PHOENIX – One woman remains in critical condition after several hikers suffered heat-related injuries during a trek on Camelback Mountain on June 9, according to the Phoenix Fire Department.
Around 11 a.m., emergency crews responded to reports of four hikers needing help. Three were airlifted off the mountain, and the fourth was brought down using a “big wheel stretcher.”
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Two women were transported to a hospital—one in critical condition, the other in stable condition. The remaining two individuals declined medical transport. No injuries were reported among firefighters.
“Bags of ice definitely help bring the core temperature down”
Phoenix Fire Captain Daniel Lee explained that rescuers performed a two-skid landing to bring two hikers onto a patrol helicopter, while the third required a ground rescue. One victim underwent an ice bath treatment on-site to reduce her dangerously high body temperature.
“Those bags of ice definitely help bring the core temperature down. It’s been a proven thing the fire department has been using on heat emergencies all throughout the Valley,” said Capt. Lee. “Now that we can use them on these trails, it’s huge for us.”
Mountain rescues demand a lot from crews, who must hike in with heavy gear and treat patients in extreme heat. Firefighters themselves undergo medical evaluation after each mission.
“When they come down, we put them through rehab,” said Lee. “They get inside an air-conditioned vehicle to drink fluids, eat, and have their vitals checked to ensure they’re ready to go back into service safely.”
