Four people missing in the Smokies

“Bummer.”

“Hopefully they are just cold, wet and lost.”

“All four cavers have been found safe
By Jim Balloch (Contact)
Originally published 11:01 a.m., March 21, 2008
Updated 02:34 p.m., March 21, 2008


�They were cold and wet, but otherwise OK,� park spokesman Bob Miller said.

Find more details as they develop online and in Saturday�s News Sentinel.”

“According to the 6 oclock news, they didn't have a permit, (although they actually went into a closed cave), didn't have much experience, didn't have the proper gear and became trapped when they "ran out of energy".

Fortunatly, SAR just trained on that cave (in White Oak Sinks), so they knew exactly what they were dealing with. They were sending down dinner and blankets last night before bringing them up. They had to be hauled up three drop off ranging from 20 to 50 feet.

Another classic case of someone sitting around and saying "let's go caving" and someone else saying "hell yeay, hold my beer and watch this".”

“Stupid is as stupid does.”

“it's the whole "nothing bad will ever happen to me" thinking that gets people in trouble.”

“"let's go caving" and someone else saying "hell yeay, hold my beer and watch this".�

Damn straight.



Every cave rescue I've been involved with was an ins mission. In Samwell Cave the bozos dropped into a 70' pit on clothesline. At least they registered before going in, when they didnt return the key we were called.

In Potters Cave they had the smarts to leave one guy at the top to be sure the other could climb back up the rope like Sylvester Stallone does. That cave is visited very rarely and if they both went in at the same time they would have died.

Never had to rescue a real caver.”

“I just picked up the Blount Today and found this news brief...


.....The four left Maryville at 10PM Thursday and were expected back in Maryville at 3AM., Friday. When they didn't return, GSMNP Rangers were called....

...A backpack was found near the cave at 10AM Friday and the four individuals were located soon thereafter.

After the four were rescued, they told rangers that they had set out to go caving at 10PM because 3 of the 4 had to go home to Oklahoma and it was the last opportunity to do something in the park. They said the descent into the cave went smoothly, but that they realized they were trapped when they attempted to climb back up the ropes by which they lowered themselves down, the last drop being about 50 feet.....


[The oldest of the four and the only local of the bunch] (ages 24, 20, 17, and 17) reported he had 'a little caving experience exploring some small caves back in Oklahoma" where he lived before moving to Tennessee about four months ago.



While I was in the coffee shop in Townsend this morning, (where most of the Rangers come in for coffee), the owner told me that they were all fined and all costs of SAR were imposed against them.
last edited: 3/27/08 6:52:37 PM”

“Knuckleheads.”

“Somehow, I cannot get over the thought that "alcohol was involved".”

“Really ----- at 10 o'clock on a Friday night.

Pefect time to crawl down in a hole under a waterfall. � Just perfect. � And they didn't need ascenders or anything; they were just going to grab onto that rope and haul themselves up 50 ft.

Amazing.”

“Actually, I blame it all on those Spiderman movies.”

“But, gee Mr. Ranger....it wasn't hard at all going down all those ledges....how could we know it would be beyond our capability to pull ourselves out?”

“That's why I prefer to go uphill, or head into the wind starting out.... so it'll be a little easier coming back, � � < wink >”

“or head into the wind starting out.... so it'll be a little easier coming back, � � < wink >”
Tilt

bet you don't tug on Superman's cape either...”

“You got that right ----”

“Man..sorry but how many times did we as kids do something STUPID as heck.

Glad they are hitting them with the costs of rescue. Hope they can make it like an IRS fine so they can NEVER escape the responsibility of paying it. Maybe add some interest to it. Make it like a "Pay Day Loan" (LOL)”

“This brings me to a question. If I go to Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, etc and buy any kind of fishing or hunting license there is a SAR tax. If I fall and break a leg on a rocky part of the trail and SAR comes to get me, do I pay for it because I have a job and maybe insurance?? Is there a type of supplemental insurance that covers SAR? I probably wouldn't qualify for that anyway but does anyone know if there is?”

“That may be to keep them operational and you have to pay for stupidity...I am guessing.”

“basic accident insurance pays the policy holder directly and not the care or service provider so you could use that money for what ever you wanted”

“I know the personal GPS device meangreen bought has SAR insurance coverage when you are using it.

I have never seen SAR fees imposed against someone who was doing everything right and had an accident. I have only seen them imposed against stupid people.”

“chili/ that GPS he has is what brand/model?”

“let me see if I can find the thread”

“That's a pretty cool unit. Kind of an enhanced EPIRB. Now if they could incorporate this technology into a standard GPS unit, that would be the shiznit.”

“Beware, that unit is not an EPIRB. It uses a commercial satellite not the COSPAS/SARSAT system. It probably is fully functional but it is not the same. The price is attractive. A PLB (personal locator beacon that uses the SARSAT system is at least $350.00)

If you are in the market for a EPIRB make sure it uses the new digitally coded 406MHz and not just the analog 121.5MHz homing freq. The 121.5 is going to go away at some point.”

“It isn't the same but don't you think it will be as effective? At a much lower price?”