A thread in the AfricanForum about Medjet vs. Global Rescue made me think.

I'm out in them there mountains a lot, and usually alone. You have your procedure, you leave note of where you are going, stick to the plan or notify in advance, and call in as soon as you are off the mountain, and have cell phone reception. So one day I don't phone, and my wife alerts... who would she alert?

(OK, found that, see as an example: http://www.cochranesearchandrescue.org/index_files/Page266.htm)

Anyway, Search and Rescue find me and my broken leg at the bottom of a cliff, call in a med evac, airlift me out and take me to a hospital.

Who is picking up the tab for that rescue? Will they send me a nice bill, or will that go onto the tax payer's burden?

Or should I get a Global Rescue insurance...

Just being curious. Of course I'll never fall and break my leg... ;-)

Frans

Depends where in Canada it happens, but as a rule the bureaucrats in charge will make an attempt to bill you the medevac costs. Here in the NWT, the costs would also include the jet to Edmonton if serious enough to warrant it.

It is a serious problem when idiots have to be found and rescued. We're told that by the time the first aircraft is launched for a search, $150,000 has been spent, and our government has been looking at ways to recuperate those expenses, including the postings of bonds from "Arctic Adventurers" that aren't prepared or pull foolhardy stunts.

I'd take a serious look at Global Rescue and reccommend Medjet to our clients, just in case ....!

~Arctic~

Well, there's idiots, and then there is well-prepared, experienced individuals that run into a spot of bad luck.

It's part of hunting in the high country that you go into tough places. Accidents happen.

What do you mean when you say "make an attempt to bill you"? So it is not cast-in-stone rule?
I may need to go visit our local S&R team and ask some of these questions. Maybe also talk to the Global Rescue folks, and see how they would handle a "injured and lost" situation here in the Alberta mountains.

I understand they would do the evac, but ony if they know where you are? S&R will call in the helicopter right away... our Global Rescue boys may come too late...

Frans