Two women are teaming up to educate the public about dangers of hiking and recreating outdoors, particularly during the summer months. Both women are from Arizona, and both of them lost their brothers from preventable but tragic accidents. In an interview with local news, one woman describes how she was hiking with her brother when he went off trail and fell to his death. The other woman describes how her brother became dehydrated while dirt-bike riding on a trail and died as a result of heat-related illness.
The two women are sharing their stories, hoping they can prevent others from making the same mistakes. In both cases, the men were doing things that a lot of people do—leaving the trail for a thrill or trying to push through dangerous heat. Unfortunately, a lot can go wrong quickly in the wilderness, even to those who are fit, smart, and experienced.
[RELATED: Family of 11 Rescued From Closed Trail in Extreme Arizona Heat]
While hiking, biking, trail running, mountain biking, and doing other activities outside this summer, please stay on the trail and be aware of the common signs and symptoms of dehydration. These include headache, dark-colored urine, dry mouth and lips, feeling thirsty, lightheadedness, and feeling tired. If you experience these symptoms, begin rehydrating immediately to keep your dehydration from becoming a life-threatening emergency.
Watch an interview with the two women who are teaming up to spread the word about hiking dangers and hiking safety here:
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