PARIS – No hiker ever intends to need rescuing.

But it happens. And someone has to pay for it.

County commissioners are discussing how to handle the costs of rescuing hikers. It can total thousands of dollars.

In an invoice dated Nov. 8, 2005, the Andover Fire Department, which covers five unorganized territories, billed the county for $2,720.41 for a rescue that happened Oct. 9, 2005.

In this case, Michael Sall of North Hampton, N.H., paid $1,904 of the bill.

According to the incident report, Sall had slipped on wet rocks and broke his leg. Rescuers had to carry him out at 1 a.m. in the rain.

The State Warden Service gives the go-ahead to send out rescue teams, said Scott Parker, director of Oxford County’s Emergency Management Agency. The corresponding municipality then dispatches a rescue crew. The costs add up for equipment, fuel and volunteer stipends, said Kenneth M. Dixon, Andover’s fire chief.

Sometimes towns are able to foot some of the bill. If they can’t, technically the bill should go to the warden service, Parker said. However, the service has no funds to pay the bills, he added, so it bounces back to the county.

The county bills the hiker, but if they don’t pay, “There’s no repercussions then,” Parker said. “We could take them to court, but that would cost more than just paying the bill.”

It takes a minimum of 20 workers to carry someone a mile through the woods, Dixon said. The volunteers need training, and the Andover department pays each person $9 to $10 an hour.

Andover doesn’t have funds to cover rescues, so the bills go to the county.

The county was billed for four or five rescues this season, Parker said. Two of the rescued individuals reimbursed the county.

“We have to do what’s right,” Parker said. “It’s not optional; we’re going to go get them.”

Parker asked commissioners for a budget item to assist with the costs.

“The mechanics for a clean payment system aren’t in place,” Parker said.

County commissioners discussed going to the state Legislature when the issue was brought up during the Oct. 17 meeting.

Parker compared the situation to when a fire department helps a neighboring agency with a structure fire.

The assisting agency will take care of any costs associated with putting out the flames as part of a mutual aid system endorsed by each town’s taxpayers.

However, hikers seldom live in the town where they’re rescued, Parker said.

“When it has to do with someone who’s not a taxpayer, it’s a different issue,” he said.