前言:國內山難頻繁，大家經常談論有關搜救成本與付費機制相關議題!即使在美國也有類似的議題不斷被挑戰...也許，我們都應該客觀看待這個議題! 日前，在美國高山救援協會官網上閱讀到他們的公開聲明，雖然國情不同，或許仍可以讓我們多元反思!! 這是我在有限的時間下很粗劣的譯文，多有疏漏與錯誤之處，惠請提供糾正與指導!謹此致謝!! MOUNTAIN RESCUE ASSOCIATION REAFFIRMS ITS POSITION OPPOSING CHARGING SUBJECTS FOR THE COSTS OF THEIR RESCUES 高山救援協會重申其反對向求救者收取救援費用的立場 Rescue Leaders say Charging for Rescues Can Lead to Delays in the Call for Help, and Can Put Rescuers in Greater Danger, 救援專家說，救援收費將導致延遲呼救，更可能將救援人員推向更大的危險中， The Mountain Rescue Association (MRA), a coalition of 90 mountain rescue teams throughout North America, reminds the public that it has a long-established policy opposing charging subjects of search and rescue missions for the cost of their rescue. 北美地區90山地救援隊共同結盟的高山救援協會(MRA) ，提醒公眾:MRA長期以來都是反對將救援成本訂定收費項目的政策。 In the weeks following the search and rescue effort on Mt. Washington for Eagle Scout Scott Mason, the MRA has responded to a growing number of stories asking “who pays?” 在經過數週於華盛頓山執行鷹級童子軍-斯科特·梅森的搜救任務後，MRA接收到越來越多的質問---“誰付錢？ ” “Charging subjects for their rescues can be dangerous for many reasons,” explained Charley Shimanski, President of the MRA. Shimanski, who served on a U.S. Senatemandated panel that studied charging climbers on Mt. McKinley for their rescues, added, “Often people will delay calling for help when they fear a cost, and in the mountains, that delay in the call for help can increase the risk to rescuers And the subject alike.” He added that climber rescues are infrequent when compared to rescues of hikers, skiers, mountain bikers and other backcountry users. The latest data provided by the National Park Services shows that 82 percent of rescues in parks are for hikers boaters and swimmers. Mountain climbers represented just 4 percent of their rescue activities. MRA的理事長Charley Shimanski解釋說： “向這些被救者收費可能會更危險的原因有很多”曾研究美國相關登山救援案例的Shimanski 補充說，“人們經常會因為擔心負擔救援成本而延遲呼救；而在高山，搜救人員一致認同延遲呼救會更增加風險。 ”他補充說，相比於健行、滑雪、山地自行車和其他偏遠地區民眾的救援，登山救援是很少發生的。由國家公園管理局提供的最新數據顯示，在國家公園有82 ％用於健行、划船和游泳方面的救助。登山在他們的救援活動中僅4％ 。 The majority of rescue services in the United States are provided by teams of unpaid professional rescue mountaineers who give up their own time to participate in search and rescue activities. 在美國大部分是由專業救援登山員犧牲自己的時間組隊，義務參加搜救活動提供救援服務。 “The typical search and rescue mission is over within a matter of a few hours, and with the vast majority of the work performed by unpaid professional volunteers, the costs are generally very low. In those cases where military aircraft are used, the military simply charges their costs to training hours that they would have otherwise performed somewhere else,” Shimanski added. Shimanski補充說：“典型的搜索和救援任務都在幾個小時之內結束，並且絕大多數由義務的專業志工進行作業，成本一般都很低。在某些情況中軍用航空器被徵用，軍方只是收取他們的培訓時數成本，他們以不同方式運用在其他地方“ Other facts about Rescue Cost Recovery 有關救援成本回收的其他事實 The United States Coast Guard (USCG) spends $680 million a year for SAR, 13% of their budget. They perform 82 search and rescue missions a day, assisting 114 people each day. The Coast Guard does not charge for its services. 美國海岸巡防隊（ USCG ）每年花費$ 680億在搜救任務，佔預算的13％。他們一年約執行82天的搜索和救援任務，每天協助114人。海岸巡防隊並未對這項業務收取費用。 When the United States military flies support to civilian SAR operations, it is logged as training time for them, while fulfilling a humanitarian purpose. That time flying, and the costs budgeted for it, would otherwise have been spent doing the same thing -- training -- but under less intense, less realistic conditions. 當美國軍機支援民用搜救行動時，可被記錄為他們的培訓時間，也履行人道主義目的。以它的飛行與預算費用來看，似乎本來可以花費在做同樣的事情 - 訓練 – 不過是在不緊張、不夠實際的條件下進行訓練。 Military leaders themselves agree that their crews receive extraordinary experience in often severe conditions when responding to civilian SAR operations. This experience allows them to do things such as combat SAR operations in the difficult military operations. 軍事領導人自己都認同他們的成員在因應民用搜救行動時，常在苛刻的條件下獲得不平凡的經歷。這種經歷促使他們能夠執行如同在艱難軍事行動中的戰鬥搜救行動。 The National Park Service, which also des not charge subjects for their search and rescue costs, defrays the cost of search and rescue among all visitors as part of the Park visitation pass. The search and rescue cost per visitor is 1.5 cents. 國家公園管理處，也不將他們的搜救成本列為收費項目，搜救的支付成本只是公園所有遊客經營的一部分。每個訪客分擔的搜救成本為1.5分美金。 Mountain Rescue Association Position Statement on Charging for Rescue 高山救援協會對於救援收費的立場聲明 The Mountain Rescue Association (MRA) with over 90 teams from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom -- most of which are comprised of expert unpaid professional members -- work through or for a local government search and rescue authority. In an effort to give back to the community, defray public agencies' costs and keep taxes down, the MRA teams have been performing the bulk of all search and rescue operations for the past 48 years and those were done without charge to the victim. 在高山救援協會（ MRA）有來自美國，加拿大和英國超過90個團隊- 其中大部分是經由無給職專業人員 – 或透過當地政府搜救權威。在努力回饋社會，降低公共成本與負擔的情況下， MRA的團隊48年來一直在各地執行的搜索和救援所有行動也從未向那些受害人(被救者)進行收費。 The MRA firmly believes that training and education are the keystones in the solution to this issue. We believe that the individual must accept responsibility for his or her actions and that training in proper outdoors skills and for self-rescue might be the quickest and most effective method of resolving most rescue situations. MRA堅信培訓和教育是解決這一問題的基礎。我們認為，個人必須為他或她自己的行為負責，並接受適當的戶外技能和自救的培訓，這應該是解決大多數救援情況的最快捷，最有效的方法。 However, no one should ever be made to feel they must delay in notifying the proper authorities of a search or rescue incident out of fear of possible charges. We ask all outdoors groups and organizations to join us in sending this mountain safety education message. 但是，任何人都不應該為了可能的搜索或救援費用感到害怕，而遲於向相關單位通報求救。我們呼籲所有戶外團體和組織與我們一起傳達這個高山安全教育的訊息。 We recognize that the governmental agencies have a need to address defraying their costs and we would welcome any opportunity to be involved in discussion of solutions or alternatives to the charge for rescue issue. The expert volunteer teams of MRA are proud to be able to provide search and rescue at NO cost and have NO plans to charge in the future. 我們認同政府機構有必要解決成本的支付，我們樂於參與有關救援收費問題解決方案或替代方案任何的討論機會。 MRA的專家志願者隊伍對於能夠提供無償的搜救感到自豪，在未來也沒有收費的計劃。 The Mountain Rescue Association is "a volunteer organization dedicated to saving lives through rescue and mountain safety education." 高山救援協會是「一個以救援和山野安全教育，為保護生命而奉獻的志工組織」。 The MRA is comprised of highly-skilled, active mountain rescue teams from around the country, and has stringent requirements for membership. The teams themselves make up the Association; therefore individual memberships are NOT available. MRA是由來自全國各地的高技能山地救援隊積極組成，並且都有嚴格的入會要求。是由各個團隊組成的協會；因此，不適用個人會員。 To become accredited by MRA, each regular member team must pass three different tests based on guidelines drawn up by the Association. These tests are conducted on appropriate terrain by at least three current MRA teams working together to evaluate the applicant group being tested. The tests involve high-angle rescue (rock rescue), Ice and snow, and wilderness search. 要能通過MRA的認可，每個正式會員團隊必須根據該協會制定的指導方針通過三個不同的測試。這些測試由MRA中現有至少三個團隊共同執行，在適當地區環境為申請的團隊進行測試評估。該測試包括高角度救援（岩壁救援） ，冰雪，和荒野的搜索。 Once a team has achieved full MRA status, it is expected that the new members will be trained to MRA guidelines and tested accordingly by their team. MRA- qualified personnel within teams are called Rescue Members. Accredited teams must re-test every five years to maintain their accreditation in the Mountain Rescue Association. 一旦一個團隊取得了完整MRA認證，預期他們的團隊將依MRA指南與測試進行新成員訓練。在MRA內-合格人員被稱為救援隊員。團隊每五年必須重新測試評鑑以維持其在高山救援協會的認證。 Because MRA teams are test-qualified by their peers, local, state, and federal agencies feel confident about working with them on search and rescue operations. 由於MRA團隊測試合格授權，讓他們所屬的同儕，地區，州和聯邦機構有信心與他們一同執行搜索和救援行動。 Qualified teams work hard for accreditation. Members meeting MRA guidelines are proud to wear the blue and white MRA patch. 合格的隊伍努力通過認證。會員依據MRA準則以配戴藍色和白色的MRA布章感到自豪。 MRA官網聲明之連結如下: http://www.mra.org/about-mra/mra-fa⋯⋯ 武漢部隊退役特戰搜救隊 彭少康(HUNTER PENG)