DEATH VALLEY, Calif. – A man was rescued after suffering full-thickness burns on his feet at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley National Park last weekend
Park rangers believe the man (42, from Belgium) was taking a short walk on the sand dunes when he lost his shoes. Due to communication challenges, park rangers were not able to determine if his flip flops broke or were lost in sand. The ground temperature would have been much hotter that air temperature, which was around 123°F.
The man’s family called for help and recruited other park visitors who carried the man to the parking lot.
Park rangers determined the man needed to be transported to a hospital quickly due to his burns and pain level. Mercy Air’s helicopter was not able to safely land in Death Valley due to extreme temperatures, so park rangers transported the man in an ambulance to a landing zone at higher elevation. Mercy Air then transported the man to University Medical Center in Las Vegas.