Another weekend of multiple rescues

[Almer Fudd]

After watching the news about multiple river rescues in Calgary, a drowning/recovery in Lethbridge, drowning on the Shuswap River and the helicopter rescue in K-country, it makes me wonder if people are just taking too many risks and expecting to be rescued?
When I first started heading into the backcountry 35-40 years ago I pretty much understood that if I got myself into trouble they MIGHT send somebody in after a few days to recover the body and they MIGHT need to quarter the body to get it out.
You were careful and prepared.
Today people are scrambling up crazy areas with video cameras filming each other taking dumb risks. The drunks floating the Bow river this weekend in $15.00 inflatable toys was almost comical if it wasn't so stupid and dangerous.
I have a lot of respect for first responders that have to deal with these clowns.

Rant over, I feel a bit better.

[CaberTosser]

It's in a way sad though, how these excellent emergency services personnel are denying so many potential Darwin Award winners their rightful prizes. Some of these people must really want to win badly, because they're trying so darn hard. The ones I concern myself with giving a darn about are the kids who are being misled by oblivious parents.

[donabb]

You just can't fix stupid
It would help the learning curve if they had to pay back the Alberta tax payers for there rescue
JMHO

[mooseknuckle]

Originally Posted by donabb

You just can't fix stupid
It would help the learning curve if they had to pay back the Alberta tax payers for there rescue
JMHO

I believe in alot of cases they do. Don't they? I jus coughed up $360 for an ambulance ride, I would suspect a helicopter pick up off the side of a mountain would be pricey.

[Almer Fudd]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

It's in a way sad though, how these excellent emergency services personnel are denying so many potential Darwin Award winners their rightful prizes. Some of these people must really want to win badly, because they're trying so darn hard. The ones I concern myself with giving a darn about are the kids who are being misled by oblivious parents.

Story in Monday's Herald about the drunken mother and her toddler (both without life jackets) kicked out of the river twice by police. Once on Friday and again on Sunday. Poor kid doesn't have a hope of growing up to amount to anything. Bad environment, worse genetics!

[Jack&7]

Originally Posted by Almer Fudd

You were careful and prepared.

Well, Almer, you said the key phrase.

Unfortunately...it seems common sense is not all that common. And once you throw in an ounce of stupid, all bets are off.

Some things will never change. It is strangely comforting to know that your chosen profession will never suffer a downturn....

That being said, there are those who genuinely get into serious situations entirely by accident....but those are rare. I do have compassion for those people. But more often than not, I see people in dire straits and it is painfully obvious how they are the masters of their own disaster. I find it hard to feel sorry for those people. And yet, they still deserve the same amount of 'service' and care that we would give anyone else.

[Almer Fudd]

I'm not advocating less care and service, but maybe we need a stupid fine, and call it that.
$500-25,000 plus rescue costs for being stupid. Maybe a panel of regular citizens could set the fine (most judges are too soft).
Maybe allow the first responders to recommend potential culprits and the panel could review the situation and set the fine.
Think of the honor and recognition these idiots could receive.

[CaberTosser]

Originally Posted by Almer Fudd

Story in Monday's Herald about the drunken mother and her toddler (both without life jackets) kicked out of the river twice by police. Once on Friday and again on Sunday. Poor kid doesn't have a hope of growing up to amount to anything. Bad environment, worse genetics!

I had read that one, and was mentally referencing it when I wrote my entry. That woman needs to be turned over someones knee, and not in a playful way.

Here's a link to the article in the Sun. That was the rescue we watched on Mt Brock. That helicopter pilot was some skilled!

http://www.calgarysun.com/2011/08/01...untry-rescuers

[Almer Fudd]

Wow, tired and weak on top of Mt. Brock...Let's call 911 and get plucked to safety by SAR.
Meanwhile SAR is risking life a limb (their own lives and limbs) to rescue these 2 doorknobs.
Stupid Fine....$10,000 each
Dirt bikers can't find a flashlight...stupid Fine....$2,500 each

Rafters falling in the water. Stupid Fine.....$2,000 each.

Drunk cliff jumper..$4,000

Horseback rider with a wet ass and broken ankle...unless it was a compound break he should have ridden out and driven to Calgary....might need some more details here. I suspect the only place to get bucked off in the Elbow River is right at the staging area, so not a big rescue operation.
Then post the names of these clowns and the Stupid fine and perhaps people will jerk their heads out of their butts and start to take responsibility for themselves.

[greylynx]

What do guys figure?

Because the population of Alberta has increased that the number dumb axes will increase statistically.

or

That the mean number of dumb axes are skewed to the right of the mean for some other reason.

Opinions please.

[Almer Fudd]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

I had read that one, and was mentally referencing it when I wrote my entry. That woman needs to be turned over someones knee, and not in a playful way.

Me thinks that's how she ended up with the toddler

[donabb]

Originally Posted by greylynx

What do guys figure?

Because the population of Alberta has increased that the number dumb axes will increase statistically.

or

That the mean number of dumb axes are skewed to the right of the mean for some other reason.

Opinions please.

Thought about this too
I think it is a little of both, uncontroled population growth
And mindset, this is wild backcountry these folks are playing in not Disneyland