On Aug. 1, temperatures reached a high of 116 degrees in Phoenix
Credit: Phoenix Fire Dept./X
NEED TO KNOW
- A 10-year-old boy had to be rescued from a mountain in Phoenix after he began to overheat on Aug. 1
- The child was on a hike with his parents on a day when temperatures reached 116 degrees
- He was transported to a local hospital in stable condition
A 10-year-old boy was hospitalized after he became overheated during a hike with his parents in extreme temperatures. He had to be brought down an Arizona mountain by rescue teams.
On Saturday, Aug. 1, around 11 a.m. local time, firefighters were dispatched to the Echo Canyon Trailhead on Phoenix’s Camelback Mountain following reports of a medical emergency involving a hiker, ABC affiliate KNXV, NBC affiliate KPNX and Fox affiliate KSAZ reported.
When rescue teams arrived, they discovered a 10-year-old boy who began experiencing a heat-related illness during a hike with his parents. To bring him to safety, crew members underwent a “Big Wheel” operation, the Phoenix Fire Department said in an alert on social media. In footage shared by the agency, the team transported the victim down a dirt path on a litter featuring one large wheel, with three crew members on either side.
When first responders returned to the beginning of the trail, the child was placed in an ambulance and transported to an area hospital in good condition, according to the reports.
The Phoenix Fire Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for an update about the 10-year-old’s current status.
The emergency rescue occurred during an extreme heat warning, KSAZ reported. At the time of the family’s hike, Echo Canyon was closed, and forecasters said temperatures reached a high of 116 degrees.
Credit: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty
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Following the rescue, fire officials urged caution when hiking during dangerous temperatures.
“Please hike in the cooler part of the day. Bring a full bottle of water. When you’re halfway done with that water, you’re halfway done with that hike,” Phoenix Fire Department Captain Todd Keller told the outlet. “Elderly and kids — they’re definitely more susceptible in the heat. Certain situations can catch up with them quicker.”
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