By RAELYNN RICARTE
News staff writer
April 24, 2007

Hood River County’s emergency responders could soon be protected from liability when crossing the Columbia River to assist with a medical crisis or fire.

“This has been a topic of discussion for a long time at both the local and state level. It’s good to see something finally getting done so that we can help our partners across the river,” said Hood River Asst. Fire Chief Devon Wells.

Sen. Rick Metsger, D-Welches, and Rep. Patti Smith, R-Corbett, said House Bill 2583 has met with favorable reaction among their peers. So, they expect it to be voted on by the House within the next week and then sent to the Senate for passage.

They introduced the legislation after learning that Oregon agencies faced legal challenges if they crossed into Washington. The neighboring state doesn’t limit the amount of liability that a public agency can incur when dealing with an emergency scenario.

“We need to make sure that firefighters and medics in border communities, such as the Gorge, have the ability to help each other out. Manpower is limited in rural areas so it is critical that everyone is able to work together,” said Smith.

Wells and Cascade Locks Fire Chief Jeff Pricher urged state officials to approve the bill. They want the ability to negotiate a mutual aid agreement that will hold local agencies harmless for traveling across the river to lend assistance.

“If we can’t dot all our ‘i’s’ and cross all of our ‘t’s’ then we end up putting a lot of responsibility on citizens, and that’s not what we want,” said Pricher.

Wells said the city of Hood River carries enough insurance that firefighters/medics can answer calls in Washington with a “be careful” warning. But departments made up primarily of volunteers are not able to take the financial risk. And it has been frustrating for responders to observe a wildland fire raging across the river — and not be engaged in the battle.

Pricher said Cascade Locks and Stevenson, Wash., which lies directly across the river, are sited in remote locations. So, it has been necessary many times for his crew to answer a call for help from the opposite shoreline.

He said the passage of the bill will be timely because both the visitor and residential population in the Gorge is growing. That growth brings more potential for fires and medical problems.

“It’s just a fundamental — nuts and bolts — common sense idea,” he said.

On another front involving emergency responders, Smith and Metsger have opposed a bill requiring climbers to wear electronic beacons. Smith was one of the 22 nay votes in the House on House Bill 2509 and Metsger expected to follow suit. However, the bill was shipped off to the Senate General Government Committee where it is expected to “die” without a vote.

“It was a nice idea but it just wasn’t the proper tool to use,” said Metsger. “The real value of the bill was that it raised awareness of the issue.”

SB 2509 required that mountain climbers and guides carry some type of two-way signaling device when they ventured above the tree line on Mount Hood. However, the legislation had no enforcement arm — and no money to fund its regulation.

Wells and Pricher, who are both members of the local Crag Rats mountaineering team, said the bill was “reactive not proactive.”

SB 2509 was brought forward following the high-profile search for three missing men on Mount Hood during a winter storm. The trio was not wearing the Mountain Locator Units that, if activated, would have pinpointed their location. One of the men did have a cell phone turned on that roughly triangulated his position. He was found dead in a snow cave — but the remains of his two missing friends have yet to be recovered.

However, virtually every mountaineering organization in Oregon opposed SB 2509. Their members argued that state statistics showed only 3.4 percent of rescues involving climbers — so the vast majority of recreationists were prepared for unexpected events and did not need to be regulated.

Wells said the MLUs, and other types of beacons, are too expensive for many climbers to purchase. But they can be rented for as little as $5 at most outdoor sports outlets. He said educating people about the benefits of the device seemed like a more positive way to approach the issue.

“I’m all for using a MLU or carrying a cell phone but I think it’s really a matter of personal responsibility,” he said.

“The MLU is not going to take the place of good judgment or skills and experience,” agreed Pricher.

Smith said it became clear during the hearings on SB 2509 that county sheriffs should oversee all search efforts within the state. She believes the legislature should expend its efforts on finding ways to defray the costs of these operations, especially since most occur on public lands.