Originally Posted By: jshannon
Wilderness Snakebite Protocol

1. Scene safety
2. Take photo of snake from 6 feet away if possible
3. Keep victim calm
4. Remove constricting clothing and jewelry
5. Cleanse wound and apply sterile dressing
6. Splint body part as if fractured, in neutral position
7. Maintain hydration and monitor swelling
8. DO NOT give aspirin or NSAIDS for pain control
9. Evacuate: if close to trailhead and minor symptoms, slowly walk out; if hours from trailhead or severe symptoms, keep victim at rest with body part at or below level of heart, fill out incident report form and send someone for help


I heartily agree with the above. It also matches my WFR training. What most people don't think about is the identification of the snake - if it is a common rattlesnake the venom will be painful but probably not life threatening but if you were bit by one of the many deadlier snakes, it's ID would be crucial to administering the correct anti-venom when you get to primary care. From what I understand, anti-venom is stored in a freeze dried form and reconstituted for immediate single shot use. It is usually species specific but there are some polyvalent types of anti-venom as well. (Please correct me if I'm wrong).

Something that I picked up from the Google video by Robert Nielson is that immature snake MAY inject you with more venom than an adult because they haven't yet got the ability to moderate the amount. A snake ID picture may also help you in identifying that potential.

FWIW, I think some spiders like the brown recluse are much more deadly than a typical rattlesnake but then I've never been bitten by either.

[Ever watch Snakes on a Plane? There are SO MANY things wrong with that show, I don't know where to begin... BUT it is hilarious entertainment!]