Pima County Sheriff's deputies rescued an ailing hiker Wednesday afternoon at Tanque Verde Falls.
According to deputy Ryan Inglett, the victim is a man suffering from a heat-related illness in the upper falls area.
A friend with the hiker says they each had about one to two bottles of water with them.
Sergeant Erick Maldonado with PCSD's Search and Rescue team says the hiker was about two miles in with friends.
"His friend had called in on his behalf and said his buddy was experiencing some significant dehydration issues," he said. "He was vomiting, felt dizzy, felt like he couldn't walk or stand on his own."
Hiker rescued at Tanque Verde Falls. Hiker's friend tells me they each had about 1-2 bottles of water with them @kgun9 pic.twitter.com/pfuyG6vYWG
— Priscilla KGUN9 (@PriscillaCasper) June 7, 2017
Search and rescue helped the man to safety.
Sgt. Maldonado says with the current heat wave, the department is experiencing more rescue missions.
"We are one of the busiest counties, if not the busiest in the state of Arizona for search and rescue missions," he said.
He says last year they had 231 search and rescue operations and are on the same pace for that record -- if not beat it.
He advises anyone planning on hiking to hydrate 24-48 hours in advance, pack enough food and water for the entire day, give someone your itinerary and always hike with a friend.
