This is an emotive issue here in the UK, some people are calling for people to have insurance to cover rescues, the government often talks about it. But, thankfully Mountain Rescue and many other groups resist the idea despite the many silly call they get to help people off the mountains just because they are tired.

I feel that if insurance companies where involved the cost of rescues would go up by a lot of money and that the mountain rescues teams would be working on the insurers behalf and on their rules. A mountain rescue team may justify walking a tired 70 year old off a mountain but think its a waste of resources to walk a 20 something year old of just because he is tired: an insurance company could sue both for wasting the teams time.

RAF and Navy S&R helos fly their missions as real life training missions and the MOD resist charging for the service because if they were not saving lives they would still be flying training missions to rescue dummies and people playing casualties. Their primary role is the S&R of downed air crew and military personnel and assisting civilian S&R is their secondary role and provides valuable training.

I know i have moved away from the original post some what, but my view is that if in the US a S&R is carried out for a genuine case then people should not be charged: but we are not often privy to all the facts and the press distorts the available facts.

In this case it is said that the lad carried on after sustaining an injury, yet he was praised for using his Eagle Scout skills. In my mind this is the issue, one has a duty of care for themselves and the advise is clear, if you are injured or the conditions change don't press on, turn around and go back. This is true for any outdoor activity and i am sure is one taught by Eagle Scouts. This is the first skill anyone should employ in a situation. This lad did not use his skills until he had closed all the options to himself, he made the classic mistake.

Does that justify a $25,000 fine, not in my book but then i live in the UK where things are different and if I came and played in the US i would have to have travel insurance which would cover this sort of thing. If i lived in the US my feeling maybe slightly different, but it still would not justify a $25,000 fine, i would also be asking the Government why S&R have to rely on local helicopters often privately owned and of the good will of the pilots. The military and national guard could make available helos for S&R as part of their training.