Change the channel names

[GlobalNorth]

Frankly, RWC should change the names of K-deck channels 11 and 12 to "Mountain Rescue A" and "Mountain Rescue B". The hotter it gets, the more people go traipsing up the mountains and then get injured or want a taxpayer escort down.

Tying up 6 to 10 FD units each; not to mention park rangers, a helicopter, the PD, etc.

 

[cfsimmont]

Funny you should say that, I was thinking they could rename Firebird to "Air Taxi".

 

[GlobalNorth]

Funny you should say that, I was thinking they could rename Firebird to "Air Taxi".

UberAir

 

[KB7MIB]

Although mountain rescues are the most common incidents on K-10 & K-11, they're also used for major medical/mass casualty incidents such as multi-car pileups/roll-overs/extrications, other technical rescues not needing SCBA, etc.
And I believe Alex, one of the PFDRDC dispatchers, did explain once that they can be assigned geographically east and west, with K-12 as an extra channel I think, so labeling them specifically as "Mountain Rescue" wouldn't be quite accurate.

John
Peoria

 

[GlobalNorth]

It's a comment on the ridiculous plethora of "mountain rescues" because out of shape people, persons not used to 100 degree heat, and the lazy who demand FD assistance.

 

[buddrousa]

You could always run for Public Office and make a new Law that if UNTRAINED or UNPREPAIRED have an incident they could and would be billed for their Rescue.

 

[Ravenfalls]

Spur Cross will be a spot they go atleast once week.

 

[TSG509]

It's a comment on the ridiculous plethora of "mountain rescues" because out of shape people, persons not used to 100 degree heat, and the lazy who demand FD assistance.

Hey, I resemble 3/4 of that statement & I agree that I have no business on a trail. </sarcasm>
That being said yes the amount of resources tied up can be a tad vexing.

 

[N9JIG]

You could always run for Public Office and make a new Law that if UNTRAINED or UNPREPAIRED have an incident they could and would be billed for their Rescue.

Doesn't Arizona already have a "Stupid Victim" law in place?

 

[TSG509]

Doesn't Arizona already have a "Stupid Victim" law in place?

"Kinda"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stupid_motorist_law#:~:text=The%20%22stupid%20motorist%20law%22%20is,of%20the%20Arizona%20Revised%20Statutes

.

 

[cfsimmont]

Doesn't Arizona already have a "Stupid Victim" law in place?

Arizona has the "Stupid Motorist Law" that applies to driving your vehicle past barricades into a flooded wash and then need to be rescued. Unfortunately there isn't anything on the books for some snowbird that decides to hike Camelback Mtn unprepared and then requires the services of the Fire Dept to save them from their own doing. Some would say that this is the role of emergency services to aid the public in a time of need, however I feel it is everyone's responsibility to take whatever action necessasry to avoid needing the aid in the first place. The City of Phx has implemented a policy of closing 2 sites when the tempature is above 100 degrees, but I think anyone intending to go hiking should have a basic course to prepare them for what they are about to endure reguardless of the temperature or time of year.

 

[buddrousa]

Like a Hiking Pass to show you know what you are doing.
I agree if you drive around barriers and into flood waters and put rescuers at risk they should be charged.

 

[jeepsandradios]

NYS Adirondack Mountains has the same issue. I assume any place someone hikes has this issues. I know of places who have tried the "hiker pass" idea as well as other ideas and none seem to help. Biggest issue is enforcement and education. To have a Ranger or Park staff at every trail head checking a pass or making sure the hiker is prepared would cost a ton. Sadly folks think all you need is a cell phone to go on a hike now a days. Doing SAR work for almost 30 years I can say its not getting better.

 

[es93546]

NYS Adirondack Mountains has the same issue. I assume any place someone hikes has this issues. I know of places who have tried the "hiker pass" idea as well as other ideas and none seem to help. Biggest issue is enforcement and education. To have a Ranger or Park staff at every trail head checking a pass or making sure the hiker is prepared would cost a ton. Sadly folks think all you need is a cell phone to go on a hike now a days. Doing SAR work for almost 30 years I can say its not getting better.

Grand Canyon National Park has or had what they called "PSAR's" (Preventative Search and Rescue) people at each popular trailhead on the south rim, at least until they encrypted their law enforcement channel a few years ago. I don't think they were commissioned law enforcement officers, but were there for educational purposes only. They would contact people about to embark from trails, especially during hot weather, to tell them how difficult hiking in the Grand Canyon is. I think it turned out cheaper to do this as they prevented some SAR ops. They would not tell people they couldn't go, but would interact enough to see if these people had any idea of what they were about to do. The number of SAR operations at the Grand Canyon is very high and consistent and most areas are not as far as visitor activity so I don't think this approach would work in other locations. You would have to have visited and hiked the Grand Canyon and other places in the country that have a search and rescue workload to understand this. In my USFS career in 4 different states I got some exposure to this that most folks don't get.

 

[jeepsandradios]

@es93546 I'm sure the grand canyon has alot of missions, but as said it happens all over the US. Many areas's (NY) dont have the funds to do the preventative SAR stuff thats needed. Its kinda ironic the SAR team I was on did some of this in the early 70's but then as time and other things changed went away from it. I dont see a fix on it anytime soon.

On a side topic I'll be in the Grand Canyon this summer. Will definitely make sure SAR doesn't have to rescue me !

 

[es93546]

@es93546 I'm sure the grand canyon has alot of missions, but as said it happens all over the US. Many areas's (NY) dont have the funds to do the preventative SAR stuff thats needed. Its kinda ironic the SAR team I was on did some of this in the early 70's but then as time and other things changed went away from it. I dont see a fix on it anytime soon.

On a side topic I'll be in the Grand Canyon this summer. Will definitely make sure SAR doesn't have to rescue me !

Grand Canyon is a huge major mountain range in reverse. You start at the top where it is cool and then you hike downhill right away. All the while the trail gets steeper, hotter and sucks you in as you are not exerting yourself climbing up. As soon as you do you get hotter and the trail is steeper. The south rim gets an unbelievable amount of use and the scale of what you are seeing from the rim does not do the depth and breadth any justice, until you have walked down into and out a few times. That is what I mean by "sucks you in." It is unlike anywhere I've experienced and I've backpacked and fought wildland fire in 9/11 western states and 3 eastern ones as well as run some rivers in the eastern U.S. The rate of visitation to the rim of the Grand Canyon is among the highest anywhere in the country. Something like the Great Smokey Mountains is not steep enough to equal the Grand Canyon's "mountain range in reverse" and it is the most heavily visited natural National Park in the country. Great Smokey has humidity as well and streams. Grand Canyon has neither and sweat does not build up leading to being dried out without any indicator what is happening. If you are from the east, you just can't appreciate the hazards of the Grand Canyon.

 

[es93546]

Another hazard of the Grand Canyon is the tremendous temperature change, top to bottom. Temperatures at the bottom, let's say Phantom Ranch can reach as high as Phoenix while temperatures at the rim can be similar to Flagstaff at 7,000 feet. So Phantom Ranch = 110 and the south rim = 75-80. The latest I've ever hiked to the bottom was just past mid April. It was tough.

 

[cfsimmont]

Phoenix working 2 separate mountain rescues at Piestewa Peak, absolutely unbelievable......

K11

2700 E PIESTEWA PEAK DR ,PHX

MOUNTAIN RESCUE

E12+ E20+ E610+ C957N C957S S12 SQ44+ BC3 BC151

K10

2700 E PIESTEWA PEAK DR ,PHX

MOUNTAIN RESCUE

E17+ E45+ E61+ E157+ S45 BC6 NDC WDC