LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A man from Belgium needed to be rescued at Death Valley National Park after losing his shoes and seriously burning his feet on sand dunes.
On Saturday, it was 123 degrees at the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in the park when the 42-year-old victim took a short walk on the sand dunes. Because of the language difference, rescuers were not able to determine if the man's flip-flops broke or were lost in the sand.
"The ground temperature would have been much hotter than air temperature," park rangers said in a news release.
The man's family called for help and other park visitors carried the man to the parking lot to wait for help.
The victim needed to be taken to the hospital quickly due to his pain level and the severity of his full-thickness burns.
Because it was so hot, a rescue helicopter was not able to land. The victim was then taken by ambulance to a higher elevation where the temperature was cooler at 109. He was then taken to University Medical Center in Las Vegas.
"Park rangers recommend that summer travelers to Death Valley National Park stay within a 10-minute walk of an air-conditioned vehicle, not hike after 10 am, drink plenty of water, eat salty snacks, and wear a hat and sunscreen," park rangers said.
