By admin 
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A hiker is fighting for her life Monday after emergency crews airlifted her off Camelback Mountain when her core body temperature skyrocketed to more than 104 degrees.
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The rescue unfolded around 11 a.m. Sunday after multiple 911 calls reported a hiker near the top of the mountain suffering from severe heat exhaustion. Due to the rugged terrain and the hiker’s critical condition, first responders had to rappel from a helicopter, hoist her off the mountain, and fly her to the Echo Canyon Trailhead.
First responders said the hiker showed signs of heat stroke and had an altered mental state. Once at the trailhead, crews immediately deployed a life-saving technique known as cold water immersion therapy.
“Time is life-saving for sure,” said Capt. Mike Johnson of the Phoenix Fire Department. “So we knew right away that she was going to be a candidate for our ice immersion bag.”
The treatment involves placing a heat-stricken patient inside a large blue vinyl bag, which is then packed with six to 10 bags of ice and water. The goal is to rapidly cool the patient’s core body temperature within minutes while they are transported to the hospital.
“The longer that temperature stays elevated, the more damage they’re going to have on their organs and their brain,” Johnson said.
To understand the intense treatment firsthand, Arizona’s Family reporter Austin Walker climbed into the bag to experience the rapid cooling process as Phoenix firefighters dumped bags of ice over him.
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The zipper on the bag allows firefighters to keep the ice and water contained inside the rescue vehicle, creating a freezing slush that continuously drops the patient’s temperature.
The concept was originally suggested by a Phoenix firefighter with military training who had seen the impacts of extreme heat on patients. Previously, crews would place ice packs under a patient’s arms and groin—an effective but much slower method that is still standard in many hospitals.
The ice-immersion bags have drastically improved patient outcomes, according to Johnson.
With a Heat Advisory currently in effect and First Alert Days continuing through the week, first responders stress that hiking in extreme conditions puts both hikers and rescue crews in jeopardy.
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