when crews and their resources are tied up on of those calls, and suddenly there is someone on the other side of the map who is in genuine peril. They are calling for help, but there's no one available. This happens quite frequently, yet nothing can be done about it.
Even though search and rescue teams are mostly volunteer, it still costs money for on-duty law enforcement and fire personnel to respond, plus deployment of the DPS helicopter, and then you have all the equipment, fuel, maintenance, insurance, training and other costs to keep the volunteers moving. These organizations have very little money for equipment, often getting money from fundraising efforts, yet put their lives on the line to rescue someone. "
Native wrote on Nov 4, 2009 9:47 PM:
" This kind of stuff happens everywhere, and we are all paying for it. Countless stupidity causing wasteful deployment of resources. It has to stop, but it will take smart legislation. I've heard that organizations collectively decided in AZ that they cannot impose penalties because they are worried people who actually need help might not call. And I'm sure if they did start imposing penalties, there would be some dummy that brings his/her children on a trip, puts them in peril, but won't call because they don't have the money. So, unless someone comes up with a solution, we may end up waiting until we are losing more rescuers than rescuees before something is done. "
Motorhead wrote on Nov 4, 2009 2:59 PM:
" One question no one's asking: How in the world did the manufacturer bring these things to market without an idiot-proof on/off switch? Companies making avalanche tranceivers figured this out like 30 years ago. A $12 headlamp that gets turned on is understandable. But for something that has carried a price tag as high as $1200 (and whose accidental use endangers people's lives), there's no excuse for engineering it without an idiot-proof on/off switch. Hold the manufacturers responsible as well in these situations until they design a better device. "
Dude wrote on Nov 4, 2009 2:02 PM:
" The problem is everybody thinks he's ready. Notice how almost all commenters in here drop little hints about how they are experts in survival. Pointless comments with the sole purpose of stroking one's ego. Everyone thinks he's a cowboy. That's how it work in this land of transience. "
Accountability wrote on Nov 4, 2009 11:21 AM:
" donttreadonme, leave your political bagage (or is it garbage?) at the door. It seems fairly obvious to me that everyone here is in agreement about the responsibilities of others. I own one of these devices and I agree, there should be a sticker on the "Help" button that says "Pressing this button will cost you $10,000". These people should be accountable for the cost and the danger they put SAR into... and three rescues for one trip? That's ridiculous! "
C wrote on Nov 4, 2009 8:49 AM:
" Maybe if we started passing some school budgets their would be lest ignorant people wasting everyones time and money. "
BILL wrote on Nov 4, 2009 6:37 AM:
" The reason we live in the southwest is to enjoy this solitude and beauty. For those who wish to wander be prepared! "
hiker with a brain wrote on Nov 3, 2009 8:57 PM:
" The devices should not be sold; they should be rented with a $5000 cash deposit. You get the money back if you return it unused. Otherwise, the rescuers get the money.
Oh, and, donttreadonme:
Where does it say the "rescued" were liberals? Missed that article. "
Oh, and, donttreadonme:
Where does it say the "rescued" were liberals? Missed that article. "
john dodson wrote on Nov 3, 2009 8:10 PM:
" Sadly hikers like this not only put our rescue personnel in danger but send them on useless rescues when they could be helping those truly in need of help. Recently there was a case back east where a solo hiker injured himself. Using backcountry skills with some medical supplies from his AMK he was able to stablize himself until he was rescued three days later. Oddly, he is being charged for the rescue and the question arose, should he be charged. Having done several trips below the rim, this is not your normal day trip but can be life threatening if you do not take the enviroment seriously. To activate the beacon three times! Reminds me of a story about a boy who cried wolf and we know how that ended. If you make the decision to drop below the rim, which you should, make sure you are physically fit and have the knowledge necessary to handle a situation should one arise. For more information on the case pending back east you can checkout Adventure Medical Kits facebook page. "
aloofcitizen wrote on Nov 3, 2009 4:39 PM:
" My family and friends know exactly how I feel about these "rescue beacons". It is just another form of an abused "911/ help me" system. It makes it all to easy for the unprepared, unskilled and mindless, go to places and do things they arent ready for. On another level, I am constantly coming across people out in the woods hailing me down for some silly reason like a flat tire, or are out of gas or stuck in some place they never should have been. I just smile and inform them that they are on their own with whatever equipment, skills and knowledge they brought with them, and go about my way. "
Again and Again wrote on Nov 3, 2009 4:26 PM:
" It's sad but it happens all the time. It might look easy on TV but in reality its wild country.
Rings kinda familiar with the recent local "turkey" who got lost out partying.
I understand they don't want to dissuade people from calling in what could be a real emergency but there must be a way to fine some of these idiots. SAR incidents are often in rugged terrain and rescuers do get hurt and die but we can't let it happen because of something as stupid as salty water. "
Rings kinda familiar with the recent local "turkey" who got lost out partying.
I understand they don't want to dissuade people from calling in what could be a real emergency but there must be a way to fine some of these idiots. SAR incidents are often in rugged terrain and rescuers do get hurt and die but we can't let it happen because of something as stupid as salty water. "
donttreadonme wrote on Nov 3, 2009 1:42 PM:
" Sounds like a liberal paradise. Play the role of a great outdoorsman without taking any responsibility for your own stupidity. Utilize a two-way method of communication to evaluate necessity. Better yet, let the great adventurers take reponsibility for their own means of two-way communication and wash your hands of the GPS. Let Darwinism prevail. "
Outdoorsman wrote on Nov 3, 2009 1:39 PM:
" ...this is a pretty humorous article, and I'll share why. I good friend of mine in Flagstaff did this same hike on 2 separate journeys. Except he was doing it for a multimedia presentation that was to appear on the Backpacker magazine web site.
My friend, who shall remain nameless, is a very experienced Canyon hiker, photographer and journalist. Backpacker sent him with a GPS device to record 'exact' locations of this loop hike AND put all of the information, in a multimedia format, glamorously on their web site. Months after he completed the 2 separate hikes and submitted his video, audio, GPS info and pictures, Backpacker turned it into a 'spectacle' on their site. After viewing the final product and sharing a couple of laughs over its cheesy presentation, I stated to my friend, "you know, some people are going to see this on the web site, decide they're going to attempt this and either get into trouble or die".
Not only do these devices make situations like this happen but the media does tend to oversimplify the difficulty of hikes in such locations. Not to mention all the 'glamor' involved in the presentation. "
My friend, who shall remain nameless, is a very experienced Canyon hiker, photographer and journalist. Backpacker sent him with a GPS device to record 'exact' locations of this loop hike AND put all of the information, in a multimedia format, glamorously on their web site. Months after he completed the 2 separate hikes and submitted his video, audio, GPS info and pictures, Backpacker turned it into a 'spectacle' on their site. After viewing the final product and sharing a couple of laughs over its cheesy presentation, I stated to my friend, "you know, some people are going to see this on the web site, decide they're going to attempt this and either get into trouble or die".
Not only do these devices make situations like this happen but the media does tend to oversimplify the difficulty of hikes in such locations. Not to mention all the 'glamor' involved in the presentation. "
Long Fall wrote on Nov 3, 2009 1:05 PM:
" A DPS paramedic did die helping some people! They didn't have the "button" but they should have thought before they went out. Now DPS is missing a fine paramedic. "
Southsider wrote on Nov 3, 2009 1:01 PM:
" In Europe, you do pay for the rescue - warranted or not. It's called being responsible for yourself. I don't know if this country is ready for that. "
seldom wrote on Nov 3, 2009 12:25 PM:
" This article really confirms my worst fears about our society. You cannot legislate intelligence. Stupid people are everywhere, and our culture does nothing to foster self-reliance and rational thinking. As the article notes, it began with cell phones and has gotten worse with PLBs and devices like "SPOT". Nothing short of an all-encompassing law which sets severe financial penalties for inappropriate use (non-life threatening emergencies) will make people realize that triggering SAR without a darn good reason is a really bad idea. Better yet, restrict their sale to trained professionals and let recreational Darwinism sort out the rest. "
JackFan wrote on Nov 3, 2009 11:01 AM:
" Fines need to be imposed for frivolous non-emergency calls "
Jason Burnstein wrote on Nov 3, 2009 10:38 AM:
" In order to prevent Yuppie 911 non emergency false alarms , legislation must be established with serious monetary fines, say in the order of $5K for a first time fine, plus reimbursement to the rescue squad for helicopter time, gas, equipment, overtime. Money talks.! "
larry wrote on Nov 3, 2009 10:32 AM:
" Those folks who 'activate' when it's not an emergency should be charged for the rescue. No "declines rescue" yank them out and fine them for costs. Pay for that hour of helicopter time. "
rugged outdoorsman wrote on Nov 3, 2009 10:14 AM:
" The park services need to get tough. Leave a trail head sign that says, "Howling Wilderness Ahead. Nobody is coming after you!"
If the lawyers protest, put some fine print at the bottom reminding these travelers that they are on the hook for the cost of the rescue services. Maybe the device makes can sell "cost of rescue insurance" with their product. "
If the lawyers protest, put some fine print at the bottom reminding these travelers that they are on the hook for the cost of the rescue services. Maybe the device makes can sell "cost of rescue insurance" with their product. "
alain wrote on Nov 3, 2009 9:57 AM:
" What do these people think? That they're in a big-box store and need simply to push the "assistance needed" button? Bill these clueless theme-park attendees every time. How many times is it going to take for people to cry wolf before someone who comes to their aid gets seriously injured or worse? "
Local Guide wrote on Nov 3, 2009 8:51 AM:
" These locators are great for commercial companies that have an experienced guide that knows when to push the button and also where to put the locator so it will not get pushed by accident. Most of the time the clients do not know that we have a sat phone or a locator. If the clients did know that I know for a fact that I would have had to make a call with clients that don't want to take another step. People abuse everything and these devices will save lives in the wilderness but it has to be a life or death situation! Try doing research and knowing your surroundings instead of pushing a button. It drives me crazy that very few people even take a map into the Grand Canyon. Everyone asks "how far til the bottom" I laugh and tell them to figure it out on their topo map, then they get a weird feeling because they don't have one! "
reh444 wrote on Nov 3, 2009 8:46 AM:
" The fathers and sons team should be made to pay a serious portion of the costs of the rescue. "
Melissa wrote on Nov 3, 2009 8:06 AM:
" This is disgusting, life saving technology being misused because someone isn't "happy". Risking the lives of search and rescue personnel because, guess what? The Great Outdoors isn't a freaking five star resort! I don't envy the park service, DPS, etc trying to decide what to do with these things. They could be used responsibly and be a great asset in SAR missions, They could be used to save lives and decrease the amont of searching the SAR teams have to do, its so sad that they are being misused in this way. Sad, but not surprising. "
raisin mountaineer wrote on Nov 3, 2009 7:47 AM:
" So, they put my friends and coworkers at risk because their water "tasted salty"? Grrr. Just, grrr. "
rezzdog wrote on Nov 3, 2009 7:44 AM:
" Anybody who requires rescue in a National Park should be charged for the entire expense of the effort. Rangers fear that that will deter people from calling in true emergencies, but the Park doesn't have any spare money to be playing around with for rescues. Your Money or Your Life! "
Enough wrote on Nov 3, 2009 7:44 AM:
" Simple, Charge them a ,"Moron Fee". These devices have identifiers that let you know who they belong to, so when they are activated, its a done deal, you need help, then fine, you get help, but if you are just a wuss that hasnt got the sense God gave a goat, and you get a little too warm or cold and call for your mommy, and activate the troops, then you pay for them.If they can afford the little electronic nannys, then they can afford to pay for the people whos time they waste when they get a booboo. "
The Daily Sun’s Web site is in the process of migrating to a completely new platform. It is a complex move, and one of the first steps requires us to turn off story comments. We hope to make the switchover in mid-December, when the comments will be reactivated. We welcome your story comments, so please watch for updates on our home page for news of their return.
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The Arizona Daily Sun, Copyright 2009 © 1751 S. Thompson, Flagstaff, AZ
The Arizona Daily Sun, Copyright 2009 © 1751 S. Thompson, Flagstaff, AZ
Fee for Service wrote on Nov 15, 2009 6:49 PM:
Shifting the cost to the people needing rescue will not keep people who need it from calling. If your leg is broken on a simple mountain trail, you will still have to call, whether it costs money or not. You cant turn down a surgery you need because it costs too much. 911 has been around for a long time, and you still have people abusing that system. What percentage of 911 calls do you think are really emergencies? People that need it WILL call, and people that don't need it will CONTINUE to call regardless of price.
Responsible people will be more prepared trying to avoid a costly rescue (or injury or death), and careless people will continue to be careless, they will just be the ones paying more often.
And I can't believe nobody has mentioned this, but Arizona is home to the "Stupid Motorist Law:" cross a flooded street and you get the bill plus fines. "