Question for you all.Should the injured hiker have to reimburse the state for his rescue????????

In a situation like that, it was good training for the guard. Even stevens. NO

Good question Beavis .... I feel that high-risk sports such as mountain climbing on the face of a mountain or skiing off the trail and the like should NOT be the rest of society's responsibility to pay for the rescue when someone chooses to put their lives in danger that way, but I don't know if this hiker was just using a modest trail when he fell or whether he was doing something he did not have the skills/experience for. It sounds like he was doing everything right and had the misfortune of falling, so on this one I would say all he needs to give is thanks.

If we wait three days, Gov. Baldacci will fly over in his helicopter with Pat McGowan to survey the scene.

Last time I checked, the rule was that if you were genuinely injured, no charge, but if they got you to the hospital and found out that there was nothing wrong with you, you just didn't feel like walking the rest of the way, then you get a bill. That may have changed, though.

In a similar vein, Arizona has a law (section 28-910 of the Arizona Revised Statutes) nicknamed "the Stupid Motorist Act", which states that if you were being so monumentally dense as to drive around barricades into a flooded area and then get stranded there, and the fire department has to come drag your Jeep out of the flood, you're liable for the cost of your rescue. The key thing to note there is that the law is specifically tailored so that it doesn't penalize people who were legitimately caught in a flash flood without warning and through no fault of their own (which does happen - it doesn't rain much in the desert, but when it does all hell tends to break loose) - only those who figured they knew better than the people who put up the flood barricades. I've often thought there should be a similar provision for people who try and fail to beat trains at level crossings.

I think the hiker should atleast be forced to buy some carbon credits. Mr health nut stuck on a mountain is ruining all of our environment. I would suggest he reads Don fendler. Don didn't have a black hawk to save his ass. Take it like a man and crawl down.

No kidding!What a girly man.Cant crawl down from the peak to save his own a*&.A total Sally this guy is.Nice Dress!

He could have gotten a stick to use for a cane and walked "DOWN". 2.5 mile is not long!!!

Yes, good training for the Guard guys, even though the crew was one of the higher time crews and pretty good at what they do - you can never be too good! A friend of mine was on the crew and this was a legitimate need for a medevac, and the guy wasn't negligent in this case, so no, I don't think he should be charged.

Seriously everyone, have a little class. You are talking about a human life. My brother died on that mountain six years ago and I would have given anything to have had the national guard rescue him that day.

Jessica Rideout Putonti

I am a former National Guard Pilot with the unit that did the rescue. This is what we/they do and they do it well. For you guys who like to psychoanalyze everything. There are people who do good for the common people. Just be proud we live in America. So before we get all concerned about costs, just look at the taxes you pay. That's what is paying for that and furthermore they were in the area. Call it training or what these people have proven themselves to be above the best. Two tours to Iraq with no lost crew or aircraft. So maybe when you are in one of our State Parks and you get injured, think of what you said or saying.

frenchpilot007, you hit the nail on the head, most pilots would love to hop in and rescue people...As you say training...Only one way to get good at something is to do it.