You know, you're all right and I totally agree with what you're saying. But the point is, everybody makes mistakes, everybody has a bad day now and then. Even cops, firefighters, 911 operators.

A boy died but no amount of finger pointing will bring him back to life. If the emergency operators really did screw up, I suppose they'll lose their job, get sued, maybe worse. Still, what's done is done.

And at any rate, not knowing the full story I would be EXTREMELY hesitant before pointing a finger at anyone involved. Most emergency responders I've ever had to deal with turned out to be very dedicated and professional individuals.

As far as the particular incident, has it not caught anybody's attention that there are several odd things about the whole story? The boy got separated from his two buddies but when he called, he was already out of water and "unable to walk"? There is no explanation as to what his buddies did in the meantime nor what actually happened. Hard to say anything not knowing the details

It's easy to blame the emergency operators for not doing their job right. However, it could well have been a matter of inexperienced hikers biting off more than they could chew. It happens all the time. Personal responsibility is a rare trait these days. Once out in the bush, you can't just expect to be rescued by the push of a button.

PPPPPP.