Snake Bites: Do You Know What to Do?

An app is here to help.

Warmer weather means the beginning of the golf season—and increased snake activity.

Three species of venomous rattlers call Colorado home, and 13 are native to the snowbird mecca of Arizona, more than any state in the nation. Do you know what and what not to do if you or a companion is bitten? Your Smartphone can save your life.

There’s 911, of course, and SnakeBite911, a free app, that provides vital information on first aid and nearby hospitals. It also interfaces with doctors and first responders and features a time-stamped Venom Tracker, which capture photos of the bite area at regular intervals to help medical personnel diagnose and provide appropriate treatment.

The app also offers dos and don’ts in a snakebite emergency.

• DO keep calm, as panic increases heart rate speeding up the spread of venom in the body.
• DO keep limbs lower than the heart, as this slows the spread of venom.
• DO have someone drive you to the hospital if help isn’t close, as you may lose consciousness.
• DO call the poison control hotline 1-800-222-1222 and let them know your destination hospital.
• DO use a venom extraction kit if available; it’s not a cure-all but may remove some venom.
• DO NOT use tourniquets.
• DO NOT attempt to cut or apply suction to the bite site.
• DO NOT apply cold packs or ice to the skin.
• DO NOT use Advil, Motrin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

And don’t let this stop you from going out and playing a round of golf at your local course. Don’t venture into deep, inhospitable rough looking for an errant shot what will be unplayable anyway. Play it as a lateral and move on.

Nationally, approximately 8,000 snakebites occur each year, resulting in only five or six fatalities. SnakeBite911 can be found in the Apple App store, and is compatible with iPhones and iPads running iOS 8.0 or higher. Android users can find the app in the Google Play store. It’s compatible with Android versions 4.1, and higher.

crofab.com/SnakeBite911