A group of female friends in their 80s almost died after getting stuck in a hot tub during a getaway, with the temperature of its waters making them seriously-ill.
The trouble began after the unidentified friends booked a vacation to the remote wilderness of Campton in Wolfe County, deep in the Appalachian Plateau of Eastern Kentucky.
On spotting the hot tub, the friends decided to get in to relax after a busy day of catching up. But disaster soon struck.
Two of the women could not get out of the tub because of pre-existing health issues and started overheating to a point where they became hypothermic, according to the Wolfe County Search and Rescue Team (WCSART).
Hyperthermia is when the body’s core temperature exceeds its normal level, leading to anything from a heat rash to a potentially fatal heat stroke, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The women trapped in the hot water became unresponsive, with one of their panicked friends getting into the tub to hold their heads above water. A fourth group member urgently dialed 911.
Members of the WCSART and police officers rushed to the scene to save the suffering vacationers. Caretakers at the cabin also intervened.
By the time WCSART arrived, the caretakers had already dragged the women out of the tub.
Wolfe Country rescuers in Eastern Kentucky rushed to a vacation rental where multiple elderly women had gotten stuck in a hot tub and begun to pass out from the heat
‘One was partially responsive while the other was completely unresponsive and in critical condition,’ the WCSART wrote.
The woman in dire condition was hauled to a shower where emergency officials poured freezing water and ice on her to cool her off.
The victim in a less severe state was first taken indoors, where first responders gave her cold compresses.
But the WCSART determined the compresses were not effectively lowering her body temperature, so they took her back outside and sprayed her with a hose spewing cold water.
After about 20 to 30 minutes of ‘cold-water immersion,’ both women were conscious and stable enough to be transferred to a hospital for further treatment and observation.
The WCSART said the Wednesday call, which they received at around 8:40pm, ‘proved to be a first for us.’
They wanted to share the shocking story to raise awareness of how an activity meant to help people unwind can lead to serious injuries.
‘Hot tubs offer a fantastic way to relax but always remember to limit soak times,’ the team wrote.
Emergency officials have used the unusual ordeal to exemplify the dangers of the relaxing activity (pictured: the post shared by the WCSRT)
People should only lounge in a hot tub for 15 to 30 minutes at a time, according to the statement.
Officials also warned that people must consider whether they will be able to exit the tub once they get in it, especially if they have a disability.
‘Hyperthermia and Heatstroke can be fatal, and this story could have ended much differently without the quick thinking of all those involved with this rescue,’ the group wrote.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the WCSART and the Wolfe County Sheriff’s Office for further comment.