By JO-MARIE BROWN
A central North Island policeman is worried New Zealand is losing valuable search-and-rescue volunteers because they are not adequately resourced.
Senior Constable Cliff Jones, of Turangi, said people who volunteered in search-and-rescue efforts did so at an enormous cost to themselves.
They have to provide their own gear - worth around $2600 - and many had to take time off work to participate.
"If people are going to keep losing money because they are busy with search and rescue, they are going to leave search and rescue because of it," he said.
Police were responsible for administering a search-and-rescue fund but the budget did not stretch to resourcing volunteers.
Senior Constable Jones said protective clothing was needed to cope with extreme conditions and could cost volunteers up to $2600.
"If these guys are prepared to give up their time and are having to become more and more specialised in what they do, why doesn't someone fund their equipment?"
In the past year, 6000 search-and-rescue volunteers carried out 838 missions nationwide, and Senior Constable Jones said people regularly pulled out because they could not afford it.
"I think we should be resourcing people better than we are."
Blake McDavitt, a Turangi search-and-rescue volunteer for the past 10 years, forgoes his annual leave at a forestry company to take part.
"It's something that I want to do but I think ... with the price of equipment, a good part of it should be funded."
There was considerable wear and tear on clothing during rescues, which volunteers also had to pay for.
Another Turangi volunteer, Garth Oakden, lost around $500 in income when he shut down his rafting business to help search for Auckland father and son John and Matt Painting, who became trapped in the Kaimanawa Ranges in October.
While Mr Oakden was happy to pass up a day's earnings, he agreed the cost did limit what some volunteers were able to do.
Senior Constable Jones suggested a $1 levy could be imposed on tourists entering the country. Although tourists accounted for just 7 per cent of all rescues, he said it was one way of recouping some of the costs.
Search and rescue costs squeezing volunteers
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