
Hiker dies, 4 rescued after heat-related emergency in Arizona's Gold Canyon
A hiker died Sunday in the Arizona desert, where temperatures had soared to unseasonable heights, according to emergency responders and local news reports.
The man died after hiking in Gold Canyon, at the base of Arizona's Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix, CBS News affiliate AZ Family reported, citing the Pinal County Sheriff's Office. Fired crews said he suffered a seizure and cardiac arrest. He was 33 years old.
The sheriff's office told AZ Family that deputies received a call from five hikers. One of them, the man who later died, became unresponsive after six hours on the trail. Several others in the group were also suffering from heat-related issues and said they had run out of water, according to AZ Family. Weather reports show temperatures in the area peaked at around 100 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday.
By the time deputies arrived at the scene, the hiker who had fallen unconscious was confirmed dead, the news outlet reported. Life-saving measures were performed multiple times to try to revive him, but they were unsuccessful.
The Pinal County Medical Examiner will determine the hiker's cause of death, but foul play is not suspected, AZ Family reported. CBS News contacted the Pinal County Sheriff's Office for more information.
All other hikers in the group were rescued by emergency crews but refused transport to the hospital, according to the Superstition Fire and Medical District, which responded alongside Pinal County authorities during the incident.
13:01 5/11/25 SFMD, along with assistance from @mesafiredept and @pinalcountysheriff responded to a 1st alarm Mountain... Posted by Superstition Fire & Medical District on Sunday, May 11, 2025
"As temperatures climb, so does the risk. Heat illness can set in fast, even for experienced hikers," officials said in a Facebook post, noting that summertime temperatures in Arizona can reach 110 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. In those conditions, "heat exhaustion or heat stroke can occur in under an hour," they warned.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Associated Press
19 hours ago
- Associated Press
Experts call for action to prevent deaths at US police academies, citing AP investigation
A panel of experts called Wednesday for policy and cultural changes to prevent deaths linked to heat and exertion at the nation's police academies, and insisted that urgent action is needed to save the lives of recruits. The National Athletic Trainers' Association and the Public Safety Athletic Trainers Society convened the discussion in response to an Associated Press investigation that documented the deaths of at least 29 recruits over the last decade. The groups are drafting new guidance detailing best practices. AP found that most recruits died of exertion, dehydration, heatstroke and other conditions tied to intense exercise — often on the first day of training, during grueling defensive tactics drills or after high-stakes timed runs on hot days. Black recruits represented nearly 60% of those who died, a striking disparity given that federal data show Black officers make up 12% of local police forces. Many carried sickle cell trait, a condition most prevalent among Black Americans that increases the risk of serious injury following extreme exertion. Academies should begin screening applicants for the trait, a simple $75 test that has helped drastically reduce deaths among NCAA athletes, said Traci Tauferner, an athletic trainer who has worked for years with police officers. The screening would not disqualify applicants but rather give them and their instructors information they need to take precautions and monitor warning signs, she said. Academies must train instructors to recognize signs of heat stroke and sickle cell complications, create a culture where recruits can report concerns without retaliation, enforce hydration protocols, and modify training based on temperatures, she said. 'We cannot let these things slide,' said Tauferner, a member of a committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, which also is studying the issue. She said academies should review their exercises to ensure they reflect what officers have to perform on the job, calling a widely used 1.5-mile run 'not a really relevant standard.' Tens of thousands of police recruits who attend academies annually are uniquely vulnerable because of the stress and physical demands they face with varying levels of staff and medical oversight, said Anna August, athletic trainer for the Fairfax County Police Department in Virginia. She noted that no national standards govern academy training, which varies dramatically based on state laws and local practices. 'The task of preventing recruit injury or death sometimes slips through the cracks, and it's not because the instructors are neglectful,' she said. 'But they're overtasked a lot of times, and they don't have the preventive medical training to recognize something like an exertional heat illness.' Separately, a group that sets standards for law enforcement academies worldwide is working to develop new guidance aimed at preventing recruit deaths, its deputy director said Wednesday. The guidance will likely include standards on the type of medical personnel academies should have on scene to respond to injuries and the training instructors receive on health risks, said Brian Grisham, of the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training. The group will consider recommending new minimum fitness standards for recruits when they enter and exit the academy and guidelines for pre-academy medical screening, he said. Grisham said his organization is trying to find consensus in a working group that includes the police chiefs' association, the leading accreditation commission for departments, and medical personnel who work in law enforcement. 'I think the goal is to make any improvement. If we can save even a small percentage, we're doing something worthwhile,' he said. 'The goal is to come up with some uniformity.' Grisham noted that while some academies have athletic trainers or paramedics on site to respond quickly to injuries during physical training, many do not. One recommendation, he said, could be increasing the use of athletic trainers, who have skills to prevent and respond to injuries.


Medscape
a day ago
- Medscape
New Optic Nerve Criteria May Speed MS Diagnosis
PHOENIX — Historically, optic nerve involvement has been excluded from multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnostic criteria, but its inclusion in the upcoming 2024 McDonald Diagnostic Criteria is expected to significantly accelerate the time to definitive diagnosis in patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). Driven by advances in imaging protocols and the evidence that it improves diagnostic specificity, 'the optic nerve will now be included as a fifth topography,' said Peter Calabresi, MD, director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore. Although this is just one change from the 2017 McDonald Diagnostic Criteria aimed at facilitating diagnosis, those involved in the 2024 revisions consider the addition of this fifth topographical sign among the most significant, said writing committee members Calabresi and Jiwon Oh, MD, PhD, medical director of the Barlo Multiple Sclerosis Program at St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto. Specifically, optic nerve lesions will make it easier to fulfill the dissemination in space (DIS) principle, a pivotal concept for delivering a diagnosis of MS in patients with CIS, said Calabresi at a May 29 symposium here at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) 2025 Annual Meeting. Context Still Key Citing several studies published since 2017, Calabresi noted that incorporating optic nerve lesions into the DIS criteria increases diagnostic sensitivity to over 90% compared to the four existing DIS signs — periventricular, spinal cord, infratentorial, and cortical/juxtacortical. In one study, sensitivity increased from 85% to 95%. Under the revised criteria, optic nerve lesions may be documented using MRI, optical coherence tomography (OCT), or visual evoked potentials (VEP). Calabresi noted that patients meeting all four of the existing 2017 DIS criteria already demonstrate near 100% specificity for MS. While adding a fifth topographical site cannot improve specificity, it will make it easier to detect evidence of DIS across at least four regions and make a diagnosis when combined with other criteria. Several challenging case studies were employed to illustrate his point. This included a 47-year-old woman presenting with isolated optic neuritis and a 31-year-old woman presenting with ataxia. Neither would have been diagnosed with MS on the basis of the 2017 criteria, but both would meet the 2024 criteria due to the involvement of the optic nerve. Like other MS diagnostic criteria, the fifth topographical sign is relevant only in context, not in isolation, Calabresi said. For MRI, the definition is expected to require one or more topical short-segment intrinsic optic nerve lesions when there is no better explanation. For example, prominent chiasmal involvement or perineuritis would not allow for inclusion of definite optic nerve involvement. For OCT, the signs of MS-related optic nerve involvement include significant asymmetry in the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer or ganglion cell and inner plexiform layer (GCIPL). GCIPL thickness below the lower limits of normal is also an acceptable sign. However, a better explanation for these changes must be explicitly ruled out. An abnormal VEP suggesting optic nerve involvement depends on significant intraocular asymmetry or a peak time exceeding 100 microseconds — above the upper limit of normal — in the absence of a better explanation. Better Outcomes? Whether or not optic nerve DIS involvement is demonstrated, the new criteria 'do not mandate anything about treatment,' Calabresi said. This is a separate issue even if it is reasonable to anticipate a better outcome from a faster diagnosis when an earlier start of disease-modifying therapy reduces tissue damage and future disability. The transition to evaluating the optic nerve as a means of establishing an MS diagnosis may not be entirely smooth, said Calabresi. 'The challenges will involve the added demand on radiology,' Calabresi said. He also expressed concern about a learning curve for documenting optic nerve involvement either by MRI, OCT, or VEP, each of which involves precise interpretation. 'Everything is dependent on quality control,' he said. With OCT, for example, Calabresi noted that the ability to confirm optic nerve involvement depends on knowing and employing the established cutoffs for what qualifies as a likely MS-related lesion, a step that is at least somewhat technique-dependent. As examples, Calabresi mentioned the critical performance of using adequate light and ruling out artefacts. However, he noted that even though the new McDonald Diagnostic Criteria are expected to improve sensitivity and specificity, it 'will not take away from the importance of thorough clinical evaluation.' New Evidence When the 2010 McDonald Diagnostic Criteria were issued, the concept of DIS was already established. It was not until 2017 that cortical lesions were added as a fourth topography. In 2017, there was also extensive discussion about the value of optic nerve involvement as a fifth topography based, at least in part, on 2016 consensus guidelines from MRI in MS (MAGNIMS), a European network dedicated to the study of MS through MRI. Ultimately, optic nerve involvement was not included due to uncertainty about how much involvement would improve sensitivity and because of unresolved questions about the optimal use of MRI, OCT, and VEP. The optic nerve was included in the current iteration of the criteria because the evidence has evolved, said Calabresi. The bottom line is the addition of optical nerve topography to DIS means patients with CIS will be far more likely to be diagnosed immediately,' agreed Oh, who joined Calabresi during the CMSC symposium. Her own focus is on other new markers of MS that will be included in the new criteria, including documentation of the central vein sign and paramagnetic rim lesions on MRI, as well as the addition of the optic nerve in DIS. 'For clinicians, the new criteria will be a lot to take in, but I think they will allow more patients with signs and symptoms to receive a diagnosis of MS,' said Oh, in particular patients who receive a diagnosis of CIS or radiologically isolated syndrome without knowing if they have progressive disease.


Associated Press
2 days ago
- Associated Press
EY US names Tribal Health CEO Morgan Haynes as an Entrepreneur of the Year® 2025 Pacific Southwest Award finalist
Entrepreneur of the Year celebrates ambitious entrepreneurs who are shaping the future 'Morgan's relentless pursuit of healthcare excellence on Indigenous lands has made a transformative impact across patient outcomes and our service communities. '— Ashley Sanders, CFO SCOTTSDALE, AZ, UNITED STATES, June 10, 2025 / / -- Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) announced the finalists for the prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year 2025 Pacific Southwest Award. Now in its 40th year, the Entrepreneur of the Year program celebrates the bold leaders who disrupt their industries through groundbreaking achievements while making a profound impact on their communities. The program honors bold entrepreneurs whose innovations shape the future and pave the way for a thriving economy and a hopeful tomorrow. An independent panel of judges selected Tribal Health CEO Morgan Haynes for her entrepreneurial spirit, strength of purpose, and her lasting impact in driving year-over-year growth. 'We founded Tribal Health to bring exceptional healthcare to underserved Tribal nations,' said Haynes. 'From making a meaningful impact in Indigenous health to watching our momentum grow, entrepreneurship has been a challenging, exciting, and rewarding endeavor. On behalf of our incredible team spanning more than 37 states, I'm honored to receive such prestigious recognition. It's made all the more significant by the impressive caliber of my fellow finalists.' Entrepreneur of the Year honors business leaders for their ingenuity, courage and entrepreneurial spirit. The program celebrates original founders who bootstrapped their business from inception or who raised outside capital to grow their company; transformational CEOs who infused innovation into an existing organization to catapult its trajectory; and multigenerational family business leaders who reimagined a legacy business model to build a stronger future. 'Our financial growth and industry success is a testament to Morgan's leadership,' said Ashley Sanders, Chief Financial Officer at Tribal Heath. 'Her relentless pursuit of healthcare excellence on Indigenous lands has made a transformative impact across patient outcomes and our service communities. Because of her dedication, we have significantly expanded our capabilities and developed new healthcare staffing solutions that drive clinical improvements and operational stability. In fostering a culture of innovation across all aspects of Indigenous healthcare, her entrepreneurial journey has been an inspiration to us all.' Haynes, along with other pacific southwest regional finalists, was recognized on June 6 during a special celebration announcing the award winners in San Diego. About Entrepreneur of the Year Founded in 1986, Entrepreneur of the Year has celebrated more than 11,000 ambitious visionaries who are leading successful, dynamic businesses in the US, and it has since expanded to nearly 60 countries globally. The US program consists of 17 regional programs whose panels of independent judges select the regional award winners every June. Those winners compete for national recognition at the Strategic Growth Forum® in November where National finalists and award winners are announced. The overall National winner represents the US at the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year™ competition. Visit About Tribal Health Tribal Health provides emergency medicine, critical care, specialty, primary and behavioral health care as well as consulting and staffing services to Tribal and federal healthcare facilities nationwide. The only organization of its kind, Tribal Health is committed to transforming Native American and Indigenous communities from within, improving access to care, creating health care career opportunities, empowering providers, and delivering high quality, culturally sensitive care that is tailored to Indigenous needs. Learn more at About EY EY is building a better working world by creating new value for clients, people, society and the planet, while building trust in capital markets. Enabled by data, AI and advanced technology, EY teams help clients shape the future with confidence and develop answers for the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow. EY teams work across a full spectrum of services in assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions. Fueled by sector insights, a globally connected, multi-disciplinary network and diverse ecosystem partners, EY teams can provide services in more than 150 countries and territories. All in to shape the future with confidence. EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws. For more information about our organization, please visit Valerie Fenyn Tribal Health + 16022064847 email us here Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.