Family of 16 Rescued After Hiking in 109-Degree Heat
EXTREME DANGER
Scottsdale Fire Department/Facebook
A family reunion nearly turned deadly when more than 65 firefighters were called to rescue 13 adults and three children lost on a hike in Scottsdale, Arizona. The New York Post reported that a family decided to hit Arizona’s Gateway Loop Trail on Friday morning during an excessive heat warning and got turned around on the trail, where temperatures hit 109 degrees. Three hours later, out of water and unable to find their way back, the family called emergency services. The family was located off the trail under a tree "several miles" from where they started, according to a Facebook post by the Scottsdale Fire Department. Paramedics treated the family for heat exhaustion, and a 10-year-old, 12-month-old and 18-month-old were removed from the trail and taken to the hospital. With a list of safety tips to follow during high temps, the Fire Department cautioned in its post, “it becomes vital to follow basic precautions when hiking.”