AKSAR summarizes the SAR situation extremely well, and my experience agrees with his. My first SAR was in 1958, an incredibly garbled and inept operation, for three Boy Scouts who were indeed reckless (in hindsight). The public outcry spurred development of a much better system, mostly volunteer and military on training assignment under the direction of the county Sheriff. The USAF chopper pilots we worked with relished SAR missions. Their day job milk runs to the missile silos surrounding Tucson weren't very challenging, and as Vietnam veterans, they relished challenges.

The general rule is to rescue first, and ask questions later. I vividly recall an operation which stands out for two reasons. First it was genuinely dangerous and I could have died or been seriously injured. Secondly, I noticed that seconds after emerging from the crumbling mine shaft, our two victims were proned out on the hood of a squad car and in the process of receiving metal bracelets. Just before driving their vehicle into the mine shaft, they had been burglarizing the mine installation. Pima County jail never had more grateful inmates....

One other point - at least in NPS areas, people who are reckless can, and are, charged with the cost of their rescue. The most famous case comes from the Grand Canyon where a party activated their PLB three times in twenty-four hours (the last time because the water from the spring tasted "slightly salty."

One of these days, someone will write a history of SAR in the USA. I'll bet it will find that it has been a fruitful blend of citizen initiative and talent, with good professional oversight, and prudent use of tax revenues.