Scottsdale Fire gives an inside look at mountain rescues

SCOTTSDALE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) — Arizona’s hiking trails can be a hotspot for tourists, but hiking them in the heat of summer can be deadly. Every year, the Scottsdale Fire Department rescues nearly 400 people from hiking trails.

To help spread awareness about these rescues and how important it is to be prepared, Scottsdale Fire and Arizona’s Family teamed up to conduct a simulated rescue. Our reporter Mickaela Castillo and Scottsdale Fire Capt. Dave Folio hiked 2 miles up Tom’s Thumb in Scottsdale.

The rescue team then hiked up the mountain and conducted their rescue by putting Castillo in what they call a ‘Big Wheel.’ To use this equipment requires five to six firefighters who put the patient on a gurney, strap them in, and then carry them down the mountain.

Folio urges people to hike earlier in the day, stay hydrated, wear proper hiking gear, and always have their cellphones charged in case of an emergency. “It’s really important because you get out there and you have a problem and it turns into heat stroke. It can turn fatal. You can die on one of these trails,” Folio said. For more hiking safety tips, click/tap the link HERE.

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