What is the treatment for a snake bite?
It’s that time of year when snakes warm up and start moving around again, and when people are spending more recreational time outside, a combination that can lead to close encounters of the venomous kind. Australia is home to about 110 land snake species and about 32 sea snakes. However, 21 of the 25 most venomous snakes in the world inhabit our wide brown land. Death adders, taipans, brown snakes, copperheads and tiger snakes are all classed as extremely venomous. Fortunately, death from snake bite is rare, in spite of around 3,000 snake bite reports each year – on average, fewer than 5 fatalities annually. Around the Sunshine Coast, from Caloundra to Noosa on the coast, and from Caboolture to Nambour inland, the most commonly encountered suburban snakes are:
Non-venomous: coastal carpet python, common tree snake·
Mildly venomous: white crowned snake·
Potentially dangerous: yellow faced whip snake·
Highly venomous: red bellied black snake, eastern brown snake.
TREATMENT FOR SNAKE BITE
Ensure the safety of everyone. Call the ambulance on triple zero (000).
Treat immediately:
Immobilisation – keep the person still and as calm as possible to slow the spread of the venom.
Pressure – apply firm pressure on the bite. For bites on limbs, apply pressure bandages, and splint the limb to restrict movement; make the bite site on the bandage (this helps the paramedics and doctors). If the bite is not on a limb, apply firm direct pressure on the bite site.
If cardiac arrest occurs, provide cardio pulmonary resuscitation.
Record as much information as you can – time of the bite, description of the snake, time the bandage was applied.
Allens Training provides free downloadable first aid charts, including a chart for snake bite (and funnel web spider bite), which lists the snake bite signs and symptoms, and provides step-by-step the pressure immobilisation technique (PIT).
Allens Training also sells snake and funnel web spider bite first aid kits from our training centres at Birtinya and Goulburn and from our online shop.
Provide First Aid courses, which include a segment on venomous bites and stings, are run regularly at our Birtinya (Kawana) training centre and at our Goulburn Facility.
To book into your next first aid course, please book online into one of our public courses or phone 1300 559 064.
