Study: Park Service averages 11 searches per day

Study: Park Service averages 11 searches per day
October 19th, 2009 @ 10:44am

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Whether it's a saving a stranded hiker with a broken leg or a fishing out a capsized boater, a new study says that, on an average day, 11 search and rescue operations are launched in national parks.

Travis Heggie, an assistant professor at the University of North Dakota who headed up the study, analyzed search and rescue reports from 1992 to 2007.

During that time, there were more than 65,000 search and rescue operations in national parks with costs exceeding $58 million.

Those most commonly in need of help? Day hikers, young men and boaters. Weekends were the busiest.

The results are similar to an earlier analysis by Heggie of national parks in Utah, which found young men on day hikes were among the most likely to need a rescue.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)