Beware of Snakes. They bite!

Being bitten by a snake in Australia is a genuine risk and a scary event worthwhile preparing for.

Australia has the most venomous snakes in the world. We have approximately 3000 bites per year, around 200 to 500 will receive antivenom. Sadly, one or two will be fatal. In just the last two months there have been five emergency hospitalisations.

What To Do* (in the case of a breathing, conscious patient):

• Sit the patient in a comfortable and safe area
• Minimise movement
• Call for help
• Remove jewellry
• Cover the wound
• As soon as possible, apply a compression bandage. Start firmly bandaging from above the bite site and bandage down, then bandage up to the torso (groin or armpit)
• Usually two or three large elastic crepe bandages will be needed
• Check circulation is not cut off by squeezing a toe or finger and making sure the colour returns within a few seconds
• Splint if possible to further immobilise the affected limb
• Note the time by writing on bandage
• Mark the location of the bite on the bandage so it is easy for the hospital staff to locate

What Not To Do:

• Do not try to capture or kill the snake
• Do not suck the venom from the wound
• Do not wipe or wash the wound. The hospital will swab the wound to determine which anti-venom to use
• Do not elevate the bitten limb

Keep a First Aid Kit with snakebite cover or a specific Snake Bite Kit in the house, 4WD, Caravan. These should contain a Dressing, 3 x Heavy Crepe Bandages, a Pen, and a Thermal Blanket.
The First Aid Kits Australia Snake Bite Kit is available at: www.firstaidkits.com.au/snake-bite-kit

A word of warning:

It is concerning that we have companies selling products in Australia as useful methods of snakebite treatment offer no efficacy, have the potential to exacerbate the rate of envenomation, and/or may expose the first aider to ingesting the venom.  Do Not Use suction systems to treat a snakebite and Do Not use your mouth to try to suck the venom from a victim.

*Note: this is a guide not formal advice. Consider completing First Aid training or updating your skills if you haven’t recently

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