Phoenix Fire Department speaks on hiking safety

Around 4 people have died hiking in the valley this summer and the fire department has responded to several calls of people stranded on their hike, often due to heat related illnesses.

Capt. Rob McDade, with the Phoenix Fire Department, joins Arizona Horizon to discuss how hikers can practice safety while hiking in the heat.

“that was disappointing, obviously we have a long history of making rescues on our mountains,” McDade said.

McDade explained how this type of call is not uncommon, as that particular mountain is a very popular tourist attraction for locals.

“…but that was an extreme heat day,” McDade said, “..and the call sort of built up for us.”

McDade discussed how the call was in regard to a family where one of the children was having some sort of heat-related illness. That is when a technical rescue team from the Phoenix Fire was dispatched.

“As we were making our way to the mountain it kept growing,” McDade explained, “…and they came out five children, with six adults, and that became a large operation for us.”

McDade also emphasized how the trail they were on was called, “Holbert Trail,” a restricted trail located near Dobbins lookout. Especially on a scorching heat day like that one, all trails like, “Holbert Trail,” that are deemed to dangerous are thus restricted.

“Our mountain rescues are year-round…some of them are minimal we walk ’em down…some of them we airlift them off with a helicopter and we send our folks up there in very hot temperatures,” McDade said.

Echo Canyon at Camelback Mountain is deemed the “Eiffel Tower,” according to McDade and where many of the mountain rescues occur.

“We have a big mix of 80% local, 20% from out of town,” McDade explained, “…so it’s a lot of the local folks.”