Searchers are almost exclusively volunteers. Historically in Lane County one paid deputy (salaried) managed volunteers who contribute thousands of hours annually and enjoy the work and the opportunity to help people. Quite a force multiplier.
Regarding helicopter use, often these missions are used to log training time for national guard crews. On rare occasion private parties pay for helicopter time (James Kim search years back in southern Oregon)
Also, if a person had to pay for search and rescue services it could very likely delay calls for service and result in (1) more serious injury to the subjects or (2) deaths.
The individuals in this case seem to have been prepared.
CleanupEugene, please exercise some humility and have a bit of grace for others. Also, if you are truly concerned with budgets there are a number of organizations you could volunteer with to help this or any other cause. Serving others is as beneficial to the servant as well as the served.