Thurs Mar 12 – Local News + Editorial: No Fish Is Worth Your Life, But Apparently It’s Worth the Views
News and updates involving OPP, City of Owen Sound, Kevin Fox of Fox Fishing 4K, Harmony Centre, Municipality of Meaford, Grey Roots Museum & Archives, and more
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EDITORIAL OPINION
The community conversation around last weekend’s ice rescue is heating up quicker than recent temperatures, as videos and stories from the event continue to flood news stations and social media.
It’s worth noting that police didn’t release the names of those rescued. They typically don’t, for privacy reasons. One might expect those saved from the icy waters to express their gratitude to first responders and the community, and perhaps sheepishly promise not to take such a risk again.
As a society, we Canadians tend to “tsk tsk” but to forgive these momentary lapses in judgment fairly quickly. Lesson learned, onward we go.
That is not the case here.
Some of the anglers gave interviews and spoke out on social media in defence of the decisions they made that day. One in particular appears to be on a full-blown press tour.
Yesterday afternoon, Kevin Fox promoted the YouTube “premiere” of the latest in a series of videos he’s released from the rescue, and asks that people “Follow [his brand] for more fishing adventures across Ontario.”
Fox, a digital creator from Penetanguishene, is compensated on various online platforms for the content he produces. He had amassed over 4 million views on his rescue videos on Facebook (Reels) as of Wednesday afternoon.
Fox has been featured everywhere from the New York Times to the Guardian this week, and given interviews to CTV, CBC, BBC, and more in the alphabet soup of national and global media.
And in the reactions to the library of content he’s producing, there’s a growing sentiment that Fox should be held accountable for the decisions he made to go out on the ice, step over the cracks, and keep going. Those questions are now out there because, well… Fox wants people talking about what happened on Sunday.
And so they (and we) are.
Should a rescue operation come with a bill?
Owen Sound Current ran an informal poll asking subscribers to weigh in on the issue, and as of Wednesday evening, the message was clear:
Fully 86% said they believe people should be billed for emergency rescue operations when dangerous conditions were known in advance. Sixty percent said those rescued should foot the entire bill, while 26% believe they should pay a portion.
Reader Donald Statham pointed out below our poll:
“We get charged for an ambulance ride to the hospital. I think there are exceptions but I had to pay when I went. The cost is only a small portion of the total cost of the service. So, the people rescued should have to pay, at least a portion.”
Danuta Valleau hopes to see Fox make reparations to the community and doesn’t limit it to a monetary exchange:
“I feel that at the very least those who were rescued are grateful, and owe something to the community resources that saved their lives. Through donations or volunteer work.”
One Facebook user who commented on Fox’s “Premiere” video advertisement felt the angler should be made to pay reparations directly to the emergency services involved:
“Please confirm all the $ you make from this video will be donated back to the emergency service departments and that you are not going to personally profit from this posted video.
As an avid ice angler I sure hope you give every cent you raise from this video to those services for ice rescue training, equipment or whatever they need after they risked their lives for your choices.”
Fox has responded to comments suggesting he should not financially benefit from the rescue by stating he doesn’t make very much on the videos, anyway.
On YouTube, where Fox boasts over 142,000 followers, the average RPM — what creators make per 1000 views — in the extreme travel niche currently sits at around $7.34, according to competitive analysis platform OutlierKit.
Facebook tends not to be quite as lucrative. PostPlanify estimates 5 million Reels views would net the average creator around $400.
Of course, views aren’t where the real money is at. Most successful creators are building their brand to entice lucrative sponsorships or sell products and services, on top of the content revenue.
Related:
The coordinated effort to rescue Fox and his fellow ice fishermen involved OPP Aviation, OPP Marine Unit, Inter Township Fire Department, Owen Sound Fire Department, Hanover Fire Department, North Bruce Peninsula Fire Department, AirOrnge, Grey County Paramedic Services, Bruce County Paramedic Services, Ministry of Natural Resources, Grey-Bruce OPP, and Wellington County OPP at the scene. Meaford Fire provided radio support at another local station.
So just how big a rescue bill are we talking about?
We may never know.
When asked whether there would be an investigation into the circumstances that led to 23 people becoming stranded on an ice floe in warm weather conditions, a Grey Bruce OPP spokesperson told the Owen Sound Current on Monday morning, “The event is considered closed.”
(We also have questions in to the Township of Georgian Bluffs requesting their position on recouping emergency response expenses, as well as any cost estimates the municipality might be able to provide.)
Grey Bruce OPP has since provided a more fulsome response to Owen Sound Sun Times, whose article ‘OPP says stranded anglers won’t be billed for rescue costs,’ points to larger rescue operations in 1997 and 2012 as examples of what can go wrong when anglers roll the dice.
“Emergency services exist to protect the public, and responding to situations like this is part of our mandate,” Const. Kody Lyons told the Sun Times.
Grey-Bruce OPP also noted that Ontario does not have a mandated ice fishing season and said, “Anyone heading out should take appropriate safety precautions: check ice thickness frequently, avoid going out alone, carry safety equipment, and stay alert to changing conditions.”
In a video released by West Region OPP earlier this week, another officer asks, “Is ice fishing worth risking your life, and the lives of others?” and later states, “No fish is worth your life, or the lives of those who have to rescue you.”
They sound like sharp warnings, but we’ve learned this week they’re entirely without teeth.
In reality, there’s little in place to deter dangerous activities like thin ice fishing for thrills — or clicks and views.
There is no governing body or agency in Ontario responsible for calling an official end to the ice fishing season. Emergency services don’t want to deter people in genuine distress from asking for help, so they don’t send a bill after a rescue. And police decided within hours that what happened Sunday doesn’t warrant an investigation.
That means it’s up to each individual to weigh the thrill of the chase against the reality of the conditions.
And when they get it wrong?
Risk-takers can count on the best ground, aerial, and marine emergency response public money can buy — all for less than what someone else might pay for a routine ambulance ride during a medical emergency.
The rest of the community can at least be thankful they won’t be bumped from a hospital bed, left waiting for an ambulance, or watching their house burn while emergency crews are diverted to a potential mass-casualty event.
Until the day they are.
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Miranda Miller
Editor
Local News
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