A CBP Air and Marine Operations helicopter aircrew teamed up with Border Patrol agents to rescue two U.S. citizens who became overwhelmed by the heat on an Arizona desert mountain. After initial life-saving treatment by Border Patrol agents, the aircrew hoisted the couple from the mountain and transported them to a hospital for additional evaluation and treatment.
On Monday afternoon at about 1:10 p.m. officials with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Tucson Border Patrol Station to request help in locating two people who requested immediate medical assistance near Montana Peak. The couple, both U.S. citizens reported symptoms of heat exhaustion and dehydration, according to information received from CBP officials on Friday.
Tucson Station agents responded to the area and began to climb to Montana Peak on foot. Additional agents followed with medical equipment. The agents contacted the Arizona Air Coordination Center who dispatched a Blackhawk helicopter crew from the Tucson Air Branch.
By 2:55 p.m., Border Patrol agents including an EMT-trained agent arrived and began taking care of the man and the woman. The agents provided shade from the heat with a tarp and began pouring cold water from their personal water carriers over the couple to cool them down. The EMT began IV fluid treatment to hydrate the patients.
The Blackhawk AMO aircrew arrived overhead by about 3:45 p.m. and assessed the situation. Because of the steep terrain, a landing was not possible so the aircrew lowered an AMO EMT and a Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue (BORSTAR) agent by hoist to the surface below.
The team “packaged” the man and woman to be hoisted from the mountain surface and the aircrew extracted them. Due to the dire condition of the patients, the aircrew flew the couple to the Banner University Medical Center for evaluation and treatment.
“CBP’s Border Patrol and Air and Marine agents operate daily in the extreme terrain and excessive heat conditions so common in southern Arizona; often with minimal regard for their own safety and well-being,” Tucson Sector Chief Patrol agent John Modlin said in a written statement. “Border Patrol agents will literally give up the own water off their backs to save a life knowing they still have to hike out of the remote terrain in 100 plus degree heat.”
Jose Muriente, Deputy Director of Air Operations, Tucson Air Branch added, “During the hot summer months people in the deserts of southern Arizona can quickly succumb to the heat.”
“In this case, the man and woman were able to realize the situation they were in and contact emergency services and CBP was able to respond to the situation,” Director Muriente said. “All too often, people wait too long to call for help.”
So far this fiscal year, which began on October 1, 2022, Border Patrol agents rescued more than 24,000 people. AMO agents added 115 rescues to the count, according to official reports from CBP.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.