Boy scouts, family of Cody Flom put up signs warning of heat dangers

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - A warning sign was placed at the trailhead of the Sonoran Preserve in honor of a friend and loved one.

"We just finished installing it this morning and we're just dedicating it to Cody Flom," said Matthew Harwood, a boy scout.

In July of 2016 on a 110-degree day, 12-year-old Cody Flom was hiking with his mother's boyfriend on the trail when Cody collapsed. He later died at the hospital.

Harwood, a friend of Cody's and a boy scout, teamed up with the city of Phoenix to install the warning signs.

"We don't want something like that to happen again so this sign is being installed to specifically warn hikers about the dangers. It's not a static sign, it actually changes with the wether to let people know how dangerous it is," Hardwood said.

"Personally, every time it starts to get warm here, I start to feel on my own skin, I kind of put myself in that place and of course it hurts and it's hard," said Brian Flom, Cody's father.

Flom is hopeful these signs serve as a reminder that the Arizona heat can be deadly.

"It's our natural disaster here. The heat. And I think we need to be smart about the way we educate people that come and visit and our own population," Flom said.

"Cody was a really amazing scout. I saw a lot of myself in him. He inspired me to do this project because I was with him, I think. And the troop hasn't really been the same without him, but we're moving forward and I'm really happy I got to do this in his memory," Harwood said.

The boy scouts hope to place similar warning signs at other trailheads in the future.