First Aid for a Snakebite

Snakes generally try to avoid people, but bites can happen when someone surprises a snake, steps near it, or reaches into a place where it is hiding. Scouts and leaders may encounter snakes while hiking, camping, moving firewood, completing service projects, or exploring outdoors.

It can be difficult to tell whether a snake is venomous. Do not wait for symptoms or spend valuable time trying to identify the snake. Treat an unknown or possibly venomous snakebite as a medical emergency and call 911.

• Move Away From the Snake
• Call 911 Immediately
• Keep the Person Calm and Still
• Remove Tight Items
• Care for the Bite
• Watch for Warning Signs
• Do Not Use Outdated Snakebite Remedies
• Should You Photograph the Snake?
• A Note About Pressure Immobilization
• Snakebites in Remote Areas
• What If the Snake Is Nonvenomous?
• Preventing Snakebites
• Prepare Before the Outing
• Remember the Essential Steps

First, make sure the scene is safe. Move the injured person beyond the snake’s striking distance. Stay calm and watch where you step.

Do not approach, corner, catch, or kill the snake. A snake can strike again, and even a dead snake may still be dangerous. Your goal is to prevent another bite—not to bring the snake to the hospital.

Once everyone is safe, obtain permission to help and put on disposable gloves if you will touch the wound.

Call 911 for any known or possible venomous snakebite. The American Red Cross recommends calling 911 for any snakebite rather than delaying care while deciding whether the snake was dangerous.

Tell the dispatcher:

• Your exact location
• When the bite happened
• Where the person was bitten
• The person’s current symptoms
• Whether you are on a road, trail, or remote property
• The best way for rescuers to reach you

Follow the dispatcher’s instructions. Do not allow the injured person to drive because a snakebite may cause dizziness, weakness, confusion, or loss of consciousness.

Poison Help is also available in the United States at 1-800-222-1222. Poison Control can provide expert guidance, but calling Poison Control should not delay calling 911 or beginning an emergency evacuation.

Have the person sit or lie down in a safe place. Keep the bitten arm or leg still in a neutral, comfortable position. Avoid unnecessary movement because activity can increase circulation and may cause venom to spread more quickly.

Do not allow the person to walk unless there is no safe alternative. If you are in a remote area, ask the emergency dispatcher how to handle evacuation. A slow, organized rescue is safer than rushing and causing another injury.

Reassure the person. Speak calmly and explain that emergency help has been called. Prompt medical treatment, including antivenom when needed, can greatly improve the outcome.

Swelling may develop quickly after a venomous snakebite. Remove anything that could become tight around the injured area, including:

• Rings
• Watches
• Bracelets
• Tight footwear
• Tight sleeves or pant legs

Remove these items gently. Do not cause unnecessary movement or delay transportation.

If it will not delay emergency care, gently wash the bite with soap and water. Cover it with a clean, dry dressing. Do not wrap the dressing tightly.

Keep the person comfortably warm, but do not overheat them. Continue checking breathing, responsiveness, skin color, and overall condition.

If trained to do so, note the edge of visible swelling and the time. This information may help medical professionals understand how quickly the reaction is progressing. Do not press hard on the area or repeatedly handle the wound.

A snakebite may leave one or more puncture marks, but fang marks are not always easy to see. The absence of obvious punctures does not prove that the bite is harmless.

Possible signs of envenomation include:

• Pain, redness, or swelling
• Bruising or skin discoloration
• Nausea or vomiting
• Weakness or dizziness
• Numbness or tingling
• Unusual sweating or salivation
• Blurred vision
• Difficulty swallowing
• Trouble breathing
• Confusion or loss of responsiveness
• Signs of shock

Tell the emergency dispatcher about any changes. Be prepared to provide CPR or other appropriate care if the person becomes unresponsive and you are trained to do so.

Many traditional snakebite treatments are ineffective and can make the injury worse.

Do not:

• Apply a tourniquet.
• Cut or slash the bite.
• Attempt to suck out the venom.
• Use a commercial venom extractor.
• Apply ice or a cold pack.
• Immerse the bite in water.
• Apply electric shock.
• Use herbs, chemicals, or folk remedies.
• Give alcohol.
• Give medicine unless directed by a healthcare professional.
• Delay medical care while searching for the snake.

A tourniquet can completely restrict blood flow and cause serious tissue damage. Cutting or suction can injure the person without removing a meaningful amount of venom. Ice may also worsen tissue damage.

A description or photograph may help experts identify the snake, but identification is less important than safety and prompt treatment.

Take a photograph only if you can do so from a safe distance without approaching the snake. Do not chase it or move closer for a better picture.

Try to remember its color, markings, approximate length, head shape, and behavior. Give that information to emergency responders without claiming certainty.

Pressure immobilization uses an elastic bandage to slow the movement of some types of venom. It is not a general treatment for snakebites.

Do not use pressure immobilization after a bite from a pit viper, which includes rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cottonmouths. The American Red Cross states that trained rescuers may consider it for a suspected coral snakebite when transportation to a hospital will be prolonged.

Improper wrapping can interfere with circulation and cause additional harm. Scouts and untrained responders should not attempt this technique based only on written instructions. Follow current training and directions from emergency professionals.

Snakebite emergencies are especially challenging when a group is far from a road or medical facility. Every unit should have an emergency action plan before entering a remote area.

The plan should identify:

• How to contact emergency services
• The unit’s route and location
• Trail names and access points
• GPS coordinates when available
• The nearest appropriate medical facility
• Who will meet and guide rescuers
• How the rest of the group will be supervised
• Who has current first-aid training

Do not send the injured person walking toward help unless there is no safer option. If communication is unavailable, send responsible members of the group for help while trained leaders remain with the injured person. Follow Scouting supervision and buddy-system requirements.

A confirmed nonvenomous snakebite can usually be treated like another puncture wound. Wash it with soap and water, apply an appropriate first-aid ointment if permitted and no allergy is known, and cover it with a clean bandage.

Watch for increasing redness, warmth, swelling, pain, drainage, or fever. Snake mouths can carry bacteria, so even a nonvenomous bite may become infected. A healthcare professional should evaluate deep, contaminated, or worsening wounds and determine whether tetanus vaccination is current.

If the snake cannot be confidently identified, treat the bite as potentially venomous and call 911.

Most snakebites can be prevented by giving snakes space and paying attention to likely hiding places.

During Scout activities:

• Watch where you place your hands and feet.
• Step onto a log or rock before looking and stepping over it.
• Do not reach blindly into holes, brush, or rock crevices.
• Wear sturdy footwear and long pants in snake habitat.
• Wear heavy gloves when moving brush, boards, or firewood.
• Use a light when walking after dark.
• Shake out footwear and clothing before putting them on.
• Keep activity areas free from unnecessary clutter.
• Never tease, chase, touch, or attempt to catch a snake.
• Learn about the snakes found near the activity area.

If you see a snake, stop and give it a wide path. Alert others calmly and allow the snake to move away.

Leaders should research local hazards as part of activity planning. Know whether venomous snakes are present and when they are most active. Check communication coverage and identify how emergency services can reach the group.

Carry a stocked first-aid kit, but remember that no first-aid supply can neutralize venom. The most important responses are calling for help, keeping the person still, and arranging prompt medical care.

If someone is bitten by a snake:

Move away from the snake. Call 911. Keep the person calm and still. Remove tight items. Cover the bite with a clean, dry dressing. Avoid dangerous home remedies.

Reading about snakebite care does not replace hands-on first-aid training. Scouts and leaders should maintain current training and follow instructions from emergency dispatchers and medical professionals.