Search and Rescue Trends Associated With Recreational Travel in US National Parks

Transcription

1 23 Search and Rescue Trends Associated With Recreational Travel in US National Parks Travis W. Heggie, PhD and Tracey M. Heggie, MS Recreation & Tourism Studies Program, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA DOI: /j x Background. National parks are popular travel destinations worldwide. Unfortunately, negative health experiences can and do occur during travel in national parks. This study investigated search and rescue (SAR) trends associated with recreational travel in US National Park Service (NPS) units. Methods. A retrospective study was conducted of the Annual US National Park Service Search and Rescue Report for the years 2003 to Results. From 2003 to 2006, there were 12,337 SAR operations involving 15,537 visitors. The total operational costs were US$16,552,053. The operations ended with 522 fatalities, 4,860 ill or injured visitors, and 2,855 saves. Almost half (40%) of the operations occurred on Saturday and Sunday, and visitors aged 20 to 29 years were involved in 23% of the incidents. Males accounted for 66.3% of the visitors requiring SAR assistance. Day hiking, motorized boating, swimming, overnight hiking, and nonmotorized boating were the participant activities resulting in the most SAR operations. The vast majority of visitors requiring SAR assistance were located within a 24-hour period, and the most common rescue environments were mountain areas between 1,524 and 4,572 m, lakes, rivers, oceans, and coastal areas. An error in judgment, fatigue and physical conditions, and insufficient equipment, clothing, and experience were the most common contributing factors. Conclusions. SAR incidents can be expensive and end with severe health consequences. NPS management should develop education and preventive efforts focused on hikers, boaters, and swimmers who are males and aged 20 to 29 years, addressing issues of adequate judgment, preparation, and experience. Tourism is a major industry that plays an important economic role in many regions of the world. 1 With tourism trends continually increasing and diversifying, tourists are no longer sticking to established tourist routes linking high-profile attractions. 2 Instead, many tourists are pursuing recreational activities in remote environments and participating in new and more adventurous activities For these type of tourists, many are looking for settings that offer the subjective qualities of wilderness experiences such as those found in national parks. 2 As a result, national parks around the globe are figuring prominently as popular travel destinations. In the United States, national parks have had an extensive relationship with tourism since the founding of the US National Park Service (NPS) in 1916 and are presently some of the most popular travel destinations in the country Unfortunately, while a major aim of tourism is the satisfaction of the traveling public, health is often overlooked as an important issue even though negative health experiences can and do occur. The travel medicine Corresponding Author: Travis W. Heggie, PhD, Recreation & Tourism Studies Program, University of North Dakota, 225 Centennial Drive, Mail Stop 7116, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA. travis.heggie@und.edu literature strives to document and prevent the injuries and illnesses that befall travelers. However, an area of focus missing from the travel medicine literature is that of search and rescue (SAR) operations. Such incidents have the potential to be enormously expensive, have a major impact on local medical services, and result in severe injury or death to both the rescuer and the individual(s) requiring SAR assistance. As more and more tourists pursue their leisure endeavors in environments such as national parks, it is inevitable that the medical community and SAR organizations will have to deal with an increasing number of lost, ill, and injured tourists. They will also have to deal with the increasing costs of SAR operations. This point highlights the need to study and quantify the problems tourists encounter. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify the recent trends associated with SAR operations in US National Parks from 2003 to Methods The data used in this study were collected from the Annual US National Park Service Search and Rescue Report from 2003 to The data compiled in these reports are cumulative data from all 390 NPS units that 2009 International Society of Travel Medicine, Journal of Travel Medicine, Volume 16, Issue 1, 2009, 23 27

2 24 are reported to and maintained by NPS Headquarters in Washington, DC. The Annual SAR Report contains information about the total number of SAR incidents, the cost of SAR operations, the day of the week the SAR was initiated, the notification method, the rescue method and rescue environment, the subject activity and movement at the time the SAR was initiated, the factors contributing to the SAR incident, the demographics of the individuals requiring SAR assistance, and how many operations ended with a fatality, ill or injured person, or nonill or noninjured person. The reports also count the number of saves, which are defined as any case where death would have occurred without SAR intervention. The cumulative data for each year were entered into an SPSS spreadsheet and all calculations and tabulations were performed using SPSS (v. 12.0) software. Results From 2003 to 2006, there were 12,337 reported SAR operations in US NPS units involving 15,537 park visitors. The highest number of SAR operations occurred in 2006 (3,623 total operations) and the lowest occurrence was in 2005 (2,430 total operations). In 2003, there were 3,108 operations, and in 2004, there were 3,216 operations. The operations ended with 522 recorded fatalities, 4,860 ill or injured visitors, and 10,155 nonill or injured visitors ( Table 1 ). Of the latter two nonfatal categories, a total of 2,855 (19%) were classified as saves. The total SAR costs from 2003 to 2006 were US$16,552,053. The average cost of a SAR operation was $1,339. The total SAR costs ranged from a low of $3,468,255 in 2003 to a high of $4,966,705 in 2005 ( Table 2 ). Personnel costs accounted for $8.1 million of the total SAR costs, and aircraft and vessel costs accounted for $6.9 million. The remainder of the cost was related to equipment and supplies. SAR operations were most common on Saturday (20.7%), Sunday (19.5%), and Friday (12.8%). The majority of visitors requiring SAR assistance were males (66.3%). Moreover, the age distribution for visitors requiring SAR assistance was highest for those aged 20 to 29 years (23.1%). This was followed by visitors aged 30 to 39 (17.2%), 40 to 49 (15.7%), 13 to 19 (14.5%), 50 to 59 (12.3%), 0 to 12 (9.1%), and 60+ years (8.1%). The most common visitor activities at the time SAR operations were initiated were day hiking, motorized boating, swimming, overnight hiking, nonmotorized boating, and technical climbing ( Table 3 ). Errors in judgment and fatigue and physical conditions were identified as contributing factors in 24 and Heggie and Heggie 20% of all SAR incidents. Insufficient equipment, clothing, and training were factors in 16%; weather conditions such as heat, wind, cold, snow, lightning, and poor visibility were factors in 11%; equipment failure was a factor in 7%; and darkness was a factor in 5%. A total of 18% of all SAR environments were reported as a mountain environment between 1,524 and 4,572 m. This was followed by a lake environment (13%), an ocean environment (13%), a coastal beach, shoreline, and dune environment (11%), a mountain and foothill environment below 1,524 m (10%), a river environment (9%), and a canyon environment (8%). Moreover, the most reported SAR rescue methods were watercraft (21%), hiking (20%), helicopter rescue/evacuation (15%), land vehicles (14%), swimming/wading (13%), litter carryout (10%), and technical rescue (4%). During the study period, the SAR duration was reported for 9,371 operations. Of this total, 95% reported finding the victim(s) within 24 hours. Another 2% of the victim(s) requiring SAR assistance were found between 24 and 48 hours, and another 2% were never found and the incident was not resolved. The most common notification method of the need for SAR assistance for all incidents was person-to-person contact (29%), landline telephone (20%), cell/satellite phone (18%), marine radio/citizens band radio (5%), and personal locator beacon (1%). All other cases were listed as unknown. The horizontal movement of subjects requiring SAR assistance was reported in 7,234 SAR incidents, and the vertical movement of subjects was reported in 9,171 SAR incidents. For incidents reporting horizontal movement, 75% of the subjects were found within 1.6 km of their place last seen (PLS), 9% were found within 1.6 to 3.2 km of their PLS, and 8% were found within 3.2 to 8 km of their PLS. For incidents reporting vertical movement, 27% of the subjects remained stationary; 24% stayed at the same elevation; 17% traveled downhill, downstream, or downlake; and 6% traveled uphill, upstream, or uplake. Discussion The purpose of this study was to identify the trends associated with SAR operations in US National Parks. While the best SAR event is the one that never happens, the finding of this study can be used to develop preventive efforts that can minimize the pain and suffering of recreational travelers requiring SAR assistance. 22,23 They can also help decrease the overall fiscal expense of SAR incidents and improve the overall tourist experience. Aiming for prevention is important because even though this Table 1 Total number of visitors assisted in search and rescue operations in US National Parks, 2003 to Total (%) Fatality (3) Ill or injured 1,199 1,087 1,129 1,445 4,860 (31) Not ill or injured 2,162 3,077 2,016 2,900 10,155 (65) Total 3,485 4,291 3,297 4,464 15,537

3 Search and Rescue Trends 25 Table 2 Total search and rescue costs in US National Parks, 2003 to 2006 Year Cost (US$) 2003 $3,468, $3,592, $4,966, $4,524,875 Total $16,522,053 study found that only 3% of visitors requiring SAR assistance ended up as a fatality, the potential for more fatalities exists. For instance, while 3% may seem fortunate compared to the 31% who were ill or injured, it is important to stress that another 2,855 SAR incidents were classified as saves. These particular incidents would have resulted in death without SAR intervention. Hence, the potential number of fatalities could have reached up to 22% of all visitors requiring SAR assistance. It was fortunate to find that the majority (65%) of park visitors requiring SAR assistance were neither ill nor injured. However, this also begs the question as to why such effort and expense were made for so many who were not ill or injured. Because 95% of the SAR operations lasted only 24 hours or less, it is possible that a quick SAR response prevented the development of more severe injuries and illnesses. Also, it is possible that the high use of cell phones (18% of all callouts) to request SAR assistance could either speed up the SAR response time or result in an increased number of unnecessary callouts. There is a general feeling among many SAR unit managers in the United States that cell phones are being used to request SAR assistance in what turns out to be minor situations. They may also be used as an excuse to take extra risks because help is only a phone call away. A recent study of SAR operations in Yosemite National Park (California, United States) found a rapid increase in cell phone callouts from 1990 to 1999, but without more specific data, it is difficult to measure the exact impact cell phones are having on SAR operations. 24 The mountain environment between 1,524 and 4,572 m was identified as the most common SAR environment, but it is interesting to note the role of water in the SAR environment. For example, added together, the lake, ocean, and river environments accounted for 35% of the total SAR environments. This is almost double that of the mountain environment between 1,524 and 4,572 m and explains why watercraft and swimming/wading figured prominently as common rescue methods. Moreover, it may also be indicative of the type of recreation opportunities inside NPS units. At present, there are 74 NPS units designated for swimming activities, 46 designated for boating activities, and only 40 designated for any type of climbing activity. While there is no measure of specific recreation activity participation in NPS units, inland- and open Table 3 Reported visitor activity at the time search and rescue operations were initiated in US National Parks, 2003 to Total Hiking daytime 926 1, ,107 3,912 Boating motorized ,956 Swimming ,475 Hiking overnight ,228 Other/unknown ,026 Boating nonmotorized Climbing technical roped Vehicle/driving Climbing scrambling Biking bicycle Stock (animal) riding Canyoneering Aircraft motorized Mountaineering roped Skiing Fishing Suicide Snow vehicle Surfing Mountaineering unroped Hunting/gathering Caving Snowshoeing Climbing technical unroped Scuba Snowboarding Foul play Mountaineering ski/snowboard Aircraft nonmotorized

4 26 Heggie and Heggie water based activities obviously play an important role in the launch of SAR operations. Aside from water-based activities, day hiking and overnight hiking were the most common participant activities when SAR assistance was requested. Moreover, extreme adventure activities such as snowboarding and climbing were found to be infrequent activities associated with SAR incidents. This again may be related to the type of recreation opportunities offered inside NPS units as there are presently 275 NPS units designated as hiking destinations. As well, activities such as hiking and backpacking have been identified as some of the fastest growing outdoor recreational activities in the United States and have been linked to the onset of SAR operations in the state of New Hampshire. 22,25 This study further found that the overwhelming majority of victims requiring SAR assistance were males and visitors aged 20 to 29 years. Moreover, 40% of the SAR operations took place on Saturday and Sunday. How this profile relates to the proportion of men and women traveling to US National Parks is unknown. However, the numbers do appear to support the idea that the visiting population most likely to display risk-taking behavior are males and visitors in their 20s. 10,22 As well, the peak weekend trends were also identified in the recent SAR study of Yosemite National Park. 24 It has been suggested that despite their limitations in weather, night flying, and expense, helicopters have become the vehicle of choice for SAR operations. 24 While this may be true in some situations, this study of national data found that helicopters were only used in 15% of SAR operations compared to land methods such as hiking (20%), litter carryouts (10%), and land vehicles (14%). This suggests that even though helicopters can play an important role in extending rapid rescue and emergency medical care, land-based SAR methods still play a prominent role. Moreover, land-based rescue methods such as litter carryouts and hiking can be labor intensive and possibly reflect why personnel costs were $1.2 million higher than the combined cost of aircraft and vessels. It is likely that many tourists and the tourism industry do not understand the enormous costs involved in launching SAR operations. Because NPS is continually facing funding cuts and budget shortfalls, there is little doubt that the funding directed to SAR costs would be a welcome addition to other management objectives. Furthermore, the results show a general increase in SAR costs from close to $3.5 million in 2003 and 2004 up to almost $5 million in 2005 and What exactly is driving up the costs of individual SAR operations was not determined, but it is interesting to note that even though 2005 recorded the fewest total number of SAR incidents, it reported the highest number of fatalities and the highest SAR costs. Hence, it is possible that SAR incidents associated with fatalities incur higher financial costs. 24 This study was limited by a lack of accurate visitation data and specific participation rates to use as denominators in determining the proportion of participation in recreational activities. It was also limited by the use of cumulative data that did not allow for investigation at the individual incident level. However, this did not restrict the purpose of the study or minimize the findings. For example, knowing that many visitors requiring SAR assistance will likely be located within 1.6 km of their PLS and have a tendency to stay stationary and at the same elevation is valuable to SAR planners. The findings also set the stage for future research and the development of preventive SAR measures. For instance, because factors such as an error in judgment, fatigue and physical conditions, and insufficient equipment, clothing, and experience were the most common factors contributing to SAR incidents, the NPS may want to develop education and preventive efforts addressing these factors and focused on hikers, boaters, and swimmers who are males and aged 20 to 29 years. Because there is rarely any uniform opportunity to reach hikers, bikers, and swimmers once they have entered a park, it is recommended that each individual park review their incident reports and place pertinent safety information on their Web sites. 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