Thirteen people—three children and one adult who was sent to the hospital—were rescued on Friday after becoming lost on a hiking trail in Arizona during a period of intense heat, according to police.
Around 7:30 a.m. local time, the group—who was visiting the area for a family reunion—began hiking Scottsdale’s Gateway Loop Trail, according to the Scottsdale Fire Department. According to the agency, fire workers were sent out for a mountain rescue just after ten in the morning.
According to Scottsdale Fire Capt. Dave Folio, the hikers were off the track and running low on water. Fortunately, Folio said, the group “called early” for help when they encountered difficulties.
Authorities said they were discovered many kilometers into the path in a wash beneath a tree. After receiving treatment from paramedics, the 10-year-old was lifted off the route and taken to a nearby children’s hospital for assessment, according to the authorities. According to Folio, the infant was in “great condition.”
The fire service said that a 12-month-old and an 18-month-old were also pulled off the route by a utility terrain vehicle and taken to a nearby hospital suffering from symptoms of heat exhaustion.
According to the fire service, first responders also pulled a woman off the route using a big-wheel operation, which involves mounting a hard stretcher on a single, sizable, all-terrain wheel for ease of mobility in difficult terrain. Folio reported that she was taken to a nearby hospital.
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According to Folio, the remaining hikers were able to leave the trail with the rescue teams. According to ABC Phoenix station KNXV, every person who was rescued is anticipated to live.
According to the fire service, the rescue involved around 65 firefighters. With temperatures predicted to soar to 108 degrees Fahrenheit on Friday, an excessive heat warning was issued for the region.
“We want people to come out and enjoy our trails,” Folio stated to reporters. “We take a lot of pride in our trails and keeping them safe.”
In addition, he emphasized that hikers ought to stay on the trail and exit it early in order to avoid rising heat.
“It’s just hot right now,” Folio stated.
