yep...decision making is severely altered in stressful environments. ppl think they can handle more than they actually can. these environments can take more training and discipline than what most ppl are willing to commit to....not saying they are in bad shape or haven't done similar activities before, but every situation is different than the last. and if you don't train properly or acclimate first to the task, well, your asking for murphy to pop in unexpectedly..... most ppl don't realize that in a high temp, high humidity area, the humidity will actually keep you from sweating and the temperature will raise your core temp because you cant sweat and regulate body heat, causing a delirious state of mind.... training inside a gym does not prepare oneself for the actual experience you may face on the field. just as running 5 miles on a treadmill is not the same as hiking 5 miles over rough terrain. a 10 mile hike in the wilderness can go south very quickly if unprepared, most times it comes out O.K and ppl know next time to be better prepared.
Paulides is woefully uneducated in the basics of SAR and lost person behavior. He was laughed off the stage at the 2012 National Association of Search and Rescue conference. I had some colleagues, USAF PJs, who were there.