Who pays for search, rescue and recovery?

Pressure cookers that have been simmering slowly in Vermont and New Hampshire are beginning to boil overs and a real explosion may be on the way. The question at hand is how to pay for the increasing number of wilderness search and rescue operations these two states are having to conduct each year. I’m sure the problem is there in other states, but it’s making news in New Hampshire and Vermont. Of course anyone who reads this column is obviously smart enough to plan well, make informed choices, and be personally prepared so they never need rescuing. But it’s still a major issue that, in one way or another, will impact all of us who play outdoors. In Vermont, S&R operations are overseen by the State Police.