Don’t let your own negligence imperil others

Listen up, Hawaii recreationists: If you get into trouble and need to be rescued from a trail or outdoor site due to your own intentional disregard of warnings, you will be paying for the costs of that rescue.

With that message, the Kauai County Council certainly got the public’s attention this month when it advanced Bill 2589, which amends the county’s rescue-reimbursement law to add fuel costs incurred to the recoup list, and to align wording with the state’s law.

Let’s be clear: These are not new laws; reimbursements simply have not been pursued. But renewed public discussion on this controversial issue is needed today — and especially on Kauai, which has seen a recent rash of high-profile incidents that have taken a noticeable toll on county rescuers and coffers.

In March, the Kauai Fire Department rescued 32 stranded hikers from the Kalalau trail after rising waters made Hanakapiai Stream too treacherous to cross.

In late December, Kauai fire rescue teams had airlifted 62 hikers off that same North Shore trail when several streams became impassable from heavy rain. In that incident, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources had closed the popular trail — even stationed a staffer there to warn of the closure — but the hikers ignored the warnings.

Very understandably, it’s such intentional disregard for safety that spurred Kauai Councilman Mason Chock to seek the amendments to the county’s rescue-reimbursement law — and to intensify attention on the problem.

"We need people to take a little better look at how they’re making their decisions," said Chock, a Kauai firefighter for 11 years before retiring in 2005. "Accidents are accidents. We cannot foresee when they happen. However, there are times when people make poor judgments."

Indeed, exploring Hawaii’s scenic beauty comes with perils. Many people understand this and, responsibly, take precautions and heed signs and warnings that keep them safe on outdoor trails and other recreational sites. Others, though, foolishly do not.

The state tries to send a message with its long-standing law that allows rescue reimbursement due to "intentional disregard" for safety and warnings.

Enforcement, however, has been virtually nil.

The Honolulu Fire Department does not seek reimbursement, a city spokesman explained, because it wants people to call when they need help and not make matters worse by trying to rescue themselves. Also, with an average rescue cost estimated at $2,000, the time and effort that go into detailed accounting, processing and legalities are hardly worth it.

What does make logical and economic sense, though: Drawing attention to the real dangers of our scenic outdoor spaces, and the constant need for education and prevention before people set out on their adventures.

More tourists than ever are coming to Hawaii and exploring its natural beauty. But they, and locals alike, must be made more aware of the conditions and dangers inherent in many of our trails, shorelines and other natural sites.

Good examples of this step-up in efforts:

» At the deadly Sacred Falls site on Oahu, the state just added to warning signs a cellphone-scannable QRC (Quick Response Code), which shows an online video of dangers.

» Maui County has an ocean-safety video playing at Kahului Airport plus a just-published ocean safety brochure — initiatives inspired by ones undertaken on Kauai after a record number of deaths at its pristine but treacherous shorelines.

Warnings need to be taken seriously, and personal responsibility must be part of the recreational equation. Publicizing rescues, and the bad behavior that prompted them, also have been effective in other states.

The Kauai Council’s Bill 2589 will have a July 1 public hearing in Lihue. At the very least, it’s hoped that this renewed focus on rescue reimbursement lodges a safety imperative in people’s minds — and will deter many from putting themselves, and rescuers, in harm’s way.