By JOHN POLICH The Arizona Republic, Scottsdale Republic, June 25, 2016
The recent rash of mountain rescues reduces the availability of first responders for other emergencies and puts us all at greater risk.
Some officials try to dismiss the price to taxpayers of these rescues as just another cost of living in paradise. Perhaps that rings true when folks hike into the desert during temperate months with temperatures below, say, 90 degrees. Under those conditions we can excuse an experienced local with all the right gear who twists an ankle, or maybe even a winter visitor who burns out halfway up Camelback Mountain.
But recent rescues on 100 degree-plus days cry out for a different approach to people who defiantly take on the summer desert in the face of excessive heat warnings and unhealthy air.
The risk is potentially much greater than an individual hiker's life. Next in line are the 20 or more firefighters who typically respond due to the danger and complexity of a mountain rescue.
And you and I are at risk because a mountain rescue pulls first responders away from their initial coverage areas. This is true even though the Valley has one of the best mutual aid systems in the United States, one that automatically shares fire department resources across most all cities. As more and more units are dispatched across greater distances, response times increase for the rest of us, whether for a heart attack or a fire.
It is fair to ask if we would all be safer if desert preserves were officially closed during our predictably hottest weather and the real cost of search and rescue billed to wayward hikers.
The recent rash of mountain rescues reduces the availability of first responders for other emergencies and puts us all at greater risk.
Some officials try to dismiss the price to taxpayers of these rescues as just another cost of living in paradise. Perhaps that rings true when folks hike into the desert during temperate months with temperatures below, say, 90 degrees. Under those conditions we can excuse an experienced local with all the right gear who twists an ankle, or maybe even a winter visitor who burns out halfway up Camelback Mountain.
But recent rescues on 100 degree-plus days cry out for a different approach to people who defiantly take on the summer desert in the face of excessive heat warnings and unhealthy air.
The risk is potentially much greater than an individual hiker's life. Next in line are the 20 or more firefighters who typically respond due to the danger and complexity of a mountain rescue.
And you and I are at risk because a mountain rescue pulls first responders away from their initial coverage areas. This is true even though the Valley has one of the best mutual aid systems in the United States, one that automatically shares fire department resources across most all cities. As more and more units are dispatched across greater distances, response times increase for the rest of us, whether for a heart attack or a fire.
It is fair to ask if we would all be safer if desert preserves were officially closed during our predictably hottest weather and the real cost of search and rescue billed to wayward hikers.
No comments:
Post a Comment