GPS coordinates lead helicopter and rescuers to victim of heat exhaustion in Las Trampas

DANVILLE – A female patient suffering from heat exhaustion was airlifted Wednesday afternoon rescuers used GPS coordinates to locate her on Las Trampas Ridge.

At around 4:00 pm Monday afternoon, firefighters from the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District were dispatched to a report of a hiker in distress due to heat on Las Trampas Ridge, according to Battalion Chief Dan McNamara.

Due to poor cell reception, the San Ramon Valley 911 Communications Center relayed the patient’s last known GPS coordinates to rescuers, McNamara said.

A CHP helicopter used the coordinates to locate the patient and direct firefighters to her location on the mountain.

McNamara said firefighters provided advanced life support care to the patient before transferring her to the awaiting helicopter on the mountain.

The CHP helicopter airlifted the patient to San Ramon Valley High School where she was transferred to an awaiting ambulance that took her to a local hospital.