May 31, 2023 |
Photo – Rattlesnake – Bigfoot99 file photo
The warm weather has finally arrived. The outdoors is calling. As people hit the trails in Wyoming in late spring and summer, the chances of encountering a venomous snake increase.
Rattlesnakes are the most common type of venomous snake people will come across in the northern parts of Carbon County. If your adventure outdoors results in you getting bit by a venomous snake, Stayton Mosbey offers this advice, “Stay calm.”
Mosbey is the director of South-Central Wyoming Emergency Medical Services. He said if you are bitten by a snake, don’t panic. Mosbey said to call 911 and remain where you are.
Mosbey said not to apply a tourniquet to the affected limb. Tourniquets may increase the risk of necrosis by trapping the venom behind the compression device. The SCWEMS director also said not to put ice on the wound, as a cold compress could make the situation worse.
The best course of action, Mosbey said, is to sit still and stay calm. Breathe deep. Take it slow. Panicking can make the venom spread faster and cause more tissue damage.
Mosbey also advised against attempting to capture the snake after it bites you. He said emergency responders will assume it was a rattlesnake and treat the wound accordingly. The SCWEMS director said trying to catch the snake could result in you getting bit again, even if it appears to be dead. Mosbey’s advice is to calmly back away and call for help.
Mosbey said SCWEMS typically responds to one rattlesnake bite a year. He said depending on the severity of the bite, the victim could be transported out of the county for treatment.
Memorial Hospital of Carbon County, in Rawlins, carries the rattlesnake anti-venom, CroFab. MHCC Marketing, Communications, and Foundation Director Stephanie Hinkle said they keep six doses of CroFab on hand, which is enough to treat one grown adult. She said they limit their inventory due to the price and shelf life of the product.
Saratoga’s North Platte Valley Medical Center does not have CroFab in its inventory. A hospital representative said they can have the anti-venom transported via the Wyoming Highway Patrol from other hospitals in the area if necessary.
