Woman with heat illness rescued

News Release Date:
July 19, 2024

Contact:Abby Wines

DEATH VALLEY, Calif. - Bystanders helped rescue a woman suffering from heat illness in Death Valley National Park on July 18, 2024.

A man and a woman started hiking the Badlands Loop at 9:30 am, in temperatures around 110°F. The man later told park rangers that their hike was prolonged by getting lost. At some point, the woman was unable to continue walking, and the man returned to Zabriskie Point parking lot to get help.

There is no cell phone service in the area. A bystander drove five miles to report the medical emergency at Furnace Creek Visitor Center around 11:00 am. Air temperature was around 115°F at this point.

When park rangers arrived a few minutes later, bystanders were carrying the unconscious woman toward the parking lot. Park rangers cooled the woman in the NPS ambulance and started driving towards a hospital.

Helicopter blades produce less lift in hot air, and some helicopters cannot fly in temperatures above 115°F. Park rangers transported the woman to a landing zone at 3,000 feet, where it was cool enough for the air ambulance helicopter to land safely. Mercy Air transported the woman to Centennial Hills Hospital in Las Vegas.

Park rangers have the following advice for visiting Death Valley National Park in the summer:

• Avoid the heat:
  • Stay in air conditioning, or not more than a ten-minute walk away from it.
  • Do not hike at low elevations after 10am.
  • Travel only on paved roads. If your vehicle breaks down, stay with your vehicle so you have shelter and can be found more easily.
• Know your limits and acclimatize to heat.
• Avoid the sun:
  • Seek shade during the hottest time of the day.
  • Wear a hat and consider carrying an umbrella.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Eat salty snacks.

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