This is a very sad story that should serve as a strong reminder not to take unnecessary risks during warnings of extreme heat. This summer, a shocking number of hikers have died from overworked heat all over the world.
On Tuesday while hiking in Arizona’s South Mountain Park and Preserve, a 10-year-old boy had a “heat-related medical emergency” and died.
The boy had been on the trails since about 9:30 a.m. with cousins who were not from the area. Around 2 p.m., they called the police, which means they had been out in the hot sun for at least four and a half hours. At that point, the temperature had risen to 113°F (45°C), which is about 6°F warmer than the normal temperature for that time of year in the area.
Both Phoenix Fire and Phoenix PD say that firefighters, rescue teams, and police officers found the boy about a mile down the road. The boy was flown to an ambulance that was waiting for him. He was then taken to the hospital in “extremely critical condition.” He never got better.
Phoenix Police Department officers are looking into what happened right now. Our thoughts are with the boy’s friends and family.
In the United States, heat is the main weather-related cause of death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say that about 1,220 people die every year in the US from illnesses caused by the heat. Almost all of these deaths could have been avoided. Mostly by not going outside in the first place and working hard when it’s very hot.
