Phoenix firefighters warn of heat dangers after hiker dies on South Mountain trail
Officials warn of hiking in extreme heat following 61-year-old's death on Phoenix trail
After a cyclist discovered a missing hiker unresponsive on South Mountain, first responders are urging the public to stay off closed trails during excessive heat. FOX 10's Jacob Luthi learns more about the deadly incident and why hiking in the extreme heat endangers everyone.
PHOENIX - Phoenix police have identified a 61-year-old man found dead near a South Mountain trail Saturday evening as Richard Fletcher.
The backstory:
Police say they responded to a missing persons call around 5:12 p.m. on July 25 after the caller reported Fletcher had gone hiking around 5 a.m. and had not returned. According to police, Fletcher’s vehicle was found parked near a trailhead on East Pima Canyon Road. Police say the caller lost contact with Fletcher around 2 p.m. when his phone died.
A cyclist later found Fletcher unresponsive on the trail. Firefighters responded and pronounced him dead at the scene. Phoenix Air Rescue later airlifted his body from the mountain.
Hiker found 'beyond resuscitative measures' on South Mountain
A man was found dead, 'beyond resuscitative measures', near National Trail on South Mountain on Saturday evening.
What we know:
While the medical examiner will determine the official cause of death, investigators say the evidence so far points to a heat-related or other medical emergency. Phoenix police said there were no obvious signs of foul play or trauma in Fletcher’s death.
Why you should care:
Capt. Todd Keller with the Phoenix Fire Department urged people to take precautions when hiking in extreme heat.
"Please take a break every 45 minutes, hydrate the night before. Our firefighters do the exact same thing before they start their shifts," Keller said. "It's real imperative that you listen to your body."
New details emerge in hiker's death on South Mountain
Police release the identity of the hiker who was found dead on South Mountain during an extreme heat warning. FOX 10's Jacob Luthi has the latest on the death investigation.
What they're saying:
Despite high temperatures and trail closures across the Phoenix area on July 26, some hikers still ventured onto mountain trails. Hikers said they take extra precautions to stay safe in the extreme heat.
"I go 3 miles on this trail. I bring two-12 ounce bottles of water," Tom Webb said.
"You can't go for long distances," Chris Ewing said. "You have to be sun protected, you have to bring hats and the right clothing."
Dig deeper:
Phoenix Fire warned that hiking during extreme heat warning days can put both hikers and first responders at risk. Keller said rescues on the mountain can require a large number of firefighters and become more complicated if additional hikers need help.
"It takes 15 to 20 firefighters just to bring one patient down," Keller said. "There are a lot of circumstances where we will be going up the mountain, those technical crews will be going up and come in contact with additional patients. At that time, we will double the crews to get those hikers down."
Keller said city trail closures during extreme heat are intended to keep people safe.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from the Phoenix Police Department, the Phoenix Fire Department, Capt. Todd Keller, Tom Webb, Chris Ewing, and previous FOX 10 reports.