Clackamas Education Service District

ELA Performance Task, Grade 8

to Support Common Core State Standards

Student Name: ______

Teacher: ______School: ______

Search and Rescue Performance Task

Issue:

News agencies often report about people who get lost or injured in wilderness areas, rivers, mountains, etc. and need to be rescued. In recent years, there has been increasing debate about who should pay the cost of mountain search and rescue (SAR) operations. This is a debate also happening in other countries.

Task:

Your county sheriff’s office has prepared a tentative operating budget for the upcoming year and is asking for input from citizens of the county. Mountain search and rescue (SAR) is a part of their budget. Your task is to write an argumentative essay on the topic “Who should pay for mountain search and rescue operations?” as a reply to the county sheriff’s office for input.

Before you write your essay you do some initial research on this topic and uncover five sources (two videos, a newspaper article, a document, and a table) that provide information about search and rescues (SARs).

After you have reviewed these sources, you will answer some questions about them. Briefly scan the sources and the three questions that follow. Then go back, view and read the sources carefully to gain the information you will need to answer the questions and write an argumentative essay.

In part 2, you will write the argumentative essay for your county sheriff’s office related to the sources.

Directions for beginning:

You will now examine the research sources. Your teacher will show two videos and then you will read three documents. Take notes because you may want to refer to your notes while writing your argumentative essay. You can re-examine any of the documents as often as you like.

Source #1 – YouTube Video

The Cost of Valley Mountain Rescues, June 2013.

By ABC 15 - Arizona

Source #2 – YouTube Video

Rescue Cost Debate, January 2013.

By CTV News – Vancouver Island

Source #3 This is an article published in The Oregonian newspaper on December 19, 2009

Volunteers help rein in rescue costs on Mount Hood

Terry Richard, The Oregonian, December 19, 2009

The cost of last week's five-day search on Mount Hood won't be totaled for a while. But much of the expense in time and effort won't be passed on to taxpayers, thanks to volunteers from mountain rescue groups.
In a typical Mount Hood rescue, volunteers from Portland Mountain Rescue and the Hood River Crag Rats perform the bulk of the ground search at no cost to taxpayers.

Last week, a dozen members of Portland Mountain Rescue had planned to be at Mount Hood on Saturday to train. Instead of a leisurely 10 a.m. arrival, they got calls at 1:15 a.m. They were asked to be on the mountain at 6 a.m. Members helped recover the body of Luke Gullberg, 26, of Des Moines, Washington. They also searched for Katie Nolan, 29, of Southeast Portland and Anthony Vietti, 25, of Longview, Washington, until the effort was called off Wednesday afternoon because of severe weather.
Using taxpayer-funded military personnel and aircraft, such as the Oregon Army National Guard's Black Hawk helicopter used in the search, doesn't cost extra because search time is used in lieu of required training time.
"It's a win-win situation for us," said Capt. Stephen Bomar of the Oregon Army National Guard. "We get to train our pilots and, at the same time, help our community."
Pilots are required to fly 10 hours a month to maintain certification. By Wednesday, the helicopter had logged eight hours of flight time, including the journey from its Salem base.
The Civil Air Patrol and U.S. Coast Guard are also taxpayer-funded through federal and state budgets. They don't incur additional charges for search and rescue. It is considered part of their duties.
The biggest costs come from the county sheriff's office coordinating the search.
Because county officials involved in searches would be on duty anyway, the biggest expenses are usually overtime, food, lodging and gas for volunteers, said Georges Kleinbaum, state search and rescue coordinator.
Clackamas County says it will be at least a month before it determines its expenses for last week's search. A similar search and rescue effort in 2005 cost the county an estimated $10,000 for deputy resources, transportation and food.
In 2006, Hood River County conducted a similarly intense search and rescue. The county estimated its extra costs at $4,000 a day.
"Revenue comes into counties from the thousands of tourists who flock to Mount Hood. It is greatly in excess of the overtime paid to a few deputies for a few days," said Charlie Shimanski, president of the national Mountain Rescue Association.

Every county relies on volunteer help with searches and rescues. "These can be horse groups, rescue dogs or ground searchers," said Monty Smith of Clackamas. Monty is vice president of Portland Mountain Rescue. "Some groups get calls twice a week."

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Portland Mountain Rescue gets an average of one call a month, he said.
Though mountain rescues are highly publicized, they make up only about 3 percent of searches in the United States. Water accidents and lost hikers, hunters and Alzheimer's patients account for the bulk of search and rescue calls.
Portland Mountain Rescue has 60 members who can be sent into the field, said Smith. He was one of the first responders last Saturday.
The rescue group has no paid staff and receives no government funding. Expenses are covered by their own fundraising or members themselves.
When there is trouble on the south side of Mount Hood the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office decides when search and rescue is needed. Phone calls, text messages and e-mails go out to mountain rescue members, telling them where and when to meet.
Twenty-one volunteers responded to the recent Mount Hood call. Volunteers must weigh family and job obligations. This is similar to volunteer firefighters in rural America. Taking time off from work can mean lost income, depending on the employer.
"We once got a text message from one of our members saying he was climbing in Ecuador and couldn't make it," said Smith.
During an extended Mount Hood search, everyone pitches in, he said.
"A box of Subway sandwiches shows up out of nowhere," Smith said. "Or a call goes out from the cafeteria that the sheriff is buying."
Timberline Lodge opens the Ski Patrol room for sleeping space, and the U.S. Forest Service opens firefighter cabins in Government Camp.
When something happens on the north side of Mount Hood, the Hood River County sheriff alerts the Hood River Crag Rats, that county's first responders. The rescue group dates to the 1920s when its members largely were self-employed orchard and farm owners.
Stefan Guemperlein of Hood River is one of two dozen Crag Rats trained to help with searches. His telecommunications job allows him to take off for rescues and get his work done later.
"We're not quite like firefighters who jump into their pants, boots and run," said Guemperlein. "We usually have a couple of hours to prepare. But if someone is in trouble, we are there."

Source #4 This is a source from www.coloradoSARboard.org

Examples of endangered persons refusing SAR help, waiting to call for help or hiding from help because of fear of large bill!

First hand accounts from emergency personnel involved

Climbers attempt self-rescue after dangerous accident

Boulder County, Colorado

Not long after the unprecedented media coverage of a search for missing skiers near Aspen, Colo., a climber accidentally rappelled off the end of their rope, and fractured his pelvis. Fearing the cost of a rescue as recently grossly mis-portrayed in the media, they did not call for help and tried to self-evacuate, resulting in additional injuries. Eventually the climbing partner went for help. Rescuers were exposed to added hazard and difficulty of having to perform the rescue in the middle of the night.

Climber hobbles 3,000' down mountain without rescue

Whatcom County, Washington

A climber from Canada descending Mt Baker had an accident at 9500', fracturing her ankle. Two nearby climbing physicians pronounced it likely fractured. When she asked them about a charge for rescues in the US, they told her it could be perhaps $10,000.

She decided she couldn't afford to be rescued. She took some pain medication, tightened up her plastic boot real tight and slowly hobbled down the mountain. Alerted by another climber with a cell phone, members of Bellingham Mountain Rescue met her at the 6500' level. When told that the rescue team doesn't charge for rescues she collapsed -- admitting to considerable pain. The US Navy used one of its rescue helicopters in this real emergency to train its crew to rescue marines, sailors, soldiers and airmen awaiting rescue in mountains anywhere they operate.

Snowmobiler first calls family, not 9-1-1, for help

Boise County, Idaho

A stranded snowmobiler called, first, his wife for help. She then called the SAR team. When the wife told her husband that she was talking to SAR, he told her to hang up. This was after recent media coverage of the local ski area charging for "out of area" rescues. After assurances that the SAR team does not charge, they finally asked for help. The marine/backcountry deputy that reported this instance said he is regularly asked by the reporting party if there will be a bill for SAR.

Victim says "I can't afford help"

Summit County, Colorado

A climber on the south side of Quandary Peak (14,270') got stuck. She called 9-1-1 and the on-call SAR team coordinator made contact with her by cell phone. She repeatedly refused assistance and said she just "wants to be talked out of this area." This particular area of Quandary is quite dangerous and it was after dark when she called. After going back and forth with her for some time, the SAR coordinator finally asked why she didn't want help and her answer was "I can't afford it". Once he explained to her that there would be no charge she instantly changed her tune and SAR went in and assisted her out.

Missing woman tells SAR she is not the missing party

Mt. Hood National Forest, Oregon

This search occurred right after Oregon passed a law allowing subjects of SAR missions to be billed. "Our assignment was to check beside the trail to the lake. On the way, we heard a radio transmission that a searcher thought he had found Linda. We thought it was over, but a bit later he reported that the woman he saw had never heard of Linda. The search continued and we prepared to head up the trail toward our search area. Before we got on the trail we were asked to hold our position, so we spent about half an hour talking and waiting for something to happen. Then we found out why we were put on hold. A dog handler had a positive find. He had spotted Linda who was trying to hide, then had to chase her down to talk to her. It seems that the first woman was indeed Linda but had denied it when asked. Only later was the dog handler able to get her to admit that we had found our quarry.

Source #5 This is a table of search and rescue costs in 2005

National Park Service units with the highest average search and rescue (SAR) costs, 2005

National Park Service Unit / Total No. of SAR operations / Average SAR cost
Wrangell-St. Elias (Alaska) / 4 / $29,310
Denali (Alaska) / 19 / $18,345
Mount Rainier (Washington) / 26 / $9,100
Sequoia and King Canyon (California) / 79 / $6,027
Yellowstone (Wyoming) / 52 / $5,339
Yosemite (California) / 231 / $5,317
Canyonlands (Utah) / 20 / $3,662
Zion (Utah) / 43 / $3,253
Rocky Mountain (Colorado) / 168 / $2,478
Great Smokey Mountains (Tennessee) / 63 / $2,110

Travis W. Heggie, Micahel E. Amundson, Dead Men Walking: Search and Rescue in US National Parks, Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, Volume 20, Issue 3, September 2009, Pages 244-249, ISSN 1080-6032

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Research Questions:

After examining the research sources, use the remaining time in Part 1 to answer three questions about them. Your answers to these questions will be scored. Also, your answers will help you think about the research sources you have viewed and read, which should help you write your argumentative essay.

1.  Provide three arguments from the sources you just reviewed that support the position that the taxpayers (government agencies) should pay the cost of SARs. Be sure to include the title or number of the source for each argument you provide.

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Analyze/Integrate Information Rubric (Claim 4, Target 2)
2 / The response gives sufficient evidence of the ability to gather, analyze, and integrate information within and among multiple sources of information.
1 / The response gives limited evidence of the ability to gather, analyze, and integrate information within and among multiple sources of information.
0 / A response gets no credit if it provides no evidence of the ability to gather, analyze, and integrate information within and among multiple sources of information.

2.  Which three sources provide the most relevant information regarding the high cost of mountain search and rescues? Cite each source and provide the evidence in the space below.

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Evaluate Information/Sources Rubric (Claim 4, Target 3)
2 / The response gives sufficient evidence of the ability to evaluate the credibility, completeness, relevancy and/or accuracy of the information and sources.
1 / The response gives limited evidence of the ability to evaluate the credibility, completeness, relevancy and/or accuracy of the information and sources.
0 / The response gets no credit if it provides no evidence of the ability to distinguish relevant from irrelevant information such as fact from opinion.