Rescuing BASE Jumpers Doesn’t Cost Taxpayers

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (AP) — It took roughly 30 people from three agencies to rescue a woman whose parachute got snagged while jumping from a bridge in south-central Idaho earlier this week.

But it's hardly the first incident that has required an emergency response. The Times-News newspaper in Twin Falls reports that the sheriff's office has responded to eight BASE jumping-related deaths at Perrine Bridge over the Snake River Canyon since 2003, and another 23 injuries since 2006.

BASE jumping —parachuting from a fixed structure or cliff— is popular in Twin Falls because it is one of the rare locations in the U.S. where it is legalized. But the agency says the financial burden for rescues and recoveries from the bridge doesn't fall on the taxpayers. BASE jumping drives tourism dollars and visitors to the city, although local business organization don't track how much money it attracts.