Once again a contingent of fifty police and SES volunteers spent two days searching the Blue Mountains for an overdue " canyoning " party. Five were eventually rescued and one died as a result of a rock fall.
The Blue Mountains are well known as an area of rough terrain which is poorly signposted. People regularly get lost in this wilderness. Rescue attempts involve many gruelling man hours - and a degree of personal risk - for the dedicated people who undertake searches.
As was depressingly usual, this hiking party from the prestigious Shore Grammar school did not bother to carry an EPIRB emergency location beacon.
Had they done that, their whereabouts would have been instantly known - and rescue would have been a matter of simply sending in a helicopter. Time and effort would have been saved - and perhaps a life would not have been lost.
What is so frustrating is the availability of emergency location beacons to anyone thinking of entering national parks such as the Blue Mountains. The police and the ranger stations ask visitors to register where they intend to travel - and give a timetable - and take an EPIRB to sound the alert if they strike trouble.
This is a free service - with an EPIRB there for the taking. Unfortunately, a life saving offer that is ignored by a huge number of people.
Maybe it's time to get tough with the people who by their careless attitude put others at risk and cause expenditure to mount search and rescues.
We impose heavy fines for those who travel in cars and fail to use the vehicles seat belts - and those who journey in boats without safety vests.
It would not be unreasonable to demand that those who venture into areas such as the Blue Mountains first record their intentions and timetable with the ranger station - and take an EPIRB on their trip as a safety measure.
That could not be considered " revenue raising " - if failure to comply resulted in a heavy fine !
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