More important than the cost of rescue services is the TIME that is taken away for these rescues when someone who truly needs to be rescued happens.  Just a rough example:  someone who is badly injured by accident and needs to be airlifted to the hospital, but the helicopter is busy rescuing someone who broke the law by hiking on a restricted trail.  On flotilla day, we were just lucky that there were no other "legitimate" emergencies needing lifeguard assistance.