Kerre McIvor: Putting yourself at risk means putting others at risk

Last year, nine people were rescued from the crossing on Easter Weekend, including a 2-year-old child, all suffering from hypothermia. Photo / Mike Scott

COMMENT: We've all done stupid things. And most of us have lived to tell the tale, without any lasting damage. But surely when we do something so stupid and so reckless that other people have to risk their lives to save our own sorry skins, there should be a reckoning.

Two young men had to be rescued from the Kawarau River – a grade 2-3 white-water rafting river – when they took to the fast-moving water on an inflatable mattress. The inevitable happened. They realised they were hopelessly out of their depth and sent out a call for help.

Queenstown's harbourmaster, Marty Black, refused to send out a jet ski to rescue the men at 9.30pm because of the risks to the rescuer. Instead, a helicopter had to be sent up to get the men and it eventually reached them at 11pm. The men were deposited back to dry land and lived to tell the tale.

These two are by no means the worst examples of reckless idiocy but for Marty Black, they were the straw that broke the camel's back. He said he was dead against the public having to pick up the tab when those needing rescue were at fault. He wasn't saying he wouldn't send out a rescue party, but people needed to take responsibility for their actions.

His comments were echoed by the Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust's chief pilot, Graeme Gale, who said if it is people's stupidity that put them in the dangerous situation, if they were doing something utterly ridiculous, then they should have to pay towards the cost of their rescue.

Government spending on search and rescue was estimated at more than $20 million in 2017, although that amount varies year on year and the expense mainly involves having trained personnel and boats and helicopters ready to respond to an SOS. In 2016, 160 lives were saved, nearly 700 people were rescued and more than 900 assisted. That's a lot of people. And not all of them were doing stupid things.

When you're involved in outdoor activity, mountaineering, boating, tramping – accidents happen and things can turn nasty for even the most well prepared adventurer. Search and Rescue teams have always said they are happy to respond when they get the call because most of them are involved in outdoor pursuits and know that one day it might be them on the other end of the radio.

And a good point was made by the Tongariro River Motel in a blog last year. They host visitors, from New Zealand and overseas, many of whom are there to walk the Tongariro Crossing. After seeing brochures from AA, promoting the crossing, the Northern Circuit and the National Park, the moteliers wrote to the AA complaining that there was not one word of warning in the brochures about the alpine environment the tourists would encounter. All the photos were taken in the summer months, with people in shorts and T-shirts, and tourists are surprised when the moteliers urge them to take one of the old Swanndri jackets or hooded coats they keep on hand for just such under-prepared walkers.

Last year, nine people were rescued from the crossing on Easter Weekend, including a 2-year-old child, all suffering from hypothermia. Rescuers felt that if they hadn't got to them in time, lives would have been lost.

I agree that our tourism operators have a duty of care to warn people that many of our natural attractions require a degree of planning and an understanding of weather conditions before they are attempted and good on the Tongariro River Motel for taking the AA to task.

As regards to our idiots, and the teeth-grinding frustration of Marty Black and Graeme Gale, it seems unlikely that there will be any law change that would see fools pay for their stupidity. Search and rescue personnel say that lives would be lost if people thought they might incur the cost of their rescue and they'd far rather get people home safe and sound than be asking for the credit card numbers of distressed mayday callers before sending out the guardian angels.

I just hope that the two men made a considerable donation to the rescue helicopter. I doubt it. According to the Surf Lifesaving Association, most people who are rescued walk away without so much as a thank you. Perhaps they're in shock, perhaps they're embarrassed. But anyone who has their life saved because other people have risked theirs should be making an annual donation to the rescue group that saved them in perpetuity. It seems the very, very least they can do.