A man was rescued from South Mountain Friday morning after a rattlesnake on the trail bit him.
Capt. Rob McDade of the Phoenix Fire Department said the man, who is in his 50s, was hoisted off the mountain with the department's helicopter. He was complaining of feeling dizzy and weak, but was alert and talking.
McDade said the man is an experienced hiker and was near the top of the mountain when the snake bit the leg.
"Obviously with a rattlesnake bite you never know with the venom, how fast it's going to work. It really affects people differently, so we knew we needed to get this individual off the mountain as soon as possible," McDade said. Because the hiker was so high up on the mountain, crews decided to use a helicopter to get him down and into an ambulance as fast as possible. McDade said a woman who was nearby heard him call out for help and helped call 911 because he was dizzy and disoriented.