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Who pays for PLB rescues?
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This thread has some conflicting information about who pays for rescues once a PLB button is pushed. "PLBs are supported by COSPAS/SARSAT, no subscription needed and rescue is free as its a non profit network. Actual rescue bill as chopper costs etc are asked only if there is no emergency (hoax) or if one has be so negligent to put themselves in trouble or knowingly went were they werent supposed to be and something happened (getting lost hiking at night because you didnt have a light or going in clearly signed avalanche area for example)" on the other hand, "You may be asked to foot the bill for any sort of rescue, and that will likely be several thousand dollars. If it's worth 5000 bucks to get help, then you are likely ready to flip the switch." Does anyone have anything more definitive about this? |
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Depends on local SaR, state law, what mood they're in, phase of the moon etc.. This is like asking what going 20mph over the speed limit costs. Maybe nothing, potentially a lot. Just don't press the button unless you're gonna die or suffer permanent injury. Here's some perspective. https://www.themanual.com/outdoors/search-and-rescue-guide/?amp |
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The sheer age of that thread and even the more recent answers make that thread less than completely useful. The original PLBs were designed to send a distress signal to a central agency (COSPAS/SARSAT), with no way of contacting the agencies involved to explain what exactly what the emergency was. This worked OK for the boating community, since it was assumed that your boat was sinking or on fire, or you needed to be brought ashore for some other reason. The newer locater devices (inReach, etc.) offer some sort of satellite based text messaging capability, which makes pushing the button in a less than life or death situation a more reasonable option, and enables one to contact someone other than emergency services. The newer locating devices can also identify your location more precisely than the old PLBs, which can cut down on search time if the locater is functioning correctly and satellite communication is good. "Who pays for rescues" is going to vary from one country to the next, and even within the same country. That hasn't changed since the thread you reference was started. Here in the US, most rescues are free unless a fair bit of negligence on your part can be shown. Once you're handed over to the medical profession, the meter starts to run. This has made for some inconsistencies in the financial impact to the victim. Get pulled out of the backcountry with a broken leg by a US military chopper and your ride is treated as a training exercise with no charge to you. Get pulled out of the backcountry with a broken leg by Flight for Life and you will be billed many thousands for the same helicopter ride. In other countries you're expected to pay no matter what, and in some less developed countries there might not even be anyone around to rescue you. |
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Pretty much agree. Most SAR or local law enforcement/fire department and military is going to be a free ride. The area you might get a bill will be for actual medical treatment ie. meds, IV, splint etc. As I think was mentioned above private “life flights” will for sure bill. I worked for Los Angeles City which despite being a city was actually a huge area that encompasses some pretty rugged terrain. Our flights were free but medical treatment was charged. If they landed and you got transferred to a ambulance you were charged for the ambulance ride to the hospital. Most city, county, state and federal agencies aren’t going to bill for the flight, they don’t want to discourage people from asking for help if they really need it. |
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Agree with what the others said. Also, one of the benefits of joining the American Alpine Club is international rescue insurance. Which addresses the point that if an accident takes place in another country / region they could handle and bill a rescue differently, so it hedges against that unknown https://americanalpineclub.org/rescue |
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Just to clarify a bit on how the process works: when the plb is activated, the signal is picked up by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center in North Florida. They take a look at the info and then refer the information to whichever agency has jurisdiction in that area. For most land areas in the US this is going to be some form of law enforcement. Practically speaking, it's not much different than if you were to call 911 on a phone to initiate a rescue. They generally are not responsible for performing the rescues themselves. Any billing is going to be per local resources as others have mentioned. So, the basic answer to your original question is, your taxes. The emergency buttons on the satellite messengers work similarly except it goes through a private company that is paid by your subscription fees. |
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Acrartex site explains how a rescue works. |
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To my knowledge, when a PLB is activated, your information is provided to local law enforcement who will then coordinate with local SAR if necessary. In NY, the rescue is free for hikers/ climbers. If you were injured or required rescue while breaking the law on state lands (unregistered snow mobile/UTV, operating any of those under the influence or in a wilderness area, vandalism, hunting/trapping violations) you face stiff fines and may be billed for the rescue. Yes, this all sounds ridiculous. Unfortunately, that’s what the NYDEC has to deal with. If you need a good laugh from time to time, subscribe to NYDEC ranger highlights. |
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Many thanks all, for the responses. What about calls placed via private networks (e.g., Iridium), as opposed to COSPAS/SARSAT, or do they largely operate in the same fashion? |
El Duderino wrote: yes. at some point a coordination center (ex. Garmin) will contact the authority which has SAR jurtistidction in the area where the PLB is transmitting. https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=dENvi0yoo51ib0Zh8L4El6 |
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I used to work for Garmin. I can only speak about the inReach device. When triggering a SOS, a call gets generated to the inReach private dispatch. Just like 911, the dispatcher will figure out what's wrong and forward the info to the local authorities or private rescue companies closest to your location. There is no cost for triggering an inReach SOS, you will not be billed by Garmin. However you may be billed depending on what services/rescue/medical gets sent to you. And in case your situation resolves itself, you can update the dispatcher and cancel the rescue and you won't get billed by Garmin and likely not by any resource that was enroute. With all that being said, do not ever hesitate to trigger a SOS/call 911 if you think you need it now or will need it soon. I work in EMS, we would much rather get dispatched early and get cancelled/turned around if you don't need us, rather than waiting too long and delay care/transport. Most EMS workers are stoked to get called to something and ever don't feel like you're bothering us, it's our job to come help you when you need help. |
Max G wrote: I guess that's what I'm concerned about. I have been mulling over getting a PLB or a satellite messenger as an insurance policy when I'm in the backcountry. I really just want it as an emergency beacon in case the poop hits the fan rather than text with my special lady, but the reason I'm wavering on the PLB is that I can't necessarily communicate the nature of the emergency so S&R doesn't assume the worst and come in hot from the start. For instance, I would hate to pay for a ride in a whirlybird if I just have a broken ankle and I can drive myself once I am helped out to the trailhead. Does anyone have any experience with how the rescues requested by a PLB are actually implemented and whether this is a reasonable concern? |
El Duderino wrote: They will assume the worst even if you are communicating with them and tell them it's not that bad, you do not get to choose the services that are sent to you. the helicopter ride may turn out to be free, but then they put you in an ambulance at the helicopter landing pad that is most certainly not free. |
El Duderino wrote: Even if you have a broken ankle you will most likely get a helicopter ride. Do you want SAR to carry you miles back to your car? I guarantee SAR doesn’t want to carry you out if a flight is available. Get a beacon with text capabilities so you can text your special lady friend and have her hike in with a couple of her special man friends and they can carry you out and avoid SAR altogether. |
El Duderino wrote: You, by law, are allowed to refuse any transport/medical care that you do not wish to receive as long as you are over 18 and alert and oriented and this at any point during your care/transport. If they force you to get any care or transport with those two conditions satified, that's assault/kidnapping and that's no bueno (and something very much understood in the EMS industry). |
Max G wrote: Heh, I've seen more than one SAR / EMS sweet talk the victim into a helicopter or ambulance. |
Max G wrote: It’s more nuanced than that… but generally speaking you need to have the ability to refuse care, and the definition of “ability” varies by state. In CO, for example, if you are under the influence of alcohol/drugs, you don’t necessarily have this ability (regardless of how alert and oriented you are or appear to be). Regardless, no prehospital service I know of would ever forcibly treat someone who could positively refuse care. As you said, big no no. Tradi, I suspect there was more going on than you realized if SAR was putting someone in flights. No one does this just for the sake of convenience. |
curt86iroc wrote: Nope. One incident was an obvious panic attack, the victim was descending the route under their own power and SAR showed up at the base. SAR and the victim were shouting it out and what not and the victim refused help but SAR kept shouting at him to come down and take the heli, so they did, basically scared them into it. I'm just saying don't plan on refusing help you're probably going to get it, like it or not, because everyone around you is thinking "better safe than sorry" and is probably freaking out at any sign of distress. |
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Looking at the obverse: who doesn't pay for PBL button pushes that don't happen: I'm a fan of the satellite texting. You can let your buddy in town who would otherwise call in a rescue know that you're fine but very delayed. Thus, no rescue is called out because you are overdue. And you can get real-time information from your buddy in town about the thunderstorm cells headed towards your climb. |
