ATCEMS sees spike in rescue calls in June
AUSTIN, Texas - A lot of people are hitting the trails now that pandemic restrictions have eased up, but more hikers have also brought more calls for help.
Rescues from difficult locations like one from a deep ravine in March have kept first responders busy according to ATCEMS Commander Craig Smith.
"Everybody wants to go out and have a good time, but people who are not used to it, are a little bit behind in the dehydration curve, they may not know exactly what they are getting into," said Smith.
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The number of rescues has trended up from this spring. "Actually seeing the numbers, it's kind of startling to know exactly how many we are running," said Smith.
So far in June, there have been 20 rescues linked to outdoor activities; among them were six biking injuries, five falls with one fatal fall, a dog bite, one person passing out, and an incident involving a paraglider.
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Hot temperatures are a norm in Central Texas and the best part of dealing with the heat are the many bodies of water around town and spots nearby them. FOX 7 Austin's Tierra Neubaum got some details on how to get prepared for a day at the park.
High-angle rescue gear is always ready, even though every call for help is unique. Preparing for the worst, hoping for the best said Smith. "A guy once told me you have to have faith in nylon, if you are going to dangle on a rope that’s made on nylon fibers, hundreds of feet in the air, you've got to be committed," he said.
What may be the craziest call out of the month happened Wednesday. At least two people were spotted on the main arch of the Pennybacker Bridge. They ran off when authorities arrived according to Hunter Proffitt who recorded the dangerous stunt.
"There's been some crazy things up here, just unexpected," said Proffitt.
Climbing on top of a bridge is something you obviously don’t want to do. The advice for staying safe on the trails is also pretty simple: wear proper shoes and clothing and bring water and a fully charged cell phone.
Those are some easy rules that the Mendez family brought with them to a popular green belt. The kids each had hats, and the youngest, Charles explained why he liked his floppy wide-brim hat. "Our necks don’t get sunburned… It covers everything," he said.
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Before hitting the trail there's one other important thing to remember.
"When you don’t know where you are at, and you are going into someplace, and you start at a point, and you walk for several hours, and now you are in trouble, and you don’t know where you are, that becomes an issue, it’s difficult to find you, if you don’t know where you are, it's hard for us to know where you are either," said Smith.
First responders say it’s also important to be mindful of snakes while out on hikes, and even in your own backyard.