Snakebite first aid is a skill every Australian who spends time outdoors should learn. Our country is home to more venomous snakes than anywhere else in the world, and even a non-venomous snake bite can become infected and should be treated with the same level of severity.
With the biggest concerns for snake bites occurring out in the wilderness during hikes or camping, when one does happen, help is usually much further away than normal. By learning snake bite first aid ahead of time you can help keep someone safe during those crucial hours where help is on the way.
The Venomous Snakes You're Most Likely to Encounter Around Brisbane
South-east Queensland is home to several venomous species capable of causing serious harm. While you should never attempt to catch or kill a snake that’s bitten you, physical identification can help provide snakebite first aid.
Eastern brown snake
The eastern brown is found throughout Brisbane’s suburbs and bushland. It’s agile and slender, growing to between 1.5 and 2 metres, with colouring that ranges from light tan through to dark brown, often with a darker head.
Tiger snake
Tiger snakes are found in south-east Queensland’s wetter areas such as near creeks and rivers. They often have a cross-band pattern across their body, with colouring ranging from yellow and olive through to orange-brown and dark brown.
Coastal taipan
Coastal taipans are found at the edges of greater Brisbane. They reach up to 2.6 metres, are pale to mid-brown along the body with a notably paler snout and lower jaw, and have a long, narrow head distinct from their neck.
Red-bellied black snake
Recognisable by its glossy black body and vivid red underside, the red-bellied black snake is common in Brisbane’s bushland and wetland corridors.
Death adder
The death adder is found in Brisbane’s hinterland trails and surrounding bushland. It has a short, stout body with contrasting cross-bands in reddish-brown, grey, or yellowish hues, a broad triangular head, and a thin tail it uses to lure prey. It relies on camouflage in leaf litter rather than retreat, making it easy to step on without warning.
Rough-scaled snake
The rough-scaled snake is found across south-east Queensland, including hinterland areas. It is moderately sized with keeled, rough-textured scales and a colouring similar to the keelback snake, ranging from olive-brown to dark brown with faint banding. It is highly venomous and readily defensive when disturbed.
How to Recognise a Snakebite
The signs of a snakebite vary. A bite can appear as two small puncture marks, a single mark, or a faint scratch.
Where venom has been injected, symptoms can include headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, blurred or double vision, and sudden collapse or confusion. Some symptoms may not appear for an hour after the bite, so someone who has been bitten but still seems fine should still seek immediate help.
Snakebite First Aid: The Pressure Immobilisation Bandage Technique
The pressure immobilisation technique (PIT) is the recommended snakebite first aid for all bites. It slows venom from moving, buying time to get the person to hospital for antivenom treatment.
Before you bandage:
First, safely move away from the snake. Remove any jewellery or clothing from around the bite. Lay the person flat on the ground and have them keep still.
Have someone call 000 as soon as you can.
Bandaging the limb:
To apply a pressure immobilisation bandage:
- Place a wide elastic bandage over the bite and firmly wrap upwards it in overlapping turns to cover as much of the limb as you can.
- Repeat this with a second elastic bandage.
- Splint the limb by tucking a rigid object such as a stick along the limb under the outer bandage.
- Make note of when the bite occurred.
Both bandages should be firm enough so that you can’t slide a finger underneath, but not so much that they cut off circulation.
What NOT to Do When Bitten by a Snake
When it comes to snakebite first aid, unfortunately there are several persistant myths about what to do and following them causes more harm than good.
Do not wash the bite. At hospital, the bite area can be swabbed with a venom detection kit to tell if the person needs antivenom and which kind.
Do not suck or cut the wound. Both of these are myths and both can exacerbate the injury.
Do not apply a tourniquet. A tourniquet cuts off circulation to the point it can cause permanent damage to a limb and is only used when someone is haemorrhaging blood. Snake venom travels along the lymphatic system, so not only is using a tourniquet dangerous, it’s useless.
Be Prepared for a Snake Bite
A venomous snake bite is survivable if the person with you knows what to do in the first few minutes. The technique is easy, but the window for action is short. Practice is key, and that’s why enrolling in a first aid course to learn snakebite first aid can help save your life.
FAQs
What Items Should be in a First Aid Kit?
A first aid kit should have disposable gloves, sterile gauze pads, adhesive wound dressings, a triangular bandage, scissors, tweezers, a CPR face shield, and a thermal blanket.
What is the Most Dangerous Australian Snake?
The inland taipan is the most venomous snake in Australia and the entire world. A single bite contains enough venom to kill an adult person. It lives in remote arid regions of central Australia and is rarely encountered by humans.
What is the Difference Between Venom and Poison?
Venom is injected into the body through a bite or sting, while poison is a toxin that enters the body through swallowing, inhaling, or skin absorption.
