Authorities are seeking more funding for avalanche rescues following a rash of incidents in Colorado this season. During times of high avalanche danger, the costs of rescue can easily overwhelm county budgets.
San Miguel County Sheriff Bill Masters told KUSA TV this week that he thinks backcountry skiers, boarders and snowshoers should buy backcountry insurance at a minimal cost, or pay the full cost of rescue.
Masters says his search and rescue department in has a budget of $100,000. But with costs that can run as high as $50,000 per avalanche rescue, it鈥檚 clear that resources for the department are tight.
One agency on the other side of the state is trying to work around that problem. Mike Fink with notes that county sheriffs have the ultimate responsibility for rescues. He understands the dilemma 鈥� but believes charging people for their rescue could have unintended consequences.
鈥淭he search and rescue teams 鈥� and we鈥檙e actually a nonprofit corporation 鈥� we don鈥檛 charge for search and rescue,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he main reason that is that we don鈥檛 want people to hesitate to call us because they think they鈥檙e going to get a bill from us.鈥�
Fink says educating people about avalanche danger, and encouraging responsible behavior in the backcountry is an ideal way to reduce the need for rescues 鈥� and the resulting expenses.
So far this season, six people have died in Colorado 鈥� and the risk is higher than it has been in several years 鈥� especially for mountains in the southwestern part of the state.
