ABSTRACT
Before I offer my own defence of the duty to rescue as a duty of justice, I should like to examine, and refute, a standard argument to that effect. On that view, our duty to provide emergency assistance is owed, not to the imperilled, but to society writ large. Thus, Alison McIntyre argues that there is a connection between a Good Samaritan’s duty to obtain assistance and the organisation of emergency services. Take the case of fire-fighters. As a community we want them to operate efficiently, for they maximise the general welfare; yet, they cannot do so unless citizens assist in reporting fires. As she writes, ‘One’s duty to report a fire is a public duty, just as the fire-fighter is carrying out his duty to the community that employs him, rather than a duty to the individual whose property needs protection’ (McIntyre 1994:181-2).
