Our Views: A rescuer loses life
The death of Nick Hall didn’t gain much attention here in Louisiana, but the tragic accident that claimed his life is a powerful reminder that when thrill-seekers get in trouble, their rescuers must often risk all to get them out of harm’s way,
Hall, 33, was one of several rangers dispatched by helicopter at Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state when a climbing party needed help. Hall was helping evacuate climbers from a crevasse near the summit of the 14,441-foot mountain when he slid more than 3,000 feet to his death.
What’s the lesson here? Maybe we need to remember that these kinds of activities can have grim costs. That places a special obligation on climbers and other adventurers to be as safe as possible — and to avoid potentially dangerous situations if they aren’t fully trained or conditioned to handle the challenges.