As temperatures climb in the Valley, the Phoenix Fire Department is rolling out new tools to help keep hikers cool.
Ice coolers have been installed at the base of the trails at Camelback Mountain and Piestewa Peak, allowing firefighters to cool patients more quickly during heat-related rescues.
The program is in collaboration with the city’s Parks and Recreation Department and the Office of Heat Response and Mitigation. In 2024, the Fire Department responded to more than 1,400 calls for heat emergencies, according to the city’s 2025 heat response plan.
Over the last two years, the department launched an ice immersion technique for individuals in heat distress after testing the method in the summer of 2023 and seeing significant success.
Individuals with body temperatures exceeding 104 degrees Fahrenheit and showing signs of cognitive impairment may be placed in a human-sized rapid cooling body bag filled with about five to seven bags of ice. The non-permeable bag retains the cold water as the ice melts, helping maintain a low body temperature.
“So having these coolers here readily stocked makes a big difference in patient treatment and ultimately their outcomes,” Fire Capt. John Prato said in a social media video announcing the new coolers.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: New ice coolers installed near popular Phoenix hiking trails