1 in critical condition after multiple hikers rescued from Camelback Mountain
PHOENIX - One person is in critical condition after firefighters say multiple people suffered heat-related injuries on Monday while hiking in Phoenix.
What we know:
The Phoenix Fire Department says crews at around 11 a.m. on June 9 responded to Camelback Mountain, where four people had to be rescued.
Three people were flown off the mountain, while one was carried down using a "big wheel stretcher."
Two women were taken to a hospital where one is in critical condition, and the second woman is in stable condition.
Two other people refused transport to the hospital.
No firefighters were hurt during the rescue.
'Bags of ice definitely help bring the core temperature down’
"With two of them, we did what's called a two-skid landing where we land the helicopter with it still running and brought them on the patrol ship and then brought them back down. The third patient we brought down with a big wheel operation and then able to transport them," Phoenix Fire Captain Daniel Lee.
He says one of the victims had to be put in an ice bath to bring her temperature down as quickly as possible.
"Those bags of ice definitely help bring the core temperature down. It's been a proven thing that the fire department has been using on heat emergencies all throughout the Valley, not just on trails, but actually out in the Valley. Doing this ice immersion in these bags, they do help. Now that we can use them on these trails, it's huge for us to have that ice out in hand for us," Captain Lee said.
Rescues involve first responders to hike up the mountain with several pounds of gear to get to a patient, along with caring for the hikers.
Capt. Lee says the firefighters are also looked at by medical staff.
"When they come down, we put them through, it's called rehab, where they get inside of an air-conditioned vehicle to drink plenty of fluids, give them food, snacks, things like that. We'll check their vital signs to make sure that there's nothing out of the way. We want to make sure our crews are up to the peak standards and it's safe for them to go back in service, too," he said.
What we don't know:
Names and ages of the victims were not released.
Map of Camelback Mountain