First responders were busy today with multiple people suffering from heat exposure. In addition to the Devils Kitchen rescue, other weather related dispatches included another hiker in a trailhead parking lot, and a UPS driver that was overheated and feeling faint.
From the Grand Junction Fire Department:
Today at 10:37 a.m. The Grand Junction Fire Department responded to the Devil’s Kitchen trailhead for a distressed hiker. The caller to 9-1-1 reported a patient who had fainted but was conscious possibly suffering from heat-related illness and in need of assistance getting back to the trailhead. The responding crews located the patient and used a basket to quickly carry the patient to the road for medical aid.
The National Weather Service has posted a heat advisory that will go into effect Friday, July 12th from 10 a.m. until Saturday, July 13th until 9 p.m. Temperatures from 100 to 106 degrees are expected.
Heat-related illness encompasses a range of conditions caused by excessive exposure to high temperatures, often exacerbated by high humidity and strenuous physical activity. These illnesses include heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and the most severe, heat stroke. Symptoms can range from mild, such as muscle cramps and sweating, to severe, including dizziness, nausea, confusion, and unconsciousness.
Preventive measures include staying hydrated, wearing loose-fitting and light-colored clothing, taking breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas, and monitoring for early signs of heat stress to mitigate the risk of serious health outcomes.