Never let anyone tell you working at a golf course doesn’t have its hazards. Excessive UV exposure, dehydration, heat stroke. All par for the course, if you’ll excuse the expression. Then you have the native flora and fauna. Poison ivy, falling trees, ticks, snakes, gators and, as one unfortunate Arizona golf course worker discovered this weekend, bees.
On Saturday at Pebblebrook Golf Course, a maintenance worker had to be rescued by the local fire department after encountering a beehive while working on the course. According to the Arizona Fire and Medical Authority, as firefighters armed with bee hoods and turnouts approached, they initially thought the victim was covered in grass clippings. As they got closer they realized it was bees. Officials say he was stung 2,000 times.
After subduing the insects with foam, they were able to rescue the victim, said to be in his 50s, and transport him to a local hospital. He remained there as of Monday morning. As for the bees, a beekeeper was called in to control them and relocate the swarm. The AFMA says this was the 6th bee-related incident they’ve responded to so far in 2023.
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